all told, more than 1200 palestinians, mostly civilians, have died along with 53 israeli soldiers and three civilians there. while there have been three instances confirmed by the u.n. of militants' rockets found in these schools, the u.n. says is these were empty at the time of attack. a u.n. spokesman told andrea mitchell today that israel should have known very well the school attacked today housed refugees. >> we notified the israeli army of the exact position of this school and the fact that there were 3,300 people there, precisely 17 times. and in spite of that, it is clear from our initial investigation that it was israeli artillery that hit the school and caused all of these deaths. >> nbc's ayman mohyeldin joins any now live from gaza.

ayman, still seems to be in end in sight in this terrible conflict. meanwhile, we had israeli strikes hitting gaza's only power plant. food, water, electricity all scarce at this point. what is day-to-day life like for civilians in gaza at this point? >> reporter: well, it has certainly become unbearable by every measure of the world. there really is no semblance of normalcy here anymore in gaza. when you take a look at the streets, it's not too late in the evening, but it is pitch black. everything is running on generators pretty much because of the fact all the electricity across gaza has been cut with the exception of a few hours here and there. in addition to that, people wake up in the morning and go either gas stations, bakeries, pharmacies, and wait hours just to be able to get the most basic of necessities, just to make it through another day. all of that from the perspective of what they need. but at the end of the day, there

is this psychological fear they're living under. with the darkness of night comes intensified shelling. people aren't sure if they're going to survive through another night. we've profiled so many palestinians who say they don't know if they'll make it through a day or night. parents trying to protect their children don't even know where to take them away from the front lines and come into gaza city are still being attacked and shelled. so it is a very difficult period just to make it through a 24-hour window here in gaza. that's the kind of life people here are enduring. >> thank you so much for that report, ayman. please stay safe. turning now to the west african ebola outbreak that has the whole world on edge. today officials from the u.k. and hong kong are quarantining airline passengers who have shown symptoms of that disease. cases in both countries reportedly tested negative for ebola, but understandably, no precautionary step seems too extreme.

at the same time, pan-african airline has suspended flights in and out of that affected region after patrick sawyer, a u.s. citizen who worked for the finance ministry of his native liberia, con tracked the disease there and later died after flying to nigeria. according to the world health organization, at least 670 people have died in this year's outbreak. and now liberia has shut down several border crossings to try to keep that deadly virus from spreading further. close calls like sawyer's are fueling fears that the often deadly disease could arrive right here at home in the u.s. as "the l.a. times" reports, sawyer had made plans to be stateside in early august to celebrate the birthdays of two of his three young daughters. >> ebola came this close to coming. it missed us this time, but it might not miss us next time. >> right now texas dr. kent

brandly and north carolina missionary nancy writebol are in isolation in liberia. they're fighting for their lives. samaritan's purse, the group they've been working with, say they've improved slightly in the last 24 hours but are still in serious condition. writebol's son spoke about his mother on the "today" show this morning. >> she's fighting through it and continuing to express a few symptoms. she's working real hard to get through this. >> so right now as humanitarian groups evacuate support staff from the outbreak region, the question is, is ebola really just one flight away from reaching the u.s.? a doctor with the centers for disease control joins us as well as another doctor who has been on medical missions across africa. he's also the chief medical editor at nbc affiliate wgsu. thank you both, gentlemen, for

joining us. we've had now the first incident of someone traveling on a plane with that deadly ebola virus. so what is being done to make sure that ebola is not spread internationally, and what is the real risk here in the u.s.? >> so i think that it's important in a globalized era with the speed and volume of air travel to be prepared and realize that there could be introductions of cases, but that's far different from saying that we would have widespread occurrence of an epidemic of ebola in the united states. the most importance thing we can do is be prepared to detect a case early, recognize it, and respond appropriately and swiftly with proper infection control. so part of that preparation is educating travelers. part of that preparation is educating clinicians to ask a travel history. be aware, be alert. and implement infection control

and isolation precautions right at the beginning when you suspect the possibility of ebola and not wait for a confirmed diagnosis. in terms of the travelers, they need to be aware of where the areas of risk are, how to avoid contact with ebola patients, staying away from blood and body fluid, and avoiding circumstances that might put them at risk. and if they develop a fever on return from an area of risk, to be able to call ahead, alert a health care provider, tell them they're worried about it, and make proper precautions. people should be monitoring themselves for about 21 days after travel to an infectioned area to look for signs and symptoms. mpl go >> good advice there. if there was a case in the u.s., it would be likely to be more easy contained, but this outbreak in west africa, doctors without borders has described it as out of control. it's the worst outbreak they've ever had. talk to us about the conditions that have made it so hard to contain the spread there.

>> make no mistake, this is something that is spreading rapidly. in my travels in doing medical missions, what i've seen is the areas that are very closely knit and the areas packed in close together, they are just hot beds for the spread of any type of virus or even a bacteria for that matter because sanitation is not where it needs to be, as we have in this country. so when you have the really close quarters, this thing can spread rapidly. this is the largest outbreak we've ever seen ever. so when we are looking at people coming from that part of the world and then coming to our country, it's something we have to be very concerned about. i just tell all the clinicians out there that are watching, this virus gives the exact same symptoms as the regular flu. so when you get to an e.r. or you get to your doctor's office, those symptoms are going to be the same. so doctors really must pay attention and ask that travel history. without it, you have no way of knowing what you're dealing

with. >> yeah, so important. doctor, do we know where this outbreak originated from, what the vector was in this particular circumstance? how did it pop up like this in western africa? >> i don't think in this specific situation we really know. but we have seen ebola outbreaks that usually probably originate in an animal reservoir of some sort. and of course, they're effectively spread through contact with secretions and body fluid from infected persons. also possibly infected corpses can spread. so burial practices and other things can contribute to spread. but the reservoir in this particular outbreak has not been clearly defined. >> and one of the things that this has also brought attention to with dr. brantly and another missionary worker there on the ground being hospitalized, having contracted ebola themselves is the incredibly brave and incredibly vital work that these doctors and nurses

and aid workers are doing on the ground in places like west africa. >> yeah, this is something that is done every day, 365 days a year, humanitarian efforts around the world. and the doctors are coming -- a lot of them are coming from our country because we have that altruistic nature to go and help everyone. but what we have to do is make sure that we don't have so much of an altruistic nature to bring these things back and endanger our own people of our own country. because these things -- you know, it would be very easy for someone to come into this country without being detected and spread something like this. even though we could contain it quickly, we don't ever want that to happen. but the doctors out there are fighting every day to make sure this doesn't happen. >> and obviously what makes ebola so scary is there is no vaccine. there is no known treatment for this virus. there is some research being done currently. one of the problems is the fact if there was a vaccine or treatment developed, it likely wouldn't be profitable. so for the big pharma companies, they're not going to invest a

lot in research of their own dollars in developing an effective treatment here. so we're really dependent on the government, on the u.s. government in particular, to fund research. are there any promising developments in this area? >> there's a lot of very active work in the area. none of it unfortunately is at the point where it could be used in this outbreak, but you're highlighting a very, very important need. and there's a lot of ongoing effort, both in terms of anti-virals and in terms of vaccines for prevention. >> what would you say to that? i think there needs to be awareness of how important government dollars for vital cures and treatments for viruses like ebola really are in these instances. >> we should never think about, you know, large groups of people having to die before our government steps in and develops vaccines. if one person dies, that's way too many as far as i'm concerned. that's my oath that i took. but we have to remember that it takes a while for vaccines to be developed as well as anti-viral medications. it really takes a while for

regular antibiotics in the united states to be developed. we have to expedite this process and make sure we're aware. one of my big things is i need people to wash their hands. people don't wash their hands enough. things like this will make sure that, you know, people are being vigilant about stopping the spread of something like this so we don't have to depend so much on vaccines and medicine. prevention is the cure. vaccine is the number one gate keeper for that. >> absolutely. thank you both so much for your insights. >> thank you. and up next, a big win for fast food workers that could actually pave the way for them to get living wages and to form unions. then, the attorney general of virginia on his court victory for what he's calling one of the most important civil rights issues of our day. it's simple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis,

staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. celebrex can be taken with or without food. and it's not a narcotic. you and your doctor should balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk faors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, like celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions, or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. don't take celebrex if you have bleeding

in the stomach or intestine, or had an asthma attack, hives, other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history. and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. yeah? then how'd i get this... [ voice of dennis ] ...safe driving bonus check? every six months without an accident, allstate sends a check. silence. are you in good hands? silence. ♪ [music] defiance is in our bones. defiance never grows old. citracal maximum. easily absorbed calcium plus d. beauty is bone deep.

in america, if you work hard, you should have a living wage. if you work hard and you're willing to do what is right, you should have a living wage. >> that was naacp activist the reverend william barber outside chicago just a few days ago where fast food workers rallied around a fight for what they are saying is a living wage. also included in that fight is the right to unionize. it's a battle workers and activists have taken public over the past year, and now a ruling by the national labor relations board may be a turning point. on tuesday the nlrb office of the general counsel authorized complaints against mcdonald's franchisees and determined mcdonald's is a joint employer. it's a blow to the fast food chain and others like it that up until now had been protected by

their franchise agreements, claiming that labor violations are the problem of their franchisees and shielding the corporation itself from liability. according to the nlrb, 181 cases involving mcdonald's have been filed since 2012. of those, 64 are still pending investigation and 43 have been found to have merit. we reached out to mcdonald's and received this statement that reads in part, this decision to allow unfair labor practice complaints to allege that mcdonald's is a joint employer with its franchisees is wrong. mcdonald's will contest this allegation in the appropriate forum. joining me now, kendall fells, the organizing director for fast food forward. thanks for being with us. >> thanks for having us. >> so kendall, help us understand why this ruling is so important. it's been called a game changer, particularly in the fight for fast food workers to be able to push for a living wage and to be able to unionize. >> ultimately, krystal, what

this determination means is that the golden arches are now on the hook for the poor treatment of their workers. they can no longer hide behind their franchisees. they're responsible for the things that take place inside their stores. that's been a huge victory here for the workers. it's created a lot of momentum on the ground inside the stores, but it also undermines the entire argument that mcdonald's has been making that they're not in a position to raise wages for their workers in order to pull them out of poverty and get them off of public assistance. >> yeah, and the argument here rests on the fact that mcdonald's corporation does, in fact, exert a lot of influence and a lot of control over their franchisees. what are some of the ways that mcdonald's corporation does exert that control over the labor and management practices of their franchisees, and is that common? are there other fast food restaurants, other large chains that exert a similar level of control? >> i mean, when you look at mcdonald's, the corporation,

they actually control everything from the uniforms to the menus, all the way down to how many staff any particular franchise will have on the schedule at any given time. so they have an operating system that they can then contact a franchise owner and say, hey, you have too many people on the shift, you need to take a couple people off or you need to let these three people sit in the lobby for 2 1/2 hours before they clock in, which is illegal. mcdonald's also, you know, they coordinate everything down to how many times you fold a cheeseburger bag to how fast you receive a big mac when you're in the drive-through window. now the general counsel, the determination essentially says, you know, if you have that close of supervision and that amount of power over a franchise owner, now you're on the hook for things like widespread wage theft throughout your stores which mcdonald's workers filed lawsuits in california, michigan, and new york earlier

this year alleging. so now not only is the franchisee on the hook, but the fran chie sor and mcdonald's is the one with the money and power to change their workers' lives. >> so really important here for mcdonald's workers. are other large corporations like burger king, other folks who use this franchise model, do they exert a similar level of control so that their workers could also file suit successfully against the corporate head here? >> i mean, ultimately, that's going to be up to the labor board and the general counsel and for the attorneys to decide. our position is when you look across the industry as a whole, you pretty much see the same practices happening at all the industries whether you're talking about mcdonald's, whether you're talking about burger king, wendy's, et cetera. our position is that fast food workers as a whole deserve $15 in a union, but mcdonald's is the leader of the industry. you know, the general counsel

has decided that mcdonald's meets the threshold for what is called an employer. now they can be named in said lawsuits and violations moving forward. >> kendall, we obviously saw the president moving forward, pushing for a $10.10 minimum wage, also signing executive order making that the minimum wage for federal contractors. you all are pushing for $15 an hour. we've seen that really have an impact on the conversation. seattle passing that, san francisco looking at it. what do you say to folks who say $15 is too much? maybe that makes sense in seattle or san francisco, but in a rural area, it doesn't make sense for the economy. >> when you look at the fast food industry, what you see is the fastest growing industry in the country, and they're paying the lowest wages in the country. they also have the broadest disparity between how much the front line workers make and how much the ceo makes, which is about 1,000 times difference between the two. and when you're talking about

getting the american economy back on track, which you're ultimately talking about, it's making sure that low-wage workers have enough money in their paycheck that they're able to spend money and get the economy back going. you know, this is a $200 billion industry. there's more than enough money to pay these workers $15 an hour. and there is no logical reason why these workers should be living in poverty, living in homeless shelters, making decisions between buying a cheeseburger for their daughter or getting to work while ceos are making more money than they've ever seen. so ultimately, you know, what we see is workers who are determined, you know, against all odds to win this campaign and make sure that the industry pays them $15 an hour so they can get their families out of poverty. you know, i think that americans are beginning to say that there's no reason we should spend $7 billion a year in taxpayers' money to subsidize companies like mcdonald's,

burger king, and wendy's, when they're taking home record profit and have enough money to pay their workers enough money to survive just to get food, shelter, and clothes on their back. >> if you work hard, if you work a full-time job, i think you ought to be able to support yourself. kendall, quickly, mcdonald's is going to challenge the ruling. is this something that could wind up at the supreme court? >> i mean, mcdonald's is welcome to take, you know, whatever steps they feel necessary, but as the facts are right now, the general counsel of the labor board has determined that mcdonald's can be named as an employer, and the allegations moving forward, we have lawsuits in california, michigan, and new york that need to be settled. right now it looks like the golden arches are on the hook for the poor treatment of their workers. >> kendall, thank you so much. and now three things to know this wednesday. new security questions after the body of a stowaway was found in the wheel well of a u.s. military plane when it landed in

germany. an investigation is under way into how this young boy from africa was able to breach security and crawl into the plane unnoticed. the ucla campus is trying to dry out today after a water main break flooded the campus. between 8 to 10 million gallons of water gushed out for more three hours before crews could actually shut off that water. and former secretary of state hillary clinton is weighing in on the controversy surrounding the name of washington's nfl football team. in an interview, clinton said the name is insensitive and there's no reason to keep it.

if energy could come from anything?. or if power could go anywhere? or if light could seek out the dark? what would happen if that happens? anything. you fifteen percent or more on huh, fiftcar insurance.uld save everybody knows that. well, did you know words really can hurt you?

what...? jesse don't go! jesse...no! i'm sorry daisy, but i'm a loner. and a loner gotta be alone. heee yawww! geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. jesse? fancy feast broths. they're irresistabowl... completely unbelievabowl... totally delectabowl. real silky smooth or creamy broths. everything she's been waiting for. carefully crafted with real seafood, real veggies, and never any by-products or fillers. wow! being a cat just got more enjoyabowl. fancy feast broths. wow served daily. ugh. heartburn. did someone say burn? 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. the summer of this.mmer. the summer that summers from here on will be compared to. where memories will be forged into the sand. and then hung on a wall for years to come. get out there, with over 50,000 hotels at $150 dollars or less. expedia. find yours. ahead on reid between the lines, how political stunts in washington are hurting the very people republicans claim they are trying to protect. but now it's time for we the tweeple. today you are buzzing about ebola, sharing thoughts on battling the outbreak and remembering the workers who are

in the thick of it. you're sending tweets like this. quote, perhaps the horrific ebola outbreak in west africa will remind people why we need sciences, new vaccine, and respect for medics on the front lines. according to reports, these medics despite wearing rubber boot, body suits, and goggles are still highly vulnerable. they risk their lives hoping to save lives. how do they do it? bbc tweeted this quote from a local nurse who said simply, i muster the courage to come and work here to help save my community. and you're sending tweets like this in support. there isn't enough praise for medical staff caring for victims of contagious viruses, real heroes. that's you all. indeed. and now to these sheros, women of turkey using social media and laughter as a form of resistance. this week turkey's deputy prime minister said women shouldn't laugh in public because it is immodest. using twitter, many turkish

women said in response, oh, get over it. they sent thousands of tweets like this showing them with big public smiles with hash tags in turkish that translate into resist laughter, resist woman, and laughter. you've sent over 300,000 tweets with these empowering hash tags to date with women and men all over the world calling this movement social activism at its most beautiful. now to something a little bit campy. of course, it could only be "sharknado." >> let's go kill some sharks! >> it's happening again. >> you think there's going to be one of those shark storms here? >> yes! >> people have to know the truth before it happens again. >> welcome to new york. >> the blockbuster is back tonight on the scyfy channel, part of our nbc universal family. you're already flooding the hash tack and sending tweets like this, quote, is it odd i'm debating my evening plans because i want to ensure i'm

home to watch "sharknado 2." no, that's not strange. the first was seen by 14 million people. the first airing generated 5,000 tweets a minute. experts say it's popular because we love films that act as if they're william shatner all the time. whatever the reason, you're bringing the social media storm, calling it better than christmas morning. it is upon us. join the conversation with fellow reiders on twitter, facebook, instagram and msnbc.com. keep telling us what's important to you. now this news. some inside-the-box thinking gives new meaning to affordable housing for college students in d.c. >> people all over big cities

love glass, steel buildings. they'll pay a fortune. here we've made something more affordable by far. we have repurposed the containers andfilling urban areas with housing. as long as i've lived in iowa, there's always been wind. (strauss' blue danube playing)

with the fourth circuit court of appeals having struck down virginia's same-sex marriage ban, the state must now prepare for what many believe is an inevitable showdown with a far more conservative supreme court. leading that challenge will be virginia's attorney general who made waves back in january when he announced that he would fight virginia's same-sex marriage ban, becoming the first such official in the south to do so. joining me now is virginia attorney general mark herring. so nice to see you. >> good to speak with you and be on the show. >> yeah, thanks for joining us. let's talk about this recent ruling, the fourth circuit striking down virginia's

constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. we've already seen the tenth circuit court striking down similar bans. is this, in fact, headed to the supreme court? it certainly looks that way at this point. >> it does. it's very likely that the case will be appealed from the fourth circuit to the supreme court. it's difficult to predict whether it'll be this case or the one from the tenth circuit or, you know, a group of cases that the supreme court takes. ultimately, i think they're going to need to rule on the issue to give certainty in the law. and shortly after taking office when i was sworn in back in january, i knew this case was pending. i knew we were going to need to act promptly. i did a rigorous, legal analysis and concluded that our state's ban on marriage for same-sex couples violated the equal protection due process clauses for the 14th amendment. i thought that was the right position as a matter of law. also the right thing to do for

people whose fundamental and constitutionally protected rights were being denied them here in virginia. it means so much to those people who have been struggling for equality and fair treatment all along. >> absolutely. attorney general, though your critics would say, okay, this was a ban that was voted on by voters in virginia, the people have spoken. they wanted same-sex marriage to be banned in the state as a publ -- as a public official, it's your responsibility not to overturn it. what would you say to that? >> the fact it was voted on and made a part of our state constitution is something i took into account. ultimately, whether it's the state statute or part of the state constitution, the state must act in accordance with the united states constitution. i looked at it very closely. i concluded if the supreme court were presented with our marriage ban, that it would probably strike it down. and so i felt with very highest fidelity to my office that it

was my responsibility in that case, when a state law and state constitutional provision violates the federal constitution, consistent with my oath and standing up for the rights of virginians that i had an obligation to change the state's legal position in the case and take up the side of the plaintiffs to try to have the ban struck down. while there was some criticism to be sure, it paled in comparison to the outpouring of support i've received from virginians all across the commonwealth. like a veteran from the shenandoah valley who wrote me to talk about how he's hoping he will be able to get married to his partner in virginia in time for his future father-in-law, a world war ii vet, to see it. or a college student from southwest virginia who was too young to vote on the amendment back in 2006 but still remembers the effect of what that amendment meant to him to where he tried to hide his identity

from his friends, his family, and pushed him farther aside. so that's what it means to people all across the commonwealth and the country for this ban to be struck down. >> yeah, and i think as people hear those stories in virginia there, their minds are changing. i think there's been a major change in public opinion in virginia, even since a few years ago when i ran for congress there. but i wanted to turn to another set of conflicting decisions that we had recently on obamacare. one coming from the d.c. circuit court and one coming again from that fourth circuit court in virginia. the rulings had to do with whether or not people who are buying obamacare through a federal exchange rather than a state exchange can be eligible for the obamacare subsidies. virginia is a state where you did not set up your own medicare exchange -- or obamacare, rather, exchange so the federal government came in and set it up for you. if there was ultimately a ruling

going into effect that said folks could not receive this subsidy if they bought obamacare through a federal exchange, how would that affect folks in virginia? >> well, it would be devastating. that's one of the reasons why i decided to get involved and file a briefing and get involved in this case. 177,000 virginians have bought health insurance on the exchange with some amount of financial assistance. the average amount of assistance is $3,000. that's a lot of money. that makes the difference between being able to afford health care and not being able to afford it for a lot of low and moderate-income virginians who are struggling to make ends meet. it is critically important that they have this assistance if they're going to get the health care that the act promises. that's why i got involved. and this case would also have precedent elsewhere. it would impact millions of americans. >> on another issue related to obamacare, virginia also hasn't

gone forward with medicaid expansion, which would extend obamacare to a lot more virginians in the state. now governor terry mcauliffe ran on a pledge to do whatever he could to expand medicaid. he's been stymied by the republican-controlled house in particular, who have done everything they can to stand in the way of that expansion. i know that you're working with governor mcauliffe, exploring what options are available to move forward with medicaid expansion without the backing of the legislature. what sort of options are you looking at right now? >> well, first of all, let me say governor mcauliffe is doing absolutely the right thing by fighting for medicaid expansion and greater health care here in virginia. expansion would bring health care to 400,000 virginians who currently can't afford it. it would bring billions of federal dollars back into virginia and help strengthen our economy. so he's doing exactly the right thing by fighting for it. but the republican-controlled house of delegates and the

general assembly has blocked him. he's asked his staff to bring back some options. the governor is going to look at those. i expect those will be coming forward in the next month or so. i'm looking forward to seeing what those are and working through them. >> and views in virginia are pretty mixed on medicaid expansion. roughly split on whether people want it or don't want it. but 61% feel like governor mcauliffe should not bypass the legislature. what would you say to folks to allay their concerns that he's trying to exercise power that he really doesn't have or shouldn't use? >> well, we're going to look very closely at the proposals that are identified, what options are out there. as attorney general, i'm going to be making sure that when i advise the governor that i make sure that any actions that i recommend or advise him on, that they're firmly grounded in the law. >> virginia attorney general

mark herring, thank you so much. >> thank you. and up next, two medal of honor recipients talk about their service and their sacrifice to this country as our generation to generation series continues. so factors like diet n negatively impact good bacteria? even if you're healthy and active. phillips digestive health support is a duo-probiotic that helps supplement good bacteria found in two parts of your digestive tract. i'm doubly impressed! phillips' digestive health. a daily probiotic. but do you know what's ine your skincare?- neutrogena naturals. a line of nutrient-rich skincare with pure, naturally derived ingredients, carefully chosen and clinically proven to cleanse, purify and moisturize... and you'll never find any harsh chemical sulfates, parabens or unnecessary additives. healthy skin-starts from within. neutrogena naturals. learn more at neutrogenanaturals.com. ♪ i've got a nice long life ahead.

big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i looked at my options. then i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call now and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement insurance plans, it helps pick up some of what medicare doesn't pay. and could save you in out-of-pocket medical costs. to me, relationships matter. i've been with my doctor for 12 years. now i know i'll be able to stick with him. [ male announcer ] with these types of plans, you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. plus, there are no networks, and virtually no referrals needed. so don't wait. call now and request

this free decision guide to help you better understand medicare... and which aarp medicare supplement plan might be best for you. there's a wide range to choose from. we love to travel -- and there's so much more to see. so we found a plan that can travel with us. anywhere in the country. [ male announcer ] join the millions of people who have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp, an organization serving the needs of people 50 and over for generations. remember, all medicare supplement insurance plans help cover what medicare doesn't pay. and could save you in out-of-pocket medical costs. call now to request your free decision guide. and learn more about the kinds of plans that will be here for you now -- and down the road. i have a lifetime of experience. so i know how important that is.

and now for our series generation to generation, which brings together current leaders and the people who influenced and inspired them. for some frank conversations about politics, policy, and the state of our culture. recently two medal of honor recipients, colonel jack jacobs and kyle carpenter, an afghan war vet, sat down to talk about their service and their sacrifice. >> where were you? when was it? and what happened?

>> i was in afghanistan. it was november 21st of 2010. it was my first combat deployment over there. >> kyle carpenter shouldn't be alive. >> he was severely wounded while serving in afghanistan. >> we were on top of a roof. an attack was started and grenades were thrown. one halanded on top of the roof with us. i don't remember anything. >> colonel jack jacobs was almost killed in vietnam in 1968 under intense enemy fire. he rescued 14 men that day, earning a medal of honor. >> i had a head wound. just felt like i wanted to lie down. after a while, i did lie down. i couldn't get up again. was it like that for you? >> well, i couldn't really hear or see anything just because my vision and my ruptured eardrums. but, you know, through those few short seconds, i got more and more tired and towards the end

of t after i had my final few thoughts and i'd kind of come to terms that, you know, i wasn't making it through this, it was -- yeah, i was just really tired. i just wanted to kind of go to sleep. >> i think you come to grips with the situation after a while. >> the president of the united states in the name of the congress takes pleasure in presenting the medal of honor to lance corporal william kyle carpenter, united states marine corps. >> so how did you discover that you were going to get the award? who called you? >> the president of the united states, president obama. >> this is barack obama. how are you doing? >> fine, sir. how are you? >> i will be awarding you the medal of honor for your courageous actions in afghanistan. >> i got a call about three weeks before the ceremony from some colonel who identified himself as being head of army awards branch. he said, congratulations, you're

going to receive the medal of honor. >> for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity. >> you know who jimmy doolittle was? >> yes, sir. >> led the american raid on tokyo in 1942. put it his arm around me, took me to the corner of the room and said, young man, he said, you're no longer jack jacobs. he said, you're jack jacobs, medal of honor recipient. and you better behave accordingly. do you understand what i'm saying? >> definitely weighs on me, the responsibility i'll have. i'm not, i guess, timid or scared in any way. i am excited for the opportunity

to represent the military and this nation. but it's definitely, i guess, a double-edge sword. >> we hang together, try and help each other out because we do know that we don't wear the award for ourselves. we wear it for all those people who can't, who served and sacrificed, who performed valiantly and nobody saw them or somebody saw them, but they died themselves. you have a real heavy burden, not just because you're a medal of honor recipient but because there's so few, and you're relatively young. so the burden is going to fall on you and the other guys of your age to carry on talking about service and sacrifice and how we represent all those kids that didn't come home. >> yes, sir. >> and colonel jack jacobs will be answering your questions online. you can submit your question by

visiting t thereidreport.msnbc.com. the answers will be posted on our website on friday. coming up, we reid between the lines on the fight for a living wage and the one person who can actually make it happen for millions of american workers and their families. (son) oh no... can you fix it, dad? yeah, i can fix that. (dad) i wanted a car that could handle anything. i fixed it! (dad) that's why i got a subaru legacy. (vo) symmetrical all-wheel drive plus 36 mpg. i gotta break more toys. (vo) introducing the all-new subaru legacy. it's not just a sedan. it's a subaru.

but parallel parking isn't one you do a lof them.ings great. you're either too far from the curb. or too close to other cars... it's just a matter of time until you rip some guy's bumper off. so, here are your choices: take the bus. or get liberty mutual insurance. for drivers with accident forgiveness, liberty mutual won't raise your rates due to your first accident. see car insurance in a whole new light. call liberty mutual insurance. caman: thanks, captain obvious. wouldn't stay here tonight. captain obvious: i'd get a deal for tonight with deals for tonight from hotels.com. and you might want to get that pipe fixed.

the middle class is dying. that is the inevitable conclusion from new numbers showing that the median american household has lost one-third of its value from $88,000 to $56,000 over the past ten years. now, i know that you are constantly being assaulted by attention-grabbing headlines, political outrage, and supposed game-changing news items. but this is a number that ought to shock us. it ought to keep us up at night. so what are we going to do, america? congress is screwed up. this is literally objectively the worst congress in modern history, at least in terms of passing stuff. and most big companies have long

ago ditched henry ford's vision of paying workers enough to buy the consumer goods they move and produce and have instead adopted a vision of get yours while the getting's good. not so say there aren't some good eggs out there. costco and the gap, sort of. but costco is really gra eat. what if i told you the largest creator of low-wage jobs bereaves in the rights of workers, sees the big picture, and knows how inequality undermines our democracy and our society. that person could have a huge impact, right? well, that person is barack obama, and he could have a massive game-changing impact. as it turns out, the largest creator of low-wage jobs isn't walmart or target. it's the federal government. it's us taxpayers spending our money on employers who pay their employees poorly. illegally steal their wages by failing to pay overtime, forcing them to buy their own uniforms

and other abuses. and keep them from organizing to advocate for better conditions. yeah, we built that. and in fact, president obama has taken some encouraging steps to use his power as head of the executive to improve the lives of the workers that we employ, specifically by lifting their wages to $10.10 an hour. and more recently by banning discrimination against gays, all issues that republicans incidentally have pushed against. so much so, in fact, that today house republicans will hold a vote to move ahead with a lawsuit against the president for making just such moves. some going as far as calling for the president's impeachment. but while republicans are complaining, there is much more that should be done. we should with our tax dollars have a preference for those companies that actually treat their people well, pay them decent wages, allow them to organize, pay their executives nonoutrageous sums and don't illegally steal their workers' wages. the president could sign an executive order mandating that all agencies use just such a

preference when they're making their purchasing decisions. no congress required. the lives of 8 million workers, 21 million folks when you include their family members, would be better for it. and if he did so, he would be following historical precedent. they've long been used from fdr's collective bargaining requirements to lbj enshrining affirmative action in federal contracting. pundits are always vaguely imploring the president to be a leader, as if that nebulous word would fix all our problems. but here's an area, a specific area, where the president could bypass congress and be a leader. it means a lot to the country and it means everything to those 21 million people who are tired of watching their middle class dreams die. that wraps things up for the "the reid report." i'm krystal ball in, of course, for joy reid. we will see you back here tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. eastern. and be sure to visit the show online at

thereidreport.msnbc.com. "the cycle" is up next. hi, friends. >> we miss you. >> how's it going? >> doing well here in washington. we're going to have the latest, of course, from israel and gaza. john dean, former nixon counsel, will be here with us. also, i'm going to sit down in person here in washington with senator rand paul and senator cory booker here at the table. their first live interview together. a lot of people talking about rand paul and cory booker as the new odd couple as they push criminal and juvenile justice reform. i'll ask them about that in our hour, as you know, krystal. see you soon. >> indeed. looking forward to it. "the cycle" is up next. ast with whole grain fiber can do. one coffee with room, one large mocha latte, medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate hold the whip, two espressos. make one a double. she's full and focused [ barista ] i have two cappuccinos, one coffee with room, one large mocha latte, a medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate hold the whip, and two espressos -- one with a double shot. heh, heh. that's not the coffee talkin'. [ female announcer ] start your day with kellogg's frosted mini wheats cereal. with whole wheat goodness on one side

and a hint of sweetness on the other, it's a delicious way to get the nutrition you want. it's a delicious way peoi go to angie's listt for all kinds of reasons. to gauge whether or not the projects will be done in a timely fashion and within budget. angie's list members can tell you which provider is the best in town. you'll find reviews on everything from home repair to healthcare. now that we're expecting, i like the fact i can go onto angie's list and look for pediatricians. the service providers that i've found on angie's list actually have blown me away. find out why more than two million members count on angie's list. angie's list -- reviews you can trust. sweet charmin!!!softness... take a closer look at charmin ultra soft and you'll love what you see. not only can you use less, but you can actually see the softness in our comfort cushions. we all go. why not enjoy the go with charmin ultra soft?

so factors like diet can negatively impact good bacteria? even if you're healthy and active. phillips digestive health support is a duo-probiotic that helps supplement good bacteria

found in two parts of your digestive tract. i'm doubly impressed! phillips' digestive health. a daily probiotic. eachwon't have a claim.wners that's why allstate claim free rewards gives you money back for every year you don't have one. and why if you're part of the other 5%, allstate offers claim rateguard. so your rates won't go up just because of a claim. no matter what comes your way, your home protects you. ...protect it back allstate home insurance from an allstate agent. health officials in the u.k. and hong kong are quarantining some passengers arriving from west africa. they fear the deadliest ebola outbreak ever could spread globally. meanwhile, the u.s. economy grew 4% last spring, exceeding expectations, all eyes on this friday's jobs report for july.

meantime, stocks mostly lower this afternoon. some investors think continued economic improvements could lead to a rate hike from the fed. and a "cycle" exclusive this hour. two senators want to reform the war on drugs. rand paul and cory booker will be here in washington, d.c. with me today. their first tv interview together since introducing a bill helping nonviolent offenders get jobs. we begin with breaking news. fighting has resumed in gaza after a brief israeli cease-fire came and went. it was only in effect where israeli troops were not already operating in the gaza strip, and hamas refused to adhere to it. this after the u.n. says israel attacked one of their schools that palestinians were using just to seek shelter during this conflict. 15 were killed in the attack. 90 were hurt, mostly children who were sleeping. the u.n. calling the attack a, quote, a front to all and a universal shame. >> we notified the israeli army t