element of our nation's security. >> congressman, good you have to you with us. thank you for the time. >> thank you. that's "the ed show." "politics nation" with reverend al sharpton starts right now. \s. thanks to you for tuning in. tonight's lead -- president obama's primetime challenge to the gop. in the next three hours, the president will leave the white house and head to the capitol for the 2015 state of the union. he'll face the most republican-controlled congress since before the great depression. but he's not backing down. he'll call for action on taxes, education, immigration, putting his vision at the center of the national debate. and he'll walk in armed with some new momentum a surging

economy, fulfilling a promise from his first speech to congress back in 2009. >> while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken, but we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight i want every american to know this -- we will rebuild. we will recover, and the united states of america will emerge stronger than before. >> now, we have some brand-new numbers that back up that promise. a new nbc poll says 45% of americans are satisfied with the economy right now. that's the highest number since 2004, before the bush recession. and 49% say the u.s. is in a state of decline. that seems high but it's actually the best number on that issue since we began asking the question back in 1991.

the economy is surging, historic streak of job growth and now the president wants to make sure all americans feel the benefit. tonight he'll call on congress to pass tax cuts for the middle class, push a plan to make community colleges free for qualified students and call for paid sick days for better maternity leave for american workers. and after the speech he'll take that american agenda right into republican territory, heading to idaho and kansas to sell that message. just three months after the gop took control of congress president obama has seized the initiative and that's what we'll see when he walks to the podium tonight. joining mess is congressman emanuel cleaver, democrat from missouri and dana milbank from "the washington post." thank you both for being here.

>> good to be here. republicans seized congress in november but now the president is the one setting 9 agenda. what do you want to hear from him tonight? >> i want to hear him continue to talk about those things that he has been doing. he is riding a wave puff a number of successful political initiatives. i would like for him to talk about that a bit more. i think there's this brief -- at least there used to be this belief that the president was going to be in bed for the next two years after the beating we took back in november. he has come to the conclusion that this is the time for him to push all of the things that he believes that the american people need in order to have a healthier nation. i think it's working. it's working. the numbers are going to come up in terms of the people who approve of the way he's handling the economy. >> dana after six years of the

president's policies the economy is surging, but republicans now want him on a different path. here's what senator mcconnell said today. >> one option is the path he's been on for so many years. i sincerely hope he makes a different choice. if the president's ready for a new beginning beyond canceled health plans and pardons and executive overreach, work with us to pursue an achievement that history will actually remember. >> how will the republicans respond to the president tonight. are there any basis for common ground dana? >> well they'll respond grudgingly in a word. that's basically what mitch mcconnell has been doing. i love how he acknowledges that the economy is now booming and said that's because people knew the republicans were going to take over the senate rather than what'sing built up over the last six years. look they are going to respond

grudgingly, but they'll be facing a more powerful president. that's not really a matter of opinion, but a matter of statistics. the president's numbers were artificially depressed, not necessarily his fault, because the economy was doing poorly because there were so many job growth. now he's going to get credit for it deservedly or not. there's a lag effect here so you can expect his numbers to increase as the economy boomed much like president clinton's numbers did in the late '90s. this will strengthen him negotiating with congress on a whole wide range of issues. >> congressman, even the gop had to admit this economy's recovery is historic. i mean listen to senator john mccain today. >> this has the longest recovery in history, and we are glad but the reason why americans still are very am bivalent about it is because we not the middle income

and lower income americans have not really benefited. >> congressman, isn't that the exact point the president has been making? and who do americans trust to help poor and working-class people? >> first of all, the president has been talking about this for several years, but i think the public trusts the 79 because he's talking about increasing the -- if low-income people are not benefiting from the recovery, let's raise the minimum wage. let's reduce the tax burden on the poor and make the kind of tax reform that we need in line with taxing the people who have been blessed to benefit from living in this fabulous country, and because they have been blessed so much they're willing to pay more taxes. the president is not going to say anything new on this subject, he's been saying it. i'm assuming now that mr.

mcclain will not support a minimum wage increase i'll send him over my bill. the republicans have said that would be dead on arrival, and they're going to fight it but the american people are clearly supporting it. >> right. i think this is why the president's got a spring in his step right now. i think the loss of the senate has, in a way liberated him, and i think hess's got a lot more fight right now, and, you know now it's the republicans who will have a very difficult time managing things so what's the republican house going to do tomorrow? maybe something on the economy after the state of the union? no, they want to take up an abortion bill. certainly a lot less popular that this the agenda the president is floating tonight. that doesn't mean many if any of these proposals will become law, but it sounds like president obama has joined the fight and it looks like he's going to enjoy doing this. >> you know congressman, a

senior white house adviser told "new york times" today quote, we have proof that president obama's strategy is working, and the republicans now have a chicken little problem. all the doom and gloom they predicted did not come to pass. don't republicans have a credibility problem with all their talk about job killing policies about the president, congressman? >> well my hope is that they will come out tomorrow and repent, because they have clearly -- >> that's the preacher in you, congressman. [ laughter ] >> they can't help themselves. they need to repent because, you know think tried to label the auto industry rescue a giveaway. $80 bill xwron, rescued the automobile industry. we were supposed to be the world's leaders in automobiles, and we are, and now they're healthy again and they paid back the money. we can go down the line issue after issue, what the president

said would happen has happened. when things like that happen i have to say it again, it's time to repent. >> now, dana just hours before the speech the president issued two new veto threats against gop bills to restrict abortion rights and help big oil. that's a total of seven veto threats. are republicans ready for this, dana? >> i don't think any of them expect any of this legislation to get through, so of course they're ready for the veto threats, and they're not just threats, obviously. i think the president would love to veto big oil and abortion legislation, and jux that pose this with the agenda he's got going. the question is once the republicans get this legislative agenda out of their system are they going to start compromising with the president on things like trade, which we'll hear about tonight, and areas of tax reform where there is some

agreement. it's not all combat tonight. there are a lot of proposals there that republicans have supported before and still do. so if they can work all the message bills out of their system, they actually have some work they can do together. >> that's going to be the interesting thing for republicans to vote against what they used to vote for, how did they convince the american people it's not just politics while we're trying to make sure the recovery goss to middle class and poor americans. i'd like to see how they intend to convince people they are against what they always were for. congressman emanuel cleaver, dana milbank, thank you both for your time tonight. >> thanks reverend. >> good to be with you. how many republicans does it take to respond to the state of the union? it sounds like a but it's not. it says a lot about today's gop. plus we'll talk live to a civil rights hero who was

beaten bloody in selma, but who has a special seat for the speech tonight. also what do you want to hear from the president? we'll look at social media, as we count down the 2015 state of the union here on "politics nation." with our without this congress i will keep taking actions that help the economy grow but i can do a whole lot more with your help. because when we act together there's nothing the united states of america can't achieve. ♪ with the incredible fuel efficiency

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live picture of the white house. we want to know what you think -- what do you want to hear from the president tonight? what should he address? let us know on facebook or tweet us as "politics nation", uses the hash tack #pnsotu. we'll have some of those responses later on in the show. enthusiast. mmm, a perfect 177-degrees. and that's why this road warrior rents from national. i can bypass the counter and go straight to my car. and i don't have to talk to any humans, unless i want to. and i don't. and national lets me choose any car in the aisle. control. it's so, what's the word?... sexy. go national. go like a pro. why do 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

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where tonight president obama will lay out an aggressive agenda to address income inequality in america. in his state of the union speech he's proposing an ambitious new tax plan. it features a tax credit for working families. it would raise the child care tax credit and it offers a new worker retirement plan. it's paid for with a tax increase on the top 1%. but republicans are already circling the wagons around the wealthy, trying to protect the richest americans from paying their fair share. >> we're not just one good tax increase away from prosperity in this nation. >> this is a 20th century outdated model. >> this plan plans to hear about redistribution with added complexity and class war fare. >> i'm wore if you redistribute

income you'll have less of it. tonight we'll see a plan that will frame that political debate for 2015 2016 and beyond. joining me now is jess mcintosh and clarence page. thank you both for being here. >> great to be here rev. >> jess how will republicans respond to the president's argument on inequality now that they're in control of congress? >> yeah i mean the reason why the state of the union is one of my favorite times of the year is because when we get to talk about issues democrats do really well. we do really well across the board, even with a republican electorate. i mean minimum wage won on election night just as the democratic candidate in those same red states on the ballot lost. that was a really republican electorate electorate. so when the president talks about things like making it

easier for families to take care of each other and themselves by mutting more money in their paychecks, taking a bit off the wealthier 1% that resonates across the board, so republicans are really put in a box trying to explain why that is not sound economic policy when we have seen what happens when you funnel money to the wealthiest and to corporations for years and years and years, we see the kind of mess it gets our country in. no one wants to go back there again, no matter what party you are from. >> clarence how much of this is the president wanting to drive the agenda even beyond today's gop congress? >> well i think the president is pushing the agenda with remarkable aggressiveness, considering how poorly the democrats did. i think jess raises very good points. the president realizes he has issues on his side with his poll numbers being up and republicans are borrowing his rhetoric and

his issues. remember when republicans were talking about cutting spending and balances the budget? now all of a sudden they're recognizing wage inequality and this lag of stagnant wages at a time when the rest of the economy is doing remarkably well so president obama sees that with both houses of congress controlled by republicans, he can set the agenda tonight, then let them argue about it, come up with something to propose to him, and he has the ability to vealo it or not. they have strong incentives to want to get something he will not veto because mitch mcconnell and john boehner want to know -- >> you know jess even though they had this wave come in in the midterm election they're driving the drive of the president. he's setting the agenda. >> yeah it is at their peril if they think they had some kind of

a man dade. like i said our issues won in the veld states where our candidates lost. the electorate was about a third of the country. that was really a republican-tilted third of the country, but they didn't support republican policies. corey gardner wins as personhood is defeated tom cotton wins as they vote to raise the minimum wage, so the issues didn't connect to candidates. the issues are there and they're strong. the more we've seen the president aggressively talk about creating economic security for american women and families we have seen his poll numbers rye. that's corresponding to the improvement in the economy generally, but he's setting himself up for a pretty couple fantastic two years. >> clarence take a look at this chart. this blue line shows the income growth of the bottom 20% over

the last few decades. now here's the income growth of the richest 1%. that gap is unfair. don't we need something like the president's tax plan to address it? >> we do need something to address that. what's interesting is that the public obviously is distressed by that lag, and that's people at all income levels. a lot of people rich folks aren't comfortable with this much of an imbalance. the question is what do you do to get there? president obama is presenting the kind of a plan of tax cuts and incentives that will -- -- they're addressing issues he raised way back in the first presidential campaign for that matter. they're good issues and they're still good. now republicans don't have a lot to come back with. marco rubio has proposed wage subsidies instead of raising the minimum wage which i think is not a bad why the, but it's not

getting anywhere among republicans right now, because they aren't interested in being the idea party. so i think right now obama is in many ways in the driver's seat on that. >> a new nbc poll shows the public backed some key moves that the president has made on his own without congress. americans support his efforts to normalize relations with cuba by 60 to 30. they also support the president's executive action on immigration by 52 to 44. how will the president talk about issues like that tonight? >> well i think those are sort of the last questions left to answer. we know some of the major policy proceeds that we're going to hear tag, but he knows that americans are on his side about most of these things and the republicans seem to be scrambling to figure out a way to talk about cuba a way to talk about keystone even in a way that warrants their privatization of it. i'm interested to see what he

says, but also how they respond to it. >> jess mcintosh and clarence page, thank you both for your time tonight. >> thank you, reverend. >> thanks. coming up what will the president say tonight and what should he say? plus who will be sitting with first lady michelle obama tonight and what political statement does it make? and a 103-year-old civil rights icon amelia boyington spilled that blood, tonight she will be in the chamber for the speech, but she's here with me first. you don't want to miss her. stay with us. we have finished a difficult year. we have come through a difficult decade, but a new years has come, a new decade stretches before us. we don't quit. i don't quit. let's seize this moment to start anew, to carry the dream

forward, and as to strengthen our union once more.

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>> first is freedom of speech and expression everywhere in the world. >> other years, the phrases are just as iconic but become controversial in u.s. history. >> states like these and their terrorist allies constitute an axis of evil arming to threaten the peace of the world. >> and occasionally the president try toss use a speech to move away from scandal. >> one year of watergate is enough. >> clearly it wasn't. but one thing we can almost always count on in a steve union, a tribute to the american people. >> it is you, our citizens who make the state of our union strong. >> and in just under three

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...and neutralizes stomach acid at the source. ♪ tum, tum tum tum...♪ smoothies! only from tums. the president has address the nation in times of war and peace, in times of tranquility and unrest. 50 years ago the state of the union came at a time of crackling tension in this country. as president johnson spoke in 1965, dr. king was laying the groundwork for the voting rights movement in selma, alabama. history was made. two months later came a day known now as bloody sunday. civil rights marchers led by a young john lewis, beat and bloody on the edmund pettus bridge. look at this iconic picture. it's mess amelia boynton, a civil rights pioneer in selma,

lying unconscious. today her fight is depicted in the oscar nominated film "selma." >> i know that we are descendants of a mighty people who gave civilization to the world, people who survive the if innovated create and love despite pressures and tortures unimaginable. they are in our bloodstream pumping our hearts every second. they have prepared you. you are already prepared. 103-year-old amelia boynton will be in that house chamber tonight to watch the nation's first african-american president address the nation. he is a direct beneficiary of the blood she shed on that

bridge. you want to meet an american hero? meet my next guest. joining me now is that hero civil rights icon amelia boynton. she's joined by alabama congresswoman terry sewell who represents selma today and is bringing ms. boynton in as her guest tonight for the speech. it's an honor to have both of you with us tonight. >> it's great to be here reverend al it's amazing to have your she-ro right here. she ran for congress in 1964 as a first african-american woman from alabama to ever run, so it was awesome to have her here as well as -- >> you know ms. boynton, you spilled your blood on that bridge fighting for voting rights. how will it feel to see president obama deliver that speech tonight? >> well i thought so much of what my mother said.

she said we will rise again. i wish she were living in this day, because she said that our day will come but each generation has to bear its own responsibility, and -- because god has given us all of the objectives that he wants us to have. >> wow. >> and i am happy to know that my mother in heaven has realized that this day has come. we don't have everything to do. this was the foundation we laid in 1965. and we want everybody who feels

that they are not the -- and that god has laid the best for them to stand up and get off of our shoulders and every generation should realize that they are not some -- but they are americans, and to act like it to work like it and to demand that every segment of discrimination be torn away from this country that is supposed to be the land of the free, the home of the brave. >> wow. you know mids boynton today the voting rights act is under attack. when you hear from the president

tonight, i know you've been involved even in the last few years, in fighting to keep the voting rights act. i remember 2012 when we all were there and marched that we did the walk from selma to montgomery. you were there in the audience listening to our speeches and it inspired me when i looked down there, seeing you there. what do you hope the president will address tonight on voting? >> he wants to know -- what do you make of the president voting? what will you be looking for him to say on voting? the president. >> i think that as god has led, he doesn't need any paper, or he doesn't need any script because god is going to lead him, and whatever he says if we take it

and understand it and tear apart and rethink and to be -- then let us work with him. >> congresswoman, why did you decide to any of the ms. boynton tonight? >> i can't imagine to have anyone as a guest, this prelude to the commemoration is so important. i think that it's a long time overdue for these brave and courageous marchers to have their space in history as the true heroes and hereoines that they are. i'm honored she's a constituent, she had the courage to be on that bridge and my journey was only possible because of the journey she took 50 years ago. >> you are in that

congressionally seat that she ran for in the '60s, and all of us despite whatever differences and tactics we may have today, we are inspired when she tells us every generation must bear their responsibility. i hope we never let you down. ms. amelia boynton and congresswoman, thank you both for your time tonight. >> thanks. >> thank you very much. for this opportunity. >> god bless you. still ahead, what do you want to hear in the state of the union tonight? our twitter and facebook pages are lighting up. we'll have your responses after the break. also you won't believe how many republicans responses we'll get to the speech tonight. what does it say about today's gop? you're watching "politics nation" here on msnbc.

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of aleve. it's a big night in washington. we're just a little over two hours away from the president's second to the lest state of the union address. now it's time for a special political edition of "conversation nation." joining me tonight abby huntsman political strategist angela rye, and msnbc

contributor victoria defrancisco-soto. we start with new excerpts from the president's state of the union, showing that fairness will be a keep part of the speech. he'll say, quote -- will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well? or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort? he'll also say, quote -- that's what middle-class economics is the idea that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot everyone does their fair share and everyone plays by the came set of rules. how is that as a political message? >> i think it's important last year i think the president told the congress the theme send me a bill and i'll sign it. this year he's giving them the

tactics for do that. these are the prescriptions of the bill i expect to see. these are the ways i expect for us to work together for a common goal and that is to see the whole of america do much better. >> let me ask you this -- and how important is it to set an agenda. >> especially baas we're facing wsh know they are some serious roadblocks ahead so the president needs to be crystal clear. and he also needs to be forceful. i think he also needs to send 9 message to congress if you don't need to -- to the hilt because we cannot sit around and just let congress say no no no. we have two more years left and we need to get something done. >> abby 2016 gop candidates are already talking fairness. they come to the president's

agenda. they're having huntsman attacks, if you don't mind of phrase. romney is even saying he'll be the guy who talks about lower income, which is quite shocking. >> talk is one thing. they have to if they want to win, they have to speak, find the right message there. i think tonight the president is really thinking about that message for 2016 and teeing it off for folks like hillary clinton, and other democratic potential candidates. i think more than anything tonight, though it's about making people feel something. no one will be listening to what the president says six years in. i disagree. i think tonight is a powerful moment. it's the one time of the year that all of us come together, agree with the president or not. my boss said this is not happening in yemen, in many parts of the world. it's happening here. i think it is time for us to remind the shards values that we do have.

>> tightening our lacks gun law toss help prevent the over 30,000 deaths due for gun violence each year. uba says -- it should be on tackle the student loads, and economy, then voting issues. states are working to make it harder to vote. angela? >> one the student loan piece was in the middle. we certainly saw him work on student loans and college affordability all last year and the community college so he's continuing to also ensure that kids can transition from college to good-paying job. tonight the president is also going to make a big announcement in the fight against terror. he'll say, quote -- i call on this congress to show the world

that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against isil. another term for the terrorist group isis. abby this is being news. will congress now be part of the fight against isis? >> you were just reading what people want out of tonight? i think more than anything what i want to hear is something on this from the president. a lot of us are gangs, what's in store for our futures? what does it mean? i have two brothers in the military, and what does that mean to them? i would love for the president to direct is head-on about what we're faced with. everything that's gone on in europe in the past week. i think we'll all by curious to hear what he has to say. and congress as you said that is the one thing they have to come together on. >> victoria how will republicans vote on this resolution?

>> i think we're going to see what we saw in the past. i come back to what i want earlier. how do you vote against a recent lose on isis? >> they may vote on the resolution. will we see any substantive legislation to put things into place? that's what i don't see coming from this congress. i wish i could, but i don't. i honestly think, rev, we will see some agreement and some bipartisan efrts to on trade. the president is expected to call republican to on the trade agenda. >> which a lot of the democrats opposed. >> he's supposed to say this is one area with el can stand together. i think that's a strong area of support. >> i think education is another area of support, and not so much in the congress but in states. it's an in knoxville, tennessee where we're seeing the model program for community college tuition. let's go the states and work something out. >> abby it would be nice to see

some common ground. >> if we can't come together on foreign policy what can we come together on? he's in a difficult position because he's speaking at a time when the country has never felt this divided. 59% of an nbc policy think that divided government isn'ting. people felt divided government was working, so he has to speak to the american people who are from us freighted, but also a congress that can't seem to get anything done. if we can't -- i don't know how we move forward. >> the problem also will be that he has to talk to a nonreceptive audience there in the congress and talked to a huge broader audience that is going to be watching. >> yet they wait in line for hours just to get those seats. >> and of course the television audience and others so he as got to talk to this crowd that will not be receptive and a

broader crowd that many will adopt the agenda. it's difficult, but i think the president is capable of pulling it off. >> 3ru68 ratings say it. >> he already went -- i think that's how he speaking. panel, stay with me. we'll be right back. enthusiast. mmm, a perfect 177-degrees. and that's why this road warrior rents from national. i can bypass the counter and go straight to my car. and i don't have to talk to any humans, unless i want to. and i don't. and national lets me choose any car in the aisle. control. it's so, what's the word?... sexy. go national. go like a pro. stamps.com is the best.

once the president finishes the speech republicans have finished their chance to respond.

we'll get to the -- >> there will be a lot of eyeballs on her, mainly because of past incidents. it could be a kiss of death for politics as we've seen -- it's always awkward, i just say survive it. a year ago no one knew her. she's a farmer in iowa. she's now the first female senator from that state. i think that does say something positive about our country, that you can come from no one knowing you until being the face of the republican party, but i would say she's in a -- >> but with all of that you've

got to be able to rise to the occasion, because you're primetime now. >> you are and you're also still a freshman senator. i think the dynamics are different. i'm more cynical on this. >> it's only a binder full of them. i think that's why she was picked. >> what message are the republicans sending? >> i thought they wanted to moderate, but in picking joni ernst, this is a woman that palin loves. she says this is my time of candidate, are we going back to 2010? mama grizzly era? >> she has a lot of energy. >> a lot of energy. >> and she rallies the base. it's interesting, because she's one of so many responses. the tea party has that i own response. i think i read that ted cruz -- >> five responses. >> romney may show up at some point. >> what does that say about the republican party that you have

one presidential state of the union address and five responses? >> they can't get it together. >> all of them want to be president, at least most of them do. and a reminder that we are still a divided party, and i think this is an effort to final for attention, so as long as -- >> i know you're shocked, as long as we have multiple responses, we'll be divided. . i think that's an port distinction, united you stand. divided they fall. abbey and angela and victoria, thank you for your time tonight. we'll be right back with a final preview of tonight, and a look at how far this country and this president have come in the last six years. can't say thank you enough. you have made my life special by being apart of it.

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president obama will be leaving the without en route to the capitol for his big speech tonight. earlier the president was in the oval office putting finishes touches on the speech. a white house official sdripd him as relaxed. after all, he has given five state of the union speeches. during that time he's been tested and he's always responded. six years ago today, president obama was sworn in as our 44th president. >> there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. their memories are short. for they have forgotten what this country has already done what free men and women can achieve when imagination has joined a common purpose and necessity to courage. what a day that was.

but on that very same day, top republicans met secretly to plan a strategy to block his agenda. resistance to the affordable care act, fighting against immigration reform his handling of the economy, but to each assault, he's come back strong resilient, and tonight a night when he'll address the most republican congress since the 1920s, he has the momentum riding an 18-month high in approval standing at 50%. why? because his policies are calling for a more fair more just america are working. and because it's working, the american people despite the defeat at the polls in november have said they are with this president. thanks for watching i'm al sharpton. i'll see you back here for our special coverage at 8:00 p.m.

eastern. "hardball" starts right now. \s. barack obama's big night. let's play "hardball." ♪ good evening, i'm chris matthews in new york. just two hours away from president obama's sixth state of the union address. for the first time in his presidency, he's facing a congress that's completely controlled by the republicans. but that fact known since november has clearly liberated barack obama. the president's putting forward an aggressive agenda tonight. chief among the proposals is a new tax plans that shifts more to the rich the top 1%. today he got good news from the nbc/"wall street journal" poll. his approve rating is the highest it's been in 15 months. meanwhile, the public is growing increasingly