t. that's "the ed show." "politicsnation" with reverend al sharpton starts right now. >> good evening and thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead republicans' disarray in congress. it was supposed to be a triumphant day for the gop, their big takeover of congress. instead, speaker boehner faced the kind of revolt we haven't seen in over a century. one after another, tea partiers wanting to take boehner's job. >> the name of judge louie gohmert, i representative from the great state of texas. >> the name of the honorable ted yoho. >> speaker boehner kept his post, but only after losing the support of 25 republicans. no speaker has seen over 20

defections since this guy in 1923. that's how rare it is to see what we saw today. and despite retaining the gavel, the problems for speaker boehner weren't over. starting with the congressman in charge of counting the votes, house whip steve scalise. there he is. after the boehner vote today scalise came under more pressure for speaking at a white supremacist event in 2002. john lewis called on scalise to apologize. and there's even pushback from within his own party with politico quoting that scalise may be quote, toxic in some gop circles. so on day one of the new congress, the gop is on the defensive. and president obama is throwing down the gauntlet. today the white house said it would veto the first bill the

gop senate is planning to pass the keystone pipeline. and the president called on congress to work with him. i'm confident that there are going to be areas where we disagree and there will be some battles, but i'm also confident that there are enormous areas of potential agreement that would deliver to the american people. and we just have to make sure that we focus on those areas where we can make significant progress together. >> but in 2015 can speaker boehner work with the president? even if he can't even count on republicans to work with him? joining me now is msnbc political correspondent kasie hunt and political strategist angela rye. thank you both for being here. >> thank you, rev. >> so kasie, speaker boehner has seen the worst revolt yet from

the tea party and new pressure on scalise. is this how day one was supposed to go? >> there's no question that republicans are starting this out on a note that they didn't really want to begin with. this is as you say, a bigger revolt than we've seen but i do think it's important to note that this coalition of the aggrieved if you will that's how one republican put it to me privately, was not a unified front by any stretch. all these members sort of come from different wings of the conservative side of the republican party. you had some libertarians a handful of long-time members, mostly new members. and many of these members haven't actually been in washington during the time when there was a republican president. so they've only known divided government with a democrat in the white house. and that really colors how they've spent their years here. they've been fighting primarily against their speaker and the

challenge for house speaker john boehner and mitch mcconnell in the senate is to show what it could be like with a republican president and make sure they're setting up a way to put a republican in the white house. there are questions about whether or not they're able to do it. and we got a taste of that today. >> it's an uphill battle. but the news about scalise has put david duke back in the public eye. and he insists the group where scalise spoke was a, quote, civil rights organization. listen to this. >> i've never supported white soup rem simp. this wasn't a hate group. the european american unity and rights group was dedicated to true civil rights. >> now, he never supported white supremacists, but he was a member of the kkk, angela. with these kind of slips in the

news, doesn't scalise need to explain himself further at the gop press conference they're holding tomorrow? >> i think he absolutely has got to explain himself. the statement by his press person is not enough. the fact that he called himself david duke without the baggage when in fact david duke's very name is the baggage, is problem enough. that is not a brand that steve scalise himself, nor the republican party, and especially not the republican leadership can afford at all to be associated with. it's a huge problem, and i think that at some point, when it comes to fund-raising dollars, when it comes to whether or not they're able to gin up their base or broaden their base it's going to have to be addressed as soon as he becomes more of a threat to the party and the leadership. >> the scalise controversy also is putting the spotlight back on diversity in congress. now the new congress is 80% male 80% white, 92% christian, and that makes it the most

diverse congress in history. they're bragging about that. does this speak to the disconnect between congress and the american people that they're supposed to represent. >> it does represent, i think, the pace at which things change here on the hill. and i think if you talk to anyone who is advocating for more representation from african americans, more representation from women, they'd all say that you know what, this is not good enough. but on the other hand, they are showing they are making progress. from many of the women members in particular you saw some women lose and democratic women are talking about the fact that republicans have fewer women now. but on the whole, women members have been making progress. >> the gop is going to vote on the president's health care laws this week changing the definition of a full-time worker. mother jones reports the change would force 1.5 million americans to lose insurance. is that really how you show america that you're governing responsibly? >> well, you have to remember,

rev, that these folks aren't with demonstrating anything to america. they're about pleasing their base, most of which are in their very gerrymandered congressional districts. so a lot of them she said many of them who voted in opposition of speaker boehner, are those same members who came in after president obama won. so they are the tea party, let's take our country back members. they thrive off opposition politics and the folks who came in saying they're not only going to protest president obama but also the speaker. so these folks aren't trying to deliver much. speaker bane ser trying to keep them in line and sooner or later, he's going to realize he needs the democrats a little bit more than he thought. >> we have day one of the new gop congress and already two big veto threats from the president. the keystone pipeline and that change on how the affordable care act defines the workweek.

that's the take-away. >> i don't think after all the discussions from republicans about how this would usher in a new era of cooperation. i think that people on both sides of the aisle recognize that that wasn't how this was necessarily going to start. i think republicans are being pretty confrontational, at least with the health care changes in particular. keystone is something where there are many democrats who are going to back it. they do have 60 votes for it in the new senate and that includes a number of democrats. but, you know this is not necessarily going to be a cumbaya moment for both sides. we're heading into a 2016 presidential election. that will start to set the context for everything that's happening up here and that by nature is going to set republicans against republicans as they fight out the primary. but always republicans against democrats in the same mold we've been seeing for the past six years. >> angela the veto threats by

the president on keystone and on those rearrangements with the affordable care act, if they happen, how contentious can that be will that be or do you think it would just be one side versus the other like political ping-pong? or do you think we'll really see some fur fly? >> i don't know about fur, what i do know is the contention will start as soon as mitch mcconnell comes in, brings that bill to the floor, and has to deal with that open amendment process he decided he needed with the members again, who were elected to protest him, the president, and so on and so forth. so the president doesn't have to do much but to just say he'll veto the bill. the fight won't be there. the fight will be in both chambers of commerce, rev. >> do you think, kasie, as we go down the road the challenge will be, as i think you aptly put it that they being the republican leadership show the

young new members the importance of electing a republican to the white house and the process? but do you think the challenge will be also since they're not unified, because you very objectively pointed that out, because they didn't even agree, 25 voted against him, biggest we've seen since 1923 but they didn't all vote for the same speaker either. it was some for different candidates. how do you unite insurgents that are not even united themselves? >> in some ways that makes them easier to divide and conquer. if boehner had a tight-knit unified opposition was that able to make a pitch and say, if you join us we might end up in charge it would be a completely different story. that's not what you saw today. the challenge for republican leaders as they've laid it out in recent interviews, senator mitch mcconnell in particular is going to be to rein in some of the members who while they might be a small group, are able to

force the conversation to a place that national republican leaders don't want it to go. i think you'll see that in places like immigration, where the interests of these very conservative members, whether it be their districts or personal interests in running in a presidential primary, somebody like ted cruz, don't converge with what republicans view as the imperative for winning a general election in 2016. so the hardline against immigration, versus needing to appeal to hispanic voters. you saw that some today with jeb bush. we're not going to cede any demographic, any voters as we try to work to appeal to these people. that's potentially going to be very different from what's coming from the congress unless the gop can get their leaders in line. >> going to have to leave it there. thank you both for your time tonight. coming up jeb bush 2016. does his potential new push for

the white house include an attack on his brother's presidency? also tonight's justice file murder charges for a 30-year-old man accused of killing his rich dad, because his allowance was too small. and prison time for the man once considered one of the gop's rising stars. all that plus the amazing biden, joe being joe. >> oh look at this. >> he's my saluting guy. now, remember me when you're president, okay? >> okay. >> okay, good boy. >> if hillary doesn't run, is this what we'll see on the campaign trail? that's ahead in "conversation nation."

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today a big announcement from jeb bush. he formed a political action committee that will let him raise money before a potential run for president. his group is called "right to rise." and his mission statement seems strangely familiar. the group says millions of our fellow citizens across the board, middle class, feel as if the american dream is now out of their reach. where have we heard that before? >> the middle-class families folks losing their homes, losing their jobs losing their savings. all pushing that american dream a little further out of reach. >> must be a coincidence. what else does jeb push pac say? quote, the playing field is no longer fair or level. hmm, how about that. >> give us a level playing field, we will not lose.

>> huh? this is getting a little weird. jeb's pac also says while the last eight years have been pretty good ones for top earners, they've been a lost decade for the rest of america. really? >> we had seen a decade in which jobs were being shipped overseas. and wages and income of working people were going down even though folks at the very top were doing very well. >> so jeb bush sure has a winning campaign message, but it was a winner for barack obama. now, before you think jeb will be running as a democrat remember his new pac is called "right to rise," and he got that name from this guy. >> the american system of freedom and free enterprise has done more to help the poor more to give people the right to rise

in this country than any other economic system ever designed. >> spread the right to rise in america. >> remove those barriers so people can have the right to rise. >> so jeb's platform is a dash of income inequality, with a helping of paul ryan. i remember when that thing was called compassionate conservativism. joining me former head of the dnc, ed rendell. thanks for being here. >> my pleasure, rev. >> what do you make of jeb bush's message? is he aiming for a kinder gentler gop? >> yeah he is. in terms of the general election, if jeb bush were to win the republican primaries and get the nomination i think he'd be definitely a dangerous candidate. he talks about, you almost have to lose the republican primaries to win the general election and

he's right. what governor romney did, and we know this governor romney didn't campaign as the governor of massachusetts. had he done that he might have won. he went so far to the right to appease republican primary voters, that it was impossible for him to get back and claim the center. what jeb bush is trying to do with compassionate conservativism, stake out the center hope there are enough right-wingers in the primary, that there's enough vote that wants to win and understand there has to be a compassionate conservativism, so that's a winning formula for him not only to get through the primaries, but to contend in the general election. >> let me push on that because you know jeb bush could have a problem with the tea party conservatives in states like iowa and south carolina. and here's what he said recently about the primary process. >> i kind much of know how a

republican can win, whether it's me or somebody else and it has to be much more uplifting, much more positive much more willing to be practical now in washington, lose the primary to win the general, without violating your principles. >> lose the primary, win the general, which you cited. but could he survive the primary? how does he do that? >> it's going to be very hard because he's already staked out positions on immigration and education that are very difficult for the tea party and the radical right to swallow. for example, common core. when i became governor jeb bush was in his second term and he led us, the governors into adopting common core standards for graduation. lifting standards to make sure that american kids who graduate from high school are prepared for college or the workplace. it was a great idea. we all signed on republicans and democrats. then the tea party got on it and said, here's washington trying to dictate to the states and

localities. now it's become almost a pill to talk about common core in the republican primaries. i don't think jeb bush can win the republican primaries. he would be the best candidate in terms of the general election, the best candidate in terms of being president. and i hope by saying that i've doomed his campaign. >> now, one of the biggest issues for jeb bush's candidacy, governor notwithstanding that would be his brother. here's what he said about that back in 2013. >> i don't think there's any bush baggage at all. i love my brother. i'm proud of his accomplishments. i love my dad. i'm proud to be a bush. >> now, check out what his pac said today. quote, while the last eight years have been pretty good ones for the top earners, they've been a lost decade for the rest of america. but the past eight years includes part of his brother's term. i mean is that an accident or

is jeb trying to slowly create some distance from his brother? >> well i think he has to create distance from his brother, just like whoever the democratic candidate will have to talk about the good things that president obama did, but differ with him on certain areas. but i think the biggest problem for jeb bush and george w. bush is going to be foreign policy. the american people don't want to go back to the george w. bush foreign policy. they have had enough of wars enough of nation building and that's going to be jeb bush's biggest problem in a general election, is how to differentiate himself from the george w. bush foreign policy. i don't think he can successfully. that's going to be his biggest hurdle. >> former governor ed rendell, thank you for your time tonight. >> my pleasure rev. we're following breaking news, nbc news reporting that there is an active shooter incident in progress at the v.a. clinic in ft. bliss, texas.

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back in 2012, the right-wing had a ton of predictions about what a second term for president obama would look like. let's just say it wasn't all sunshine and daisies. >> if this president's re-elected, you're going to see chronic high unemployment for another four years or longer. >> gas prices will be up around $6.60 per gallon. >> the country's economy is going to collapse if obama is re-elected. >> and how many of those doom and gloom prophecies came true? none. unemployment is at 5.8% a

six-year low. gasoline has dropped to $2.19 a gallon. and the stock market is booming, hitting record highs. guess the fortune cookies that all those republicans were reading went a little stale. but there was another political fortune teller back in 2012 this guy. david seegel a florida ceo featured in a documentary about his wealth. >> so you ask me why i'm building the largest home in america. my answer is because i could. everyone wants to be rich. if they can't be rich the next best thing is to feel rich. and if they don't want to feel rich, then they're probably dead. >> a man of the people. seegel made headlines in 2012 for threatening to fire

employees if president obama won re-election, saying he'd be forced to because of that awful obama economy. but now that same ceo is giving out raises and calling it the best year in his company's history. david siegel proved his own prediction wrong. did all these fortune tellers of the right think we wouldn't notice their crack in their crystal ball? maybe they can predict this. nice try but we gotcha. why's that? look what daddy's got... ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!! growth you can count on from the bank where no branches equals great rates. the world is filled with air. but for people with copd sometimes breathing air can be difficult. if you have copd, ask your doctor about once-daily anoro ellipta. it helps people with copd breathe better for a full 24hours. anoro ellipta is the first fda-approved

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years prison sentence for his federal corruption conviction. the sentence is much lower than the 10 to 12 years prosecutors recommended. after the ruling he said he disagreed with the verdict and vowed to appeal it. he also said he never betrayed his oath of office but said he failed. >> i'm a fallen human being. i've made mistakes in my life. i always try to put the best interest of the people first as governor but i have failed at times in some of the judgments i've made during the course of my governship have hurt myself my family and my beloved people of virginia and for that i'm deeply deeply sorry. >> prosecutors wanted between 10 and 12 years, but the judge went with two, saying he was moved by the outpouring of support for mcdonnell and his military service. his prison term is slated to

start february 9th. faith, he gets two years. is that fair? >> the judge looked at a number of factors here but i will say, his punishment is among the most lenient we've seen in recent major public corruption cases. when you look at this case even the u.s. probation office recommended 12 years, because they looked at the fact that he didn't take a plea deal. he didn't accept responsibility. >> he went to trial. >> he testified on the witness stand. they say he obstructed justice and they showed eight times where they believe he committed perjury. >> let me go on the point about recent trials. rod blagojevich, 14 years. former u.s. congressman, william jefferson, 13 years. former alabama governor don siegelman, six years. former virginia governor bob mcdonnell, two years. why the difference? >> the difference is because the

judge decided to deviate from the standard practice and sentencing rules. >> it's not apples to apples but it does seem like a big difference. >> when you practice federal law, you know that when you do go to trial, you're taking a risk because they're so harsh with the sentencing and also because your client is going to be doing serious time. so it's a very serious matter and they're very rigid. so to get two years under these circumstances is very surprising. >> listen to what one of his attorneys says about the prison term. >> we hope he never goes to prison. if he gets bond pending appeal he will not have to go to prison pending appeal. >> how realistic is that? can he get out of this? is there potential for a strong appeal? >> they are going to appeal based on what the attorney said today and i think they're going to challenge the constitutionality of the

statutes under which he was convicted. i don't think it's likely you'll see a reversal on appeal. i think his attorneys are probably ecstatic the judge sentenced him to two years given the prosecutors asked for 10, the department of probation asked for 12. if you look at the precedent of other governors and other public officials who have been sentenced, they don't get community service. so they knew that he was facing some years here. >> but karen, can he win an appeal? is there constitutional questions here? >> here's the problem with appeals. i've done appeals for a very long time. what i can tell you is that i have gotten cases back that i was surprised that i did so well. and other cases i was surprised that they didn't listen to me. so you have a 50/50 shot. when you're doing an appeal 90% of the time you're going to lose. >> 90? >> more than 90% of the time when you do an appeal you are going to lose. so it is very rare, indeed that

you will win on appeal. and most appellate attorneys will tell you just that, you are probably not going to win. if you do you win on things like jury charges or instructions to the jury not the type of things that you would normally consider to be appealable issues. >> all right, now to a 30--year-old princeton grad, one of manhattan's elite, accused of murdering his father over his allowance. thomas gilbert jr is accused of shooting and killing his father and making his death look like a suicide. he's in jail right now and is expected to be in court friday. gilbert's father started a multimillion dollar hedge fund. officers say he and his son argued about his allowance a few days ago. his dad paid his $2400 rent each month and gave his son an allowance of $600 a week but he reportedly wanted to cut that to $400 a week. and that allegedly sent his son

off. police say on sunday he showed up at his parents' luxury apartment and asked his mother to go to get him some food. again minutes later she came home to find her husband dead. where is this case going? ever heard of a case like this before? >> well i've heard of many cases like this and i've had clients like this. the unusual part is that he's very handsome and very wealthy and therefore very privileged. of course mental illness is not socio-economic. my guess would be you just don't kill your parents. i'm sure there's history there. maybe alleged reports that he's mentally ill. so there might be some -- >> so mental illness is the basis of this? >> you can bet that his attorneys are already looking at that as a defense in this case. he was arraigned on second-degree murder charges. i think it's first-degree based on the facts.

it appears it was a premeditated act if most of the allegations are true. listen, it's outrageous. >> affluenza, like the rich child. >> you're 30 years old, a princeton graduate and you're receiving an allowance. clearly there are some issues there pch. >> and you're getting it cut. >> and he's angry because -- he's not working. he had a girlfriend and she said he was basically a loner. for four months she dated him. he received one phone call maybe from his mother. clearly there are issues there. >> we'll have to follow this one. faith and karen, thank you for your time tonight. >> thank you. coming up president obama's challenge to the gop on day one of the new congress. also the biden effect. he broke twitter today while swearing in senators on capitol hill. >> hey, man, good to see you upon.

>> it's his birthday today. >> happy birthday man. you got some killer eyes. those girls are in trouble. >> i need a hug, man. come on. god love you. >> and why is sarah palin going on national television to talk about president obama eating dog meat? it's all ahead in "conversation nation." you owned your car for four years. you named it brad. you loved brad.

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time now for "conversation nation." joining me tonight, democratic strategist tara dowdell, the grill's chris witherspoon and huffpost live host alyona minkovski. first up day one of the new congress and a chance for new sbings. president obama said he wants to work together with republicans but he also threw down the gauntlet vowing to veto the keystone pipeline and a bill aimed at limiting the affordable care act. he's also pushing ahead with executive action. tara it sounds like the president is not being swayed by this republican congress. is this a winning strategy? >> it is absolutely a winning strategy because people want to see the president stand his ground. and that's what he's been doing.

and we've actually seen his poll numbers go up. when it comes to the keystone pipeline, the keystone pipeline in particular is a political issue right now. it's not a policy issue. it's not something that's going to help the american public. >> they say it's going to create jobs. >> 35 permanent jobs is hardly a windfall. when we look at what we need in this country, the chamber of commerce said infrastructure is a no-brainer. we have pipelines in this country that carry our water that need to be replaced. that's what the priority is. >> i couldn't agree more. the idea this is a job creator is something that the facts don't back up. maybe a couple thousand jobs temporarily. leading scientists say it's going to create incredible damage to the climate and the progressive base is waiting for the president to take a stance on this issue. we must point out the administration for now is saying they will veto this bill because they haven't seen it and because they're being held up by

technicalities because there's an approval process which they want to follow. so it's still not the president coming down and saying he opposes this key stont pipeline. >> chris, you're one of the masters of optics. whether they're vetoing for these reasons or these reasons, the impression to many is that he's vetoing, he's standing up. >> what tara said is so true. he's making a strong stand. we elected this man in 2008 and 2012 whether you're not into politics or you are, you care when the president takes a bold stand. i'm not for the keystone pipeline. the important issues of this country, when you hear the facts of this most folks are going to research it. you realize it is something that should be vetoed and you stand by him -- >> it's smoke and mirrors. >> the fact is that's why i went where i went on the jobs. the package they've been trying

to sell is it's a job creator. when it isn't. it's temporary jobs for a couple of thousand. and it comes down many analysts said only 35 permanent jobs. so what's the motive? >> this is political. it was pushed in 2008 originally by the oil lobby. many of the people who were supporting were people who were getting a ton of money from the oil lobby. it's also become a flash point, this liberal versus conservative thing when that's not what this is about. if people really want to bring jobs to this country, we need more than that. and one of them if you look at china, for instance they're doing a $1.1 trillion infrastructure spending package to boost their economy. this is playing small ball. why are we playing small ball? >> we have an infrastructure bill. let me go on alyona to sarah palin. she's not backing down from the dog fight that's pitting her against the animal rights group,

peta. defending herself against criticism over a photo of her 6-year-old son using the family dog as a stepping stool to reach the sink. palin responded to peta's attacks by pointing out president obama once ate dog meat as a child in indonesia. appearing on the "today" show this morning, she was asked if maybe that comment was a cheap shot. >> oh heck no. that was the best line in the post that i wrote. it was the kickoff line upon it was hey, peta chill, at least trig didn't eat the dog. >> let me go to you, chris. >> i'm rolling my eyes. >> there's no end in sight in this debate. should she let sleeping dogs lie? >> first of all, i'm shocked that we still take sarah palin seriously. >> we didn't say that. >> i mean first of all, the photo of trig is a bit absurd. i think seeing that photo, i haven't seen it that close until now. seeing that photo, that's

absurd. that is something that peta should be outraged about. but the comment she made about obama is a low blow and it's sarah palin at her best. >> i can't believe that we're choosing between peta and sarah palin. i dislike both. so it's unfortunate i think that she's just trying to -- >> what does obama have to do with it? >> nothing. she's trying to stay relevant. >> she's known for shock value. she gives these sound bites that go viral. >> you're nodding? >> that's exactly what this is about. it's like when little kids when someone criticizes and they throw someone else's name out there. she's trying to deflect. not only was peta after her, some of her own followers were upset when they saw that picture. that's how it actually started. her own supporters were upset and thought it was unappropriate. so her first line of attack is

go after president obama. [ all speak at once ] >> she didn't think that people would have a problem with it and then her own supporters did. >> it wasn't like somebody had a zoom camera from outside and invaded their privacy. >> and it also looks likes the dog is being tortured. these people are overreacting. >> that could do a little bit of damage. >> everyone stay with us. when we come back joe biden being joe biden, and we'll all love it, next. i cook? because i make the best chicken noodle soup. because i make the best chicken noodle soup. because i make the best chicken noodle soup. for every way you make chicken noodle soup, make it delicious with swanson®. marge: you know, there's a more enjoyable way to get your fiber. try phillips fiber good gummies. they're delicious, and a good source of fiber to help support regularity. wife: mmmm husband: these are good! marge: the tasty side of fiber.

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we're back with our panel, tara chris, and alyona. next we turn to joe biden being joe biden. that is all i can say. the vice president was back on the hill this afternoon. swearing in the latest class of senators, and it was vintage joe biden. >> you're going to talk to a democrat? [ laughter ] whoa, man, this is boring boring boring. how you doing, man? big time charlie. how old are you?

charlie, now remember -- [ inaudible ] all right, good boy. okay here we go. cheese. >> i need a hug, kid, come on. god love you. hi caroline. how are you? >> i knew this would happen. >> tell you what man, i may be -- betty, how are you? i'm joe biden, vice president biden. how are you? i know i just swore in your grandson. all right, well it's nice to -- i'm going to put him on the phone, here he is. nice talking to her, but i don't have time. [ laughter ] >> biden was winning over the crowds at the capitol just as jeb bush announced he was launching a new pac for a

potential presidential run. and we still haven't heard from hillary clinton about her future. but seeing joe biden back on the hill and all his charisma had me wondering about his political future. what do you think? could we see a biden run in 2016? >> i'll tell you this, that man is living the dream. nobody is happier than joe biden. he really eats it up. i think you could see joe biden run in 2016. because first of all, he has a strong base of support. he doesn't have the level of support that hillary clinton has right now, but a lot of the people like him. what you saw right there is good old-fashioned retail politics. and retail politics is very important. it should never be underestimated. >> never be underestimated you're the entertainment guy. how do you in this modern social media world get a guy through with retail politics? >> what we just saw was a viral moment. that was a viral moment. he was being himself. you can tell he was truly being good old joe.

>> it was. >> if you watch "house of cards" and you kevin spacey, he has a very endearing persona as a vice president. that's what we want. we want to know the person in the office is someone we can relate to. if he were to run, he would bring a whole new demographic of voters to be invigorated about politics who might not have cared. >> how would you identify him politically? is he moderate? he's not progressive. where would you put him? >> he's more of a centrist democrat. of course it matters, speask if you are going to run. a lot of the america doesn't know too much about joe biden aside from his gaffe. so if he were to run, he needs to be able to overstep that and really get the american public to see him as a serious politician, talk about his foreign policy credentials, which is an area where he has a lot of expertise. >> i ran in 2004, i talked to all the guys and ladies in 2008. and i'm going to tell you, i like joe biden, he's a very good

politician. shouldn't be underestimated. i have no idea what he's going to do or hillary's going to do but he shouldn't be underestimated. tar a chris, and alyona thank you for your time. and when we come back new york police officers showing why they're new york's finest.

they're coming. what do i do? you need to catch the 4:10 huh? the equipment tracking system will get you to the loading dock. ♪ there should be a truck leaving now. i got it. now jump off the bridge. what? in 3...2...1... are you kidding me? go. right on time.

right now, over 20,000 trains are running reliably. we call that predictable. thrillingly predictable. finally tonight, going over and beyond the call of duty in one of the toughest jobs in america. last night, two nypd officers were shot after responding to an armed robbery in the bronx. five plain-clothes policemen responded to the call. one suspect was shot in the back. he was arrested at the hospital. the alleged gunman was arrested today following a massive manhunt, after this surveillance video showed him moments after the robbery. "the daily news" reports a third suspect is also in custody.

officers andrew dossi and pellerano are in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery. what is remarkable is the officers just finished their shift, but decided to respond to the crime. mayor de blasio spoke about their bravery today. >> the work they do is so profoundly important, but this instance where they went above and beyond the call this is absolutely a case of officers going above and beyond the call to protect their fellow new yorkers. as always, the city of new york and the nypd will be with them through this challenge and as these officers recover. >> this incident is a reminder to all of us of how dangerous the jobs of police officers are on a daily basis. we are engaged in a national conversation about policing. but we also must remember how hard they work to protect us.

no one wants to see reform more than me. but we want it because good cops most cops leave home every day not knowing what dangerous they face. they don't deserve to be smeared by those that don't uphold the standards that they risk their life for. thanks for watching. i'm al sharpton. "hardball" starts right now. boehner looks lamer. mcdonnell goes to the slammer, and david duke defends steve scalise. have a nice day, republicans, and let's play "hardball." ♪ ♪ >> good evening, i'm chris matthews in washington. put this day, january 6, 2015 down as a bad day for republicans. a top governor who was on mitt romney's short list for vice president is sent to prison today. 25 members of co