>> there were two larger men. one looked kind of hispanic but i'm not really sure. and the other one entered and i didn't see what he looked like at all. >> we'll finish it later, donna, thanks. >> that's part of a case -- a tail of a case. i'm not sure what it revealed except an interesting revelation about the person that called police in the first place. we're going to be looking at this and wondering if we should have asked more questions from the get go. i'm mika brzezinski, joe is off this morning but willie just finished the show. it's not working out, is it?

>> we need a fill in host. >> we're going to try some other people. tough business, whatever, get over it. we need to talk about this cbo thing. >> this is costly. increasingly costly. borderline cost overrun. >> i think there are more sides to that story, dan. >> i'm sure there are. that's why we have so many interesting personalities on this show. >> all right. we'll get to that but first a quick look at top stories. seven men in north carolina are accused of planning a violent jihad overseas, a series of terror attacks led by daniel patrick boyd, a u.s. citizen who in the 1980s trained in terror camps in pakistan and afghanistan. officials did not detail any specific plots, the men are charged with providing material

support to terrorism punishable by life in prison. defense secretary robert gates is in iraq on an unannounced visit there this morning. it comes as the u.s. continues to drawdown forces ahead of a full withdrawal by the end of 2011. newly released auto reporting show crime rather than rape was behind the 911 call behind the recent controversial arrest of a harvard professor. >> i don't know what happened. i just have an older woman standing here. she noticed two gentlemen getting in the house at that number. 17 ware street. and they kind of had to barge in and they broke the screen door and finally broke in. i don't know if they had a key or not because i couldn't see from my angle.

but you know, when i looked a little closely that's what i saw. >> are they still in the house? >> caller: they are still in the house, i believe. >> on thursday professor gates and sergeant crowley will join the president at the white house to hash out the incident over a beer. we'll play the radio call of sergeant crowley at the time of the arrest. law enforcement tells nbc news that michael jackson's doctor administered a powerful sedative the night before the pop star died. no charges have been filed. toxicology reports are due out this week. a new study, i actually think this is one of the big stories pertaining to health care. a new study shows obese americans spend roughly 42% more on health care than those of

normal weight. according to the "new york times," medical spending on obesity-related conditions cost an estimated $147 billion last year. that's more than 9% of medical spending. couldn't you argue we have an epidemic in this country, children and adults. that's proven, not a theory on my part if you attack that, deal with that, you deal with a lot of our costs. it's like we can't talk about it or something. >> it's hard to talk about especially because the next question becomes why don't we charge the people who are obese more for their health care. why don't we let them shoulder more -- smokers have higher rates because they choose their behaviors. there's so many people with weight issues, it sets off a political firestorm. the problem is the second question around obesity.

should we battle it. of course we should but who pays for it. people can say i don't want to pay for something somebody is doing for themselves. why should i pay for smokers or obese people. >> do you think you should pay more if you smoke? >> absolutely. >> if you get into a lot of car accidents. >> there's health care reform legislation around the hill that will be even tougher on smokers than the insurance premiums are. >> it's different because some obesity is genetic. you're punishing some people that can't do anything -- >> you can say smoking is an addictive personality. >> can't that be diagnosed, genetic obesity versus -- i don't know. >> you know, it's a fine line. >> we'll talk more about it. it's to me one of the key issues. it's on the front page of most papers because we're looking at

these costs. we're paring it down. i don't know. go to your kids' classroom, half of them were obese. back when we were younger, it was maybe one. it's a real problem. >> it's a problem in some states more than others. >> absolutely. disgraced quarterback michael vick is one step closer to returning to the nfl if he can find a team willing to find him. commissioner says he may be able to continue as early as october. freddie ball game will have more. what do you think, should he be able to play? >> yes. it's the discretion of the nfl. >> he served his time. >> the question is what team is going to be brave enough. it's going to be a media mess, protest. >> we're going to point to these guys as a role model. >> he can be a role model of a person who reformed himself.

what a brave thing it would be to have this incredible disgrace in your life and come back. what are we going to do, put him in jail and throw away the key forever? if he can become a spokesperson from this horrible past. >> i'm hopeful if he can do that. i'm skeptical. >> that's a quick look at the news. we'll talk about this more. first a check on the weather with bill karins. bill? how is that doing on "way too early"? you don't like it. >> i love "way too early." >> you were just on it. >> i was just on that show. i love that show. willie willie is good in the morning. >> i thought it was canceled. >> donald was on. cotton sheets he sleeps on. mika, he's a fan of mika?

>> called him at home. >> that's the thing, call people at home. >> wake them up. >> you give them a heads up? >> yes. >> donald and i have issues. >> i thought he got you a pair of shoes. >> what? >> he throws in stuff like that. >> random. >> summer-like conditions in many areas. yesterday a hint of the warmth, today more of the same. boston upper 80s, hartford near 90, philadelphia and d.c. in the low 90s today. acs will be cranking through the mid-atlantic, through new england, about time. travel trouble from texarkana to northern portions of louisiana, rain in mississippi. eventually that will spread into alabama. temperatures today, ridiculously hot in phoenix, 115 today. also look at our friends up there in seattle. you'll be 95 today. you're about to live through a

very, very intense heat wave. most people in our lifetimes have not seen temperatures this warm in the northwest. yakima 101, portland, oregon, 102. it gets even steamier tomorrow. the all-time recorded record high temperature in seattle was 100. it only happened once. they have a shot at hitting that tomorrow. tomorrow's high in seattle supposed to be 99 degrees, mika. seattle. >> that's hot. thanks, bill. >> that was good. very close. >> apologize for that. actually looking at the sale of new homes surging, 11% increase. >> prices going down. >> skeptical. >> yeah, thanks, bill. not sure about him. >> he's kind of a wild card. >> let's get back to these 911 calls, dispatch tapes from cambridge, massachusetts. we got these yesterday. you heard the 911 call earlier

where the woman did not mention race, identifying what she thought were two b & e suspects. we'll hear the dispatch tape. you'll here sergeant crowley saying he's uncooperative. does it change the way you feel about the case? prfr so you hear sergeant crowley saying he's uncooperative but we knew that. in the police report it says the

same thing. why does it make it better he handcuffed him in his own home and arrested him. >> the interesting thing is it didn't start off as a racial incident. they aren't talking about race. the woman was asked, what race? i don't know. i didn't see. it's not like they called and said two black guys breaking into a house. it's interesting. >> it definitely diffuses that. one of the questions i raised but it's just a question and i don't know the answer, because i actually was debated offset for quite sometime about this for even raising it, is it possible it was professor gates who brought it up first, who really made it about race. a lot of folks on our set friday kept talking to me about the door, said it is about race from the get go. i just wondered if it's possible that professor gates made it potentially more about race than the cop.

>> he certainly thought about race immediately because he asked the question why, because i'm a black man in america. >> he's not denying he said that. what suszy pointed out, the pau was made, not two black men, when you consider this police officer was appointed for race relations, reduce racial profiling. these are important pieces of information. we didn't have this information when the world jumped on this issue, including the president of the united states. here is the president doing a press conference on health care, he knocked health care reform off the front pages. here we are, tuesday, we're still talking about it. >> i hear where you're going with this. i don't want to lose sight of the fact a man was arrested in his own home. if that man looked like you, do you think the handcuffs would be

slapped on your wrist? do you? >> sure. difficult to say. >> i know some men who can get pretty confrontational when their back is up and get arrested? >> especially our weather guy. >> i'm thinking of an altercation at starbucks between my husband and someone -- let's move on. you know what, we still are asking questions about this. i am more interested in the political layers and nuances here with the president stepping in. i think the two sides in cambridge need to figure out what happened and do the best they can. >> why you got up at 5:30. >> little moon beer -- blue moon or blue dog. >> we are talking about blue

moon. i can't believe how many newspaper articles were debating what kind of beer they should have. >> they really should have had vodka but whatever. speaking of really stupid stories, willie. >> the birther. >> why not? let's just run the sound bite and move on. if anyone says anything i might snap. >> the question about whether president obama is a united states citizen, there is a group out there that questions the authenticity of his birth certificate. the questions made it all the way into the white house briefing room yesterday. here is robert gibbs. >> is there anything you can say that will make the birthers go away? >> no. the god's honest truth is no. bill, let's understand this. i almost hate to indulge in such an august setting, the white house briefing room, discussing

the made-up fictional non-sense about whether the president was born in this country. i have news for them and all of us. the president was born in honolulu, hawaii, the 50th state in the greatest country on the earth. he's a citizen. >> why does it keep coming up? >> because for $15 you can get an internet address and say whatever you want. >> that's actually true. that's about it. i have nothing to say about that. anybody want to say anything about that? >> moving on. >> apparently we're getting important e-mails. chris, chiming in on what we're going to say, the content? >> sure. i don't know if this is joe on vacation. you're not supposed to show people getting make up done. i will not stop -- listen to this threat. i will not stop pointing out everything you do wrong until you're fired. i'm watching. >> poor t.j. are you sure that wasn't joe?

yeah. all right. we're sorry. we'll try and save your job. coming up, the nations katrina abandoned. she said the media mislabeled. the recession far from over. is it over? is it not? i don't know. pennsylvania governor ed rendell his state in the middle of a 28 day budget standoff. "washington post" columnist eugene robinson joins us. you see him in the documentary super size me. morgan spurlock producing a new film you won't see in theaters. he'll explain. plus, of course, a look at stories "politico" is working on. you're watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks.

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but the taco bell chihuahua, muerte. you know who i'm talking about, the taco bell chihuahua, sad, what a way to go, a ruptured chalupa. >> another reference to gidget who passed away last week. with us now the executive editor of "politico" here with a look at "politico" playbook. jim, how are you? >> great. how are you? >> great. checking out politico.com. you're finding hope in the republican party. >> if you look at the senate right now it stinks being a republican in the senate, no power. they are looking at 2010 wondering if they can pick up

seats. in kentucky, the senator is going to retire not run for re-election. that's what every republican in the state wanted. he had not raised money, in a feud with mitch mcconnell who runs the senate for republicans. now they feel like they have a much better chance of winning a state that tends to trend republican in a lot of statewide cases. >> those are good isolated cases. there's also i'm reading on your side as well a larger problem. we've had mike murphy on talking about this, about the structural demographic problems that the republican party faces right now. tell us about it. >> there's a lot of them. i think one of the big, big ones is their problem getting beyond connecting with white voters. they are getting very little support from african-americans. they have seen a decrease in the number of hispanic votes they are able to win. today you're going to get a sense of the politics and why it doesn't seem like republicans have been able to get the politics and get beyond this resistance in the hispanic community. you're going to have a vote in the senate judiciary committee

where it looks like one republican will vote against sotomayer for the supreme court. at the same time a big gathering of the largest hispanic political group in the country. tim kaine who runs the dnc is going to do a big speech, most of it in spanish. there won't be a single republican official at the event. it shows the disconnect a lot of republicans like mike murphy and others feel they have with the hispanic community, which is fast growing and one a couple of years ago republicans thought they could really penetrate and start to broaden the republican tent. >> a huge problem, what do you do to stop it? >> he's been looking at john mccain, so pro immigration, the bill supportive of. he's done so poorly among hispanics. on the budding news, optimism for republicans, in 1993, christy whitman got elected governor of new jersey, george allen, virginia, rudy giuliani

new york, and los angeles mayor, then an incredible improvement for republicans getting first rate candidates because of the momentum. if you look at the news cited, republicans will win virginia, then new jersey, do you see a similar situation in 2009. >> that's the point. we're already starting to see a little of that now. republicans are getting better recruits in the house that people don't pay attention to. they are getting them because people feel it's a much better environment today than a month ago. i do think if republicans can win in virginia, a big if, and new jersey, less of a big if at that point, that gives them more momentum for recruitment and for money. still at the end of the day i come back to the structural problems for republicans, they have to figure out a way to broaden the party. they have to figure out a way to catch up when it comes to

technology and getting voters to turn out. also being able to generate more ideas so they can sort of get back in the game when it comes to the war over policy and ideas. >> before i let you go, i notice a humor piece on politico. twenty things you can't say to obama after a news conference. >> roger simon, a good one. i'm read a couple of them. i think you have them there. one, hey, we hear the gulf channel will carry it the next time. actually only the golf channel will carry it next time. two, professor gates called. he can't find his house key. three, is the reason we can't put the questions on the teleprompter is because we're not supposed to know them in advance. >> pretty darn good. >> you can read that full list at politico.com. jim, thanks so much as always. take a look at morning papers. "wall street journal" traders blamed for oil spikes. commodity futures trading

commission suggest speculators play a significant roll in driving swings on oil prices. more on that in business. "new york times" study finds texting while driving drastically increases the risk of a crash. >> there's going to be -- forget talking on the phone. this is going to lead to so many accidents they are going to have to address it on a national level. >> a lot of people did it. >> rendell proposing stopgap spending, department of labor investigates the lack of timely paychecks to state workers. talk to governor rendell about this when he joins us later on the show. washington times, legal aid agency accused of illegal spending. they spent tax dollars on alcohol for a congressional party and more than 100 casino hotel room that were never occupied. that is bad? >> yeah. i also think this obesity story is big. it's on some of the front pages. look at this, "washington post."

vick is back. he's been partially conditionally reinstated. >> this is a big debate about redemption and reinvention. >> we'll talk more about it coming up. i agree with you. >> and role model. >> the dow squeaked out another good day of gains yesterday. coming up a check on the overseas market live from london. plus mika's must-read opinion pages. she's working on them right now. will start working on them right now. undefeated professional boxer floyd "money" mayweather

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isn't that nice? chopper 4, the sun coming up over new york. >> chopper. >> it's 6:30 on the east coast. >> chopper to me. >> time for a quick look at top stories. president obama will field questions on health care reform when he takes part in a call-in town hall style meeting. hmm. you get to call in. meanwhile a by partisan group of senators nearing a compromise on the proposal which omits a government insurance option backed by the president. a law enforcement official tells nbc news michael jackson's doctor administered a powerful

prescription sedative the night the pop star died. reports say jackson regularly received the anesthetic to help him sleep. >> anesthetic to sleep. >> that's the thing that gets me, sometimes you need a sleeping pill but take it in the arm? >> is that bad? i'm just kidding. newly released cockpit recordings are offering more details in february's deadly crash near buffalo, new york. the copilot complained of feeling ill and said she would liked to have skipped the flight. testimony over the accident said pilots made several critical errors that led to the death of 50 people. that's a quick look at the news. now let's go to willie. >> an early check on business with cnbc's jeff, the lead

business reporter. >> the show is going well. i'm happy to be there. >> what, you recruited all these people? >> absolutely. we're doing it for free. that's the best thing. let me tell you, just a quick insight on the business, 15 points on the dow yesterday or overnight. you know, those in the driving seat who have made money on the upside here are asking themselves, can we continue to see these kind of daily gains. i know in the european section it's early doors. but we are flirting between positive and negative. corporate earnings not really helping us out. we're looking for more news on the data side that might help. we've got the index out from you guys. that will give us an insight on whether house prices are starting to stabilize in the united states. how good are you feeling about the economy, consumer confidence numbers will be through 10:00

new york time. that will see how much of a decline we've seen in sentiment between june and july. last bit of news, bank of new york report in the "wall street journal" saying they will cut 10% of the 6,100 branches they operate. that report coming or being attributed to the ceo of the business. that's a quick wrap-up on business stories. back to you guys. >> geoff cutmore, we'll see you bright and early. coming up next on "morning joe," daily beast tina brown, fascinating piece about the nexus of obama's struggle with health care and professor gates story. also mika's must-read opinion pages. can you give us a hint on the must read? >> yeah, i can but i won't. >> watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks.

i have said i wanted to build a past before i left for

august recess. i requested the president to make that commitment. i've also said our members need the time that they need to not only get the bill written but to have plenty of time to review it. we're on schedule either to do it now or to do it whenever. >> all right. time line flipping a little bit there. with us the founder and editor in chief of the dailybeast.com, tina brown. she writes this on the beast, obama's insecure slip. it was baffling enough that one so practiced in media manipulation had suddenly ensured that the next day's radio and tv talkathons would ignore his health care agenda and focus much more entertaining replays of his joking

he stepped on his lead? >> he did. it's most extraordinary somebody that accomplished in the media. he knows perfectly well the loops of cable the next day after any press conference look for the lively bit. and i think myself this was really about his sort of vanity as a performer. obama likes to own the room. he's good enough to know when he's got the room on his side. he knew he hadn't made the sale with the health care performance. it was inarticulate, really. he was leaving the room and was going to say something about gates. he surely didn't mean to do this colorful, long, meandering rift which ended up with him warming to his theme and then using the deadly phrase that they were stupid cops, stupidly arrested them. i was watching, as i'm sure a lot were, with friends.

we all stiffened when he said that. we knew this was going to be the loop the next day. and sure enough it was. it has played for a week. and it's completely stepped on his health care agenda. he's been talking about race relations and having a beer, this whole crazy stuff going on instead of debating the thing he cares so passionately about. >> when i was in government and you would prepare a principle, office holder for a press conference you would go through the possible questions before a press conference. you would say, and i'm sure it happened, mr. president, you'll probably get a question about the gates controversy. here is what's going on, what we don't know, here is what we recommend you say. i find it impossible that he walked into the press conference not expecting a question on it. do you think he before, with his aides or not, thought i'm going to get a question, it was improvising. >> i was told he wanted to say

something about it. i think it's fine he say something short, cogent. i wasn't there. this was distressing, racial profiling, i'm sure the cop was doing his job. it was a way to expand on theme. in a way levity and jokes are color for politicians. it's where they weigh in and get caught up. it was on the jay leno show he made the comment about special olympics. again, he was warming to his theme. if you look at the transcript of the press conference you'll see the amount of laughter and hamming he was doing in telling the gates story. he got carried away, having a good time. he was relieved not to be talking about health care, which to me the underlying theme was he didn't like the health care conference, felt he wasn't offering clarity, which he really wasn't, for this enormously articulate person.

it wasn't good and he wanted the room back. >> he made a speech in the white house briefing room, urged everybody to tone down the volume and step back from what he did earlier. >> he had to walk it back, dial it back. by coming out again, he had to dial it back again. he couldn't let that sit out there, the comment about the cop. frankly it gave it another day's length and another day's length and here we are debating on it thursday. it's going to reach a climax at the white house. we're now debating the beer. >> it's a big distraction on something he didn't know anything about from the get go. he really didn't have all the questions answered which is what led to problems everywhere pertaining to this case. >> i think he's passionate obviously about the issue. >> of course. >> it is a scary issue. as you can see from the outpouring we've had on our site, we've run a whole debate on the "daily beast," enormous

amount of commentators, different points of view arguing with one another. it's a passionate issue, prevalent in america. it's a tender subject issue for anybody of color. >> let's talk about because i want to get to the next op-ed, whether the health plan should go through, republicans and blue dog democrats with serious questions. and this headline, which i'll bring into the conversation about obesity and the cost of it, how much we pay as a country for the rising number of obese americans and their health care issues. we're talking about an epidemic that spans every generation, obese children, obese adults. look at these numbers. it's basically 9.#% of all medical spending, $147 billion a year. okay. the question, how do we tackle that and are we in any plans out there. then i'll read from the

"washington post," obama's plan isn't t-- he says for 85% of americans that have health insurance, the obama health plan is bad news. it means higher taxes, no health care and no protection if they lose their current insurance because of unemployment and early retirement. president obama's primary goal is to extend formal health insurance to those low income individuals who are currently uninsured despite the nearly $300 billion a year medicaid program. doing so the obama way would cost more than $1 trillion over the next ten years. we have that backed up by more information, dan, by the ceo which you're very excited about. >> i found it jarring. the ceo put out a report to members on the hill who in inquired that basically said, quick recap, cbo initially scored the plan saying it will

cost a trillion dollars. the administration came up with off sets, reimbursement, sur tax got the deficit number, cost $240 billion over the next ten years. ceo came back and said even if we accept this is om going to cost $240 billion over the next ten years, we haven't even looked at the next decade from 2019 on. what we basically see there is, health costs according to your plan increasing 8% and revenues coming in increasing only 5%. so the curves on the lines on the graph never cost, spending like this and taxes like this. which means it is totally -- >> what the white house might argue is after ten years you do see the impact of the plan taking place and cutting costs. and that 10 years is not long enough to look at when you're talking about overhauling a massive plan. >> the projections 10, 20 years out, look seven or eight if you

looked at projections, it very difficult, when you impose that kind of tax burden on the economy, which is what the administration is considering, it will reduce the growth of revenues. revenues will not grow exponentially when have you that kind of burden. >> here is what concerns me when you look at this poll, rushing anything through under these circumstances feels very stimulus like or wall street bailout like. you've got the question, does congress understand the issues surrounding the health care debate? 66 believe no. i hope that's not true. >> one congressman i know, republican, who read the stimulus bill. canceled inauguration and crammed and stayed up all night and read it. >> one. >> whop. >> all right. downed the issues surrounding the health care debate? 51% say no. >> one of the awful things about politics right now. i was just thinking last night, wouldn't it be great if there was a kind of law that said,

okay, for the next week every single congressman and senator has to cancel all their fund-raising activities, not allowed to go on television and sit in their rooms with the doors locked reading this bill. this should be mandated. because frankly, i don't think anything gets read. the stimulus bill was 1600 pages and apparently like no one read it, which is a terrifying idea. >> spend a trillion dollars and nobody reads it. >> at the end of that week i would say they then have to -- the president should come out and say here is the six things about our health care bill. what i think should happen. we're now going to debate the other ways. this is what i think should happen, what i think you should care about. i think he blew that press conference as a chance to do that. i still feel most people are totally in the dark. >> i can see tina at the front of the classroom with a pointer,

in front of congress saying i require that reading. >> send them to boarding school. >> make them read it. it's probably like 500 interns who are the only people who have read it. >> tina brown, thank you very much. coming up chuck todd live from the white house. first the nfl gives michael vick a second chance. will baseball do the same for pete rose? freddie ball game next with sports. if we don't act, medical bills will wipe out their savings. if we don't act, she'll be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. and he won't get the chemotherapy he needs. if we don't act, health care costs will rise 70%. and he'll have to cut benefits for his employees. but we can act.

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from the world of sports baseball alex rodriguez, 34 years old today. 34 years old today. if you're thinking you want to get him a gift, by gosh, you can't go wrong with clean urine. >> that's mean on a guy's birthday. time for sports. michael vick, my friends, is back. nfl rein states, the question is what team will take him. also, is he still the player he once was. here is fred rogin with sports. >> thank you very much. good morning everybody. after nearly two years in federal custody and out of football, michael vick has received a second chance from the nfl. commissioner roger goodell

knlgly reinstated vick. he can play in the regular season as early as october. however, vick needs to find a team that will sign them but can immediately take part in practices, workouts, meetings and play in the final preseason games. once in, goodell will consider full reinstate. he was sentenced to take part in dog fighting. twenty years after banned from being for gambling pete rose may be pardoned by commissioner. some lobbying, hank aaron, bud selig is considering lifting rose's suspicion. then the hits leader would become eligible for hall of fame. definitely exciting a stadium of fans. plenty to share, flying ball. cubs and astros tied. walkoff grand slam to end it.

the crowd was loving it. why not? cubs won 5-1. soriano received shaving cream in the face. competitive fire. case in point trailing 3-1 against rockies, new york six straight pinch hit grand slam in the eighth. they have won three in a row. what a night for josh willing hem of the nationals. hit wn out. did that twice. coming up again with bases loaded. two grand slams almost impossible. only the third in history to accomplish such a feat. milwaukee lost to washington 14-6. a plooper to right here. watch what happens, incredible play. second baseman out of nowhere with a bay handed grab, bounced off his glove and show. they couldn't have planned it better. unfortunately the umpire ruled

it a no catch. you be the judge. that's your shot of sports. have a great day. i'm fred rogin. >> thanks. that's a good catch. news you can't use. get ready. bachelorette finale last night. you saw it. who did she pick, ed or the other guy? we'll be right back. at 155 miles per hour, andy roddick

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wow, is it time? >> spoiler alert. spoiler alert. bachelorette finale. i know you've got a tivo. cover your ears, suzy. jillian -- >> hold on. hold on. >> do you know about jillian? she was jilted. >> this is stupid, stupidity. >> this is like a return? she came back? >> she had been on the previous season. she came in like third place. they made her the bachelorette. >> why do people watch? >> this is a story of renewal. >> let me tell you something, she's a lovely person, humble, beautiful. here, got a big heart. she's got a big heart. here she is, bachelorette. jillian making her final decision. would it be ed, the man who left mid show and came back? i was impressed.

or would it be kiptyn. here is what happened. >> just the name alone, kiptyn. >> there is no dilemma. i'm madly in love with you. i love you so much. >> i want to be with you forever. i want a family with you. i want you to give me a hard time when we're 80 years old. jillian, will you marry me? >> absolutely. >> dan's glasses are fogging up. >> i don't want to make a big deal about it. >> it was great. >> it was a where were you moment? >> i hate this show so much. >> seriously if you watched it, you would love it. >> the comeback story. you're all excited about vick coming back. she got bumped last season.

>> do you hate "american idol" also. >> i like the concept of "american idol." i don't like how mean they are to people with trouble that come to the table and exploit them. this is pornography, it's insipid. it's either a man or woman depending on bachelorette or bachelor making out with a bunch of people, then they choose. there's some fake drama at the end. >> mika is going to go in with this bias against the levi johnston reality. >> going to hate that show. >> yes, i am. >> your position is anti-american. this is an american love story. >> no. this is a sign america is going down the toilet. >> i know. >> why do you hate america? >> if you hate the show, the terrorist wins. >> there it is. jillian and ed together for ever, at least for the next several weeks. top party schools.

princeton review came out with top party schools. penn state number one. do you have them because i don't really know what they are? penn state won. that's one thing i can tell you. i think florida was number two and ole miss was number three. >> what happened to uva. >> they got bumped down. >> penn state top party school. >> our daughter goes to the university of miami and it had this designation last year. for the kids there it's not like oh, whoa we're the best party school, it's oh, the credential. there's an underside. people are going to look at your resume and say, miami, you went to that party school? i think for the professors who built this reputation, then to get this designation -- >> when gow to a party school, can you then become a porn star in a weekly bridge. >> you're misreading that. the porn star is not on the

bridge. she's reading the prompter. do we really want to do that. look at the news story. >> manhattan bridge. time lapse photography, lower manhattan in brooklyn. watch how she shakes every time the subway goes by. if you're commuting. that's wlaes happening. there's a subway under there. it bounces up and down. >> thank you, willie. >> if you live in new york, you might want to take a boat. >> willie, thanks so much. when are you going to get back on news you can't use on porn star. >> that's going to come up later when we have more prominent guests. eugene robinson, chuck todd, from the white house. >> makes sense. all right. two minutes past the top of the hour. i'm mika brzezinski, joe is off. suzy welch here at the table.

a look at top stories. seven men in north carolina accused of planning a violent vod overseas through a series of terror attacks. led by daniel patrick boyd, a u.s. citizen who in the 1980s trained in terror camps in pakistan and afghanistan. while officials did not detail any specific plots, the men are charged with providing material support to terrorism punishable by life in prison. defense secretary robert gates is in iraq on an unannounced visit this morning. it comes as the u.s. continues to drawdown forces ahead of a full withdrawal by the end of 2011. newly released auto recordings show crime rather than race was behind a 911 call at the center of the recent controversial arrest of a harvard professor. take a listen. >> exactly what happened? >>

>> hmm. interesting. answers some questions we had. i think we still need to wait and find out more. >> vindicates her. a lot of people had questions about her. but doesn't help the fact he was arrested in his own home. >> just like said on the show the day after, the initial reports, initial assumptions about everything pertaining to a case as highly charged as one

like this are usually always wrong, and you have to wait and bear out the answers over time. you cannot jump on it. you can't jump on it. >> you can't prejudge these things. details come out day after day after day. >> there were a ton of initial assumptions flying around that i think led to deconstructive conversations. but we'll get back to that and let the answers come as they should, especially with that very constructive fear at the white house th-- constructive br at the white house, that takes our eye off health care. they will hash out the incident over beer. law enforcement sources tell nbc news that michael jackson's doctor administered a powerful prescription sedative before the pop star died. huh. no charges filed. toxicology reports are due out this week. that's interesting. that's one of those personal doctors. >> right.

>> i wonder how they deal with that. >> why would you need a sedative. >> like an injection. >> by i v apparently. i don't know why you'd need one. >> very good question. this next story is on the front page of usa today. it's been in a lot of other papers as well. it should be part of the conversation. a new study shows obese americans spend roughly 42% more on health care than those at a normal weight. according to the "new york times," medical spending on obesity-related conditions cost an estimated $147 billion last year. that's more than 9% of all medical spending. you know what, it really has to be on the forefront of i think health care reform. i really do. we have an epidemic in this country. dan, would you disagree? >> no, i don't disagree. it's amazing to me. another reminder. we need to slow down on health care reform. this is a major issue, major data. where is it factoring into

anything considered in a significant way. here we are, time is of the essence, time for talk over, have to get this bill passed yesterday. honestly like another data point about the importance of spending some realtime on this and not jamming it through. >> it's also not just a health care issue, it's our food. it's like streamlining of a lot of different factors in our society. >> it is as you both say, it is a huge issue that needs to be discussed sort of like technology issues at end of life. these are gigantic cultural issues that in the speed of moving forward and saying we have to have change just to make that change, we're not talking about these very difficult issues. who is causing health care to go up, who is paying for it, if you look at technology -- >> if you look at what afflictions obesity causes or leads to, if you were able to

curb the crisis, bring the number of obese americans down and that includes unfortunately many children, aren't you able to bring cost down? >> does the new health care bill do that? >> no the new health care bill says we get good coverage, expanded coverage, lower cost, and maintaining quality. it's absurd. it doesn't do all three of those things. >> another question, another new study raising questions, this one about the dangers of texting while driving. researchers say drivers of big rig trucks texting behind the wheel are 23 times more apt to be involved in a crash. the risk of a crash is six time higher. on average drivers took their eyes off the road for five seconds while looking at their phones. i predict, "new york times" has been doing several front page articles on this. i predict this is beyond -- beyond dangerous compared to talking on the phone while

driving. >> when we are driving with our kids my wife makes me keep the blackberry and phone in the back seat, not even off because the temptation is there. you have to make it inaccessible. >> i admit i do the same thing. >> it's an incredible public service to bring this conversation. i actually what has given me chills is the thought if my children see me doing this on the phone, that's what they are going to do when they start driving. they are going to think -- put the phone in the back seat. it is hard but we have got to stop. they are going to be so many horrific accidents. >> people drive on the highway, slow down traffic, you see a lot of people doing this, they look down. they have the plaqueberry in their laps. >> this is like seat belts, they are going have to legislate putting blackberries down. >> before we go to break,

reinstated michael vick. >> allegedly. >> allegedly? >> it's conditional. i still think he has to live up to certain standards. but the bottom line, his career could be back on track. >> he's been alleged by rehabilitated. it is true he's been reinstated. >> got it. you're against him being -- >> i have two little boys under two years old. they are going to be sports fans at some point. i worry these are the people we celebrate. >> it's not up to michael vick to raise your kids. that's not the way to go. tell them to watch darrick jeter. >> he did his time. >> 23 months, some under home arrest, he got the bracelet off a couple weeks ago, ankle bracelet. he was convicted state level in virginia for a dog fighting ring on his property in virginia, accused of horrific thing

including torturing, killing, downing, electrokugt them. he financed the ring involving the gambling that went on around these dog fights. he paid his debt to society. one team or another is going to decide he's worth it. he's a good enough athlete, player, still away two years away to have him on the team. they will deal with protests, the media circuit following him everywhere he goes. >> until he has a good season, performs well. how quickly we forget and will celebrate them. >> i don't think this will be washed away by a good season. he can do incredible for himself and society if he stands up and says i did something terrible. i'm going to redeem myself. he can be a role model. >> it's on him. when i look at what willie reminds us. >> unbelievable, disgusting. >> again, joe makes a very

salient point he's been making all along, you have rapist and child molesters who do less time. >> that's one thing to point out about the nfl, they have guys in there, women abusers who use drugs, all kinds of terrible things. >> that means we should be tougher on them. >> michael is a young guy. his life is not over. >> 29. >> he's young. let him reinvent himself and show you can change your life. >> by the way, agree or not. definitely, suzy, it's on him to do something about this. you're right. if he's going to get this chance, he sure as heck better do something effective with it. >> he's starting from zero. he's bankrupt, filed for bankruptcy, once the highest paid player in the nfl. he's starting from zero. >> write a book about that and give all the money to helping rescued animals would be a good start. just an idea here. >> sounds good.

coming up health reform mislabeled by the media. >> mort zuckerman says it's time for a second stimulus. first chuck todd with the latest headlines out of the white house. you're watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks. announcer: welcome to the now network. currently, thousands of people are enjoying the new palm pre from sprint. its revolutionary web os allows multiple applications to run at the same time. - ( thunder and rain ) - millions are using the simply everything plan. - each is saving $1200 over an at&t iphone plan. - ( cash register dings ) together that's billions of dollars. enough to open a dunkin' donuts in space. from america's most dependable 3g network. bringing you the first and only wireless 4g network. get the palm pre. only from sprint. only on the now network. deaf, hard of hearing and people with speech disabilities access www.sprintrelay.com.

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i have news for them and all of us, the president was born in honolulu, hawaii, the 50th state of the greatest country on the face of the earth. he's a citizen. >> why does it keep coming up. >> because for $15 you can get an internet address and say whatever you want. >> that's true. i can't believe they have to spend that time. chief white house correspondent and political director chuck

todd. chuck, can we move beyond that and ask another question, move beyond the birther. why does he have to deal with that? >> there you do. i'm ready. it's on you. >> should michael vick be able to play again professionally? >> what's the administration's position on michael vick. >> there you go. you think the president is going to take the bait on this one? do you really think? in all honesty there really is an interesting debate going on about whether, look, here is a guy who paid his debt to society. he was convicted of a crime, told to go to prison, served time. now some are arguing the nfl is giving double jeopardy, sort of punishing him again, when this is the only way right now he -- best way he can of making a living and rehabilitating himself. so there is a debate in some

quarters on this issue but i have a feeling the president is not going to weigh in. >> throw one out there, see what happens, chuck. >> there you go. >> you know the front page of some of the newspapers, usa today, obesity story, i'm sure you saw the numbers and how much it's costing our health care system, our society, $147 million. >> you're going to tax my pringles, aren't you, now? what's what you want to do. $150 pringles. >> i feel strongly about the issue, especially as it pertains to children. it's a tragedy what is happening to our country's children in terms of the epidemic of obesity that is plaguing kids in our schools and the way we eat. yeah, i do take it seriously. i wonder, first of all, if the health care plan being debated and looks like it's being delayed if it deals with that at all. if it pertains to how the president is going to handle these headlines as he heads spoke these town halls today.

>> he likes to bring up the example of safe way, which the grocery store chain that incentives employees not to smoke, incentivizes employees to have good health. there is a lot of chatter on health care, this issue. it isn't just about eating but also about activities, also about getting them out of the game console and the various playstation 3 and get them to play wii where they have to stand up to play, whatever it is or get them outside. it isn't just about food but activity. >> it's about food, activity but seems to me there is, compared to all these complicated discussions we've been having, a real ling between cutting costs and curbing this national epidemic. no? >> that's right. look, you know, we can somehow tie this to 2012 republican primary politics in one connection, mika, that's mike

huckaby, remember, he went through this whole obsession, wrote a book about it. particularly in the south where you put everything in a frir because frankly it does taste better when you put it in a frir, but that has led to type 2 diabetes problem all over the southern states. you hear the president bring up type 2 diabetes all the time when he says i hope we're not using our medical care to amputate somebody's foot because the after affects of diabetes and instead of figuring out preventive. there's a lot of discussion but how do you legislate or incentivize. we've had joking conversations about it but do you put a tax on it. there are advertisers on this very show here in washington that are calling it, hey, don't take away the luxury -- you

know, the -- i forget the line they use. you know what, sometimes it's a relaxation to have a soda but an association fighting against the idea of taxing sugary drinks. >> i know. it gets political. i'm not sure taxes are the answer. >> chuck, on health care, this new cbo report out this weekend that shows in the second decade, sort of 2019 on spending, costs of the health care program going up 8% a year where tax revenues generated just 5% a year which seems to me blows a huge hole in the administration's case if they can raise the money it make it, quote, deficit neutral. how is the white house responding to it and what is their view of the director, who is a democrat, who worked with at of these guys, economists in the obama administration causing him this trouble. >> it's definitely one of those interesting side bars i'm sure

people that know the internal politics of this are amused about. peter orszag, current director was the ceo, hired a lot of economists at the congressional budget office, run by congress, started in the mid-70s 70s as sort of a counter to the budget projections that were coming, sort of a way for congress to have its own what they believe -- have its own place where they could do research on legislation and its impact on budget. it is something that is obviously driving the administration crazy. but you remember, the cbo is the reason why they got that energy legislation passed in the house. why? it was a cbo analysis that says cap and trade despite criticism coming, this cap and trade isn't going to add that much to the burden, to the bottom line. so they use that and were able to get it passed, talked a lot

of democrats into supporting it. now they are very upset. they feel like the cbo isn't giving them any credit for some of these preventive measures. we're talking about preventive care. the cbo doesn't score that. they have to deal with facts and figures. so you don't know exactly how much money in 25 years some of these preventive measures will save because you really can't -- there really isn't a dollar figure you can put on it. that seems to be frustrating the administration. they have gotten a little aggressive. peter orszag wrote a blog post critiquing the guy that used to work for him. i would say it's a friendly rivalry, you almost wonder is it becoming less friendly as you see this back and forth. the administration does accept this, the cbo is the umpire here. if they say a bill is deficit neutral, that's the bill they

support. if they say it doesn't, then we'll see more negotiations. >> chuck, two things. number one, yankees won last night, dodgers lost, yankees one game behind dodger for best record in baseball. i want to point this out. >> all i have to say is we need roy halladay. we don't want him to go to the phillies. >> you cannot afford that number two, how is the president doing communicating the bottom line in this health care debate? because we talk about it every day around the table, getting into arcane details, but when i go home and talked to friends, people on the street, they say i don't get it. how can the president cut through this talk and say here is the deal, here is where we need to go. >> part of the problem he doesn't have a plan. he's selling an idea while congress is coming up with a plan. i think if he had something to sell specifically, being able to say, look, this is how much

right now your insurance bill is going up. our new bill is going to do x we're going to create a safety net here. we're going to create a system where you can buy insurance there. my point is there isn't that. those specifics aren't there. it's almost as if you're putting out the president who can be a good communicator on these issues, good at selling something when he has something to sell and you're tying his arm behind his back. that wednesday press conference he had nothing new to say. he can't tell you there is going to be a public insurance option peep are going to buy into or is it going to be health care credit unions started via something called a co-op. if you can't get into that specific. frankly people want to know two things. these are questions i get. when am i getting the same health care congress gets and how much are taxing going up. pretty much two simple questions you get from both sides of the

argument. they are not asking complicated parts. they want to know are my taxes going up. if they are how much and whose. second is my plan going to look like congress's plan. i can't tell you how many e-mails i get that say, look, i want the same choice as those guys. >> seems like what the president is selling is change. we have to have change, something better than what we've got. change. that's what it sounds like he's selling because he doesn't have a plan to sell. >> it's tough on. why? i hate to put this in crass political terms but that's what i get paid to do. ninety percent of actual voters, people who have health insurance. when you're selling them change, they will sit there and say, yeah, the system does need change, but i have figured out how to use my health care. now don't make me figure out a whole new system again unless you're going to promise me this

the last time. i look at my own situation where i've had three or four different health care providers in the last five years. >> on that i want to book end this conversation with a little reading from you all, the child section of the "washington post." more to love. what becomes of the heavy hearted. heavyweights aren't supposed to be called fat anymore which makes it difficult to speak freely about more to love, a cleverly titled new reality dating show premiering tuesday night on fox. the program features 20 women of major proportions competing for a date and perhaps marriage with a 26-year-old 330 pound real estate developer who says i'm ready to meet the girl of my dreams. >> the fall of the american empire. >> the end. >> how does this book end the conversation, mika? >> we started with the headline

on obesity. i'm not going to say anything. i'm going to break. chuck todd, thank you for being with us. >> one final reference, you know. >> have to watch way too early. >> we'll be reading updates from you through out the day. first read. thank you for telling me it's a movie. >> ed rendell, "washington post" columnist eugene robinson. right after the break, morton why the recession is over. right back with more "morning joe."

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the president is trying to do most of these things on the far left.

i think the stimulus was a big mistake. i think we can fairly safely say it was a failure. it was sold as something that would jolt the economy, hold unemployment to 8%. unemployment has gone over 10%. >> welcome back to "morning joe." here with us chairman and co-publisher mort zuckerman with us. great to have you. >> good to be here. >> mort explains why the economy is worse than you think and why the stimulus has failed to turn it around. quote, vice president joe biden was right when he said a week ago

>> you know, look, i think biden actually responded yesterday in the paper with a point by point analysis, three-pronged analysis of what the stimulus is doing. what it has done, what it is doing now and what it still has yet to do. i think he now disagrees with you. having said that you truly believe the stimulus plan is a failure, the first one? >> i do. the sense was to get the most money into the economy as possible. the reason for that is otherwise you get a downward spiral that feeds itself on the way down. it becomes much more difficult to turn the economy around the deeper it goes oninto a recession. this stimulus program has gotten a minimal amount of money spot economy that reflects new

spending that the create new jobs. less than 10% of it has gone in and will have gone in by the end of the first fiscal year. the government accounting office itself issued numbers which it said $49 billion would be spent by september 309 of new spending. you're talking about an economy which has a hole in demand because of the drop in consumer spending, drop in investment, drop in international trade of a trillion dollars. $49 billion is a drop in the bucket in that sense. that's why it didn't work. >> what about you talked to some top democrats or even folks from the administration that might say, well, we avoided a cliff. we stopped things from getting worse. that was the initial part of this stimulus program. suzy, you want to chime in? >> i think we did avoid a complete disaster. the question is how can we judge the stimulus more until all the money is spent? how can we judge it now. >> when the stimulus was

presented by the president, he presented something that would happen right up front. now he's saying -- >> mort, do you have a blackberry? hand it to mommy right now. >> this is what i have to do in the car. she makes me put it in the back seat. >> you may not text while driving and you may not have it in your pocket. >> mine is off. >> dan, give me yours. i don't believe you. he's turning it off right now. >> okay. fine, fine, fine. busted. okay. >> you were making a point, i'm so sorry. the whole point of it was to get this money out early. that's why it did not succeed, that's why it was not a success. we did prevent the financial system from going off the edge of the cliff. i agree with that that was primarily, in my judgment, the

work of the federal reserve board and original program of $700 billion being put into the financial system by the government. that was not what this obama program was about. >> recent earnings report, dow jones industrial late last week pretty remarkable, yet doesn't seem to be an increase in top line revenue, it is cost-cutting, which means we could be in the middle of a jobless recovery, if it is a recovery. >> the reason was stocks went up. it's a good reason is that their profit margins widened. their sales didn't go up, less than one percent across the board. if their sales don't go up, that's top line. if margins widen, they are slashing costs. that's what businesses are doing. when they are slashing costs they let people do. people are losing jobs in order to lower cost of companies. that's good for individual companies but terrible for the overall country to have a lot of jobs lost. it's like the savings paradox.

very good for the individual person to save but if everybody saves and nobody spends it's bad for the economy. that's what you have in terms of what is going on in business. there was a column in the "wall street journal" where they indicated what was going on in the economy. he said because of the federal programs and various other things, the personal incomes in the first six months went up by $320 billion. only $1 billion of that was spent on consumption. think of that, $1 billion spent on consumption. the government has to be the active player in this thing. they can't turn it over in the way of tax cuts or what have you to the people of the country because they legitimately should save. everybody is worried about economic condition. savings rate gone from zero to 7%. every dollar saved comes out of consumption. that savings rate is going to go above 10% before we're done. >> let me channel a lot of american people and say why

should we have a second one if the first didn't work. why is more going to help if the first load didn't do it? >> it's the same kind of program i grew with you. if they haven't learned at this point not to turn it over to congress and get everybody's pet program, if you're going to put $350 million in the classic example of harry reid getting a unirail transportation from las vegas to disneyland, which is so long away from being done it's just a joke, if you get that kind of stuff in it of course nothing will be done. it's going to be done in the right way. >> if they start trying to retool another stimulus bill in the middle of this health -- i think they are going to lose the will of the people, are they not? >> i think to some extent they have lost it, not the will but the confidence. the confidence level is going down. that's what the concern is. you now have a sense if the government can't step in and bail you out you're going to take more drastic steps in terms

of savings, cost-cutting. i think we're in for a rough time. we're going to be in for a jobless recovery. the program was supposed to be about jobs, jobs, jobs. that's not what it accomplished. they not only underestimated how bad the economy was they underestimated how limited this would be. >> some republican members of the house committee in washington. one idea, if we do go to a second stimulus, actually money from the first stemless had to be pulled, money that isn't work, put into a new stimulus. you're not adding an enormous amount of net new dollars but moving them in a more productive way. >> they ought to really start planning it right now. any kind of stimulus program before it's spent there is an effort to go through. you've got to do something. nobody knows where it's going to go through or whether the economy the need it. we may be desperately in need of

it. the time you save now is critical. that's something that should be done. they are afraid to do it. they are afraid it will undermine confidence. if you think this will, wait until they have an 11% unemployment next year. >> mort, stay with us. we're reading in usa today they are launching an e-edition they will be charging them for. everyone should charge for their content, i think. >> it will pay for itself. >> if they all charged, wouldn't somebody pay? i would hope. "morning joe" after the break.

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welcome back to "morning joe" with air content. look at that shot of smogy air in new york city. summertime, temperatures nice and warm in the east. 87 in the north, boston, 88, d.c. 90, philadelphia 90, ball 90. finally feeling like summer. airports clear so far. airports will be fine, anyone flying out of the big ones in the east. problem airports later today, not now, will be chicago, atlanta, dallas. we have thunderstorms in the forecast. it will be your afternoon typical delays. more on that heat wave coming up in the next couple of days. seattle 95 today. they are not supposed to be that hot. stay tuned, more "morning joe." b we know why we're here.

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that's why we're here. ♪ right now 1.2 million people are on sprint mobile broadband. 31 are streaming a sales conference from the road. eight are wearing bathrobes. two... less. - 154 people are tracking shipments on a train. - ( train whistles ) 33 are im'ing on a ferry. and 1300 are secretly checking email... - on a vacation. - hmm? ( groans ) that's happening now. america's most dependable 3g network. bringing you the first and only wireless 4g network. sprint. the now network. deaf, hard of hearing and people with speech disabilities access www.sprintrelay.com. i have said that i wanted to build a past before we left for august recess. i requested the president to make that commitment. i've also said our members need the time that they need to not only get this bill written but to have plenty of time to revie

it. we have our guest with us.

why do you say that? >> because there is a lot of talk about why the urgency around health care reform. it has been 55 years since president truman laid out the need for the universal health care plan. it's a defining moment for this country. putting aside the partisan politics, we are the last westernized country that does not have a health care system. if we cannot pass universal health care, accessible and affordable, i think it's a question of is our system functional and can it work to improve the lives? >> well, there are some that would argue that we are passing anything just to pass it. >> concretely on the plan, it

could be key to cost containment, and i would argue to economic recovery. these blue dogs are opposed to that and it's against their own interest. the people in many states, west virginia, thousands of people line up at the end of every month to get basic primitive health care. these are people that need health care. if you want to be an economically healthy country, you have to address the major deficit in the country, and that's the investment in our people and the security of our people. >> it sounds good, and at the same time you look at a headline like this, and you wonder if it does anything to really look at

the route causes of the cost. >> i think mayor bloomberg addresses part of that when they look at how junk foods and soda is sold in schools. things don't just happen. there is a -- the obesity issue is one directly linked to the fact that in poor neighborhoods in this country you don't have adequate super markets and healthy foods. and we are getting off topic. what is on topic is we need health care. >> i think the budget office has blown a huge hole in the obama plan, because he is saying in the second decade, going out projected $800 billion, and spending will exceed revenues.

doug worked with peter orszag. what do you think his agenda is? he did an economic analysis, and -- >> i think we need to rethink the rhetoric about the deficit. let's think hard. the debt to gdp ratio has been higher before. it was 109% after the war. and then i think we need a deficit at this time, and the other thing is we have just given billions to these banks. they have just posted record profits. goldman and jp morgan. let's pass a surcharge on the richest of us. i am sure mr. zuck yerman would

agree. >> we have a political process in this country for a piece of legislation as important as this. when the democrats take, for example, the issue of medical tort liability off the table so the tort lawyers can collect all of this from the legal mum bow jumbo, you cannot get bipartisan politics. you attack one side of it and the republicans will attack the other side. there is not a centrist yao on how to deal with both of them.

>> i think the leave no child behind, the patriot act was a bipartisan piece of legislation. i think partisanship gets a bad name. i think it's when you stand for principles you believe in. for the tort liability issue, there are millions of americans that do not have access to the courts. that's where this goes awry. >> if you think that's what is involved in tort liability. that's a very idealogical way of looking at it. >> would you support taxing

medical -- >> well, i think it's the time that the wealthy in had country will share -- >> if you do what you are proposing, it won't happen. >> dan, you know, there was a study a few years ago that corporations -- i believe it was between 1995 and 2003, the majority of corporations have not paid income taxes. >> that's a separate issue. >> there are ordinary average people in the country getting shafted. with a public tax, you build around that. it's key to keeping cost down and to disciplining the insure that's companies. when the republicans talk about socialized medicine, medicare, one of the great programs of this country improved peoples'

lives, and i think that's when he was addressing when he said let's not be cynical about government. >> there is going to be a town hall meeting on the phone. the question is can he sell it. >> i am on the business side of things. >> thank you very much. when morni"morning joe" continue will have pulitzer prize winner eugene robinson. you are watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks.

call now.

such a talent, willie geist. it has not been canceled -- >> don't sound so surprised. this is l.a., the city of lights. and speaking of the city of lights, las vegas. there is always a warm light coming off that city. let's check in with washington, d.c., a world away from las vegas. beautiful shot this morning. how about philadelphia? the view. there is philly. they have a low haze. and now take us to the big apple. and looking south from our very building, looking down to wall street, the finance center of the world, mika. >> that's terrific, willie.

thank you so much. >> you are so hateful? >> i am not. i am just so mad. you did not get to your mast piece. >> i will walk out, leave. >> we have all of these stories together. >> we are here, and joe is off today. let's look at today's top stories. seven men in north carolina are accused of planning a violent jihad overseas. it was led by this man, boyd, who back in the 1980s trained in pakistan.

details were not revealed, but they charged of providing materials punishable by life in prison. roberts gates is in iraq on an unannounced visit. it comes as they drawdown forces. newly released audio recordings show crime and not race was shown to be the center of the call.

we have eugene robinson coming up to talk about this. professor gates and sergeant crowley will join president obama at the white house. and now the senators say they were not aware of some

preferential treatment. a new study shows obese americans spend 42% more on health care than those with a normal weight. according to the "new york times" covering the medical spending, it costs $147 billion last year. and that's more than 9% of all medical spending. worth discussing, as we look at reforming health care. also in the news, disgraced michael vick is one step closer to getting back in the nfl. dan, are you thinking -- >> i am thinking i don't want my sons watching fans cheer him on just because he had a good season, and the world for gets what he was responsible for,

which willie cited a chapter and verse in another area. >> i think he should be given a chance to redeem himself. >> michael vick definitely making the headlines today. look at the "washington post" sports section. vick is back. we will talk to eugene robinson about that. and before we get to eugene, one of the other headlines today, the obesity story. >> people are mad at you, mika. mika, they do have candy and fattening foods in europe, too, where they managed the health kcar

care. >> let's just live shorter lives. >> why is it so difficult in a public school to get a good meal? shouldn't we start there? >> it's about their activity level and what is happening in their home. >> it's one meal a day. >> it creates habits, though. >> they want to get the kids, pizza is easy to serve. it's more about the cultural bubble that kids live in, and it's about sitting in front of computers. >> yeah, they have access to everything. you go to the town in the middle of the day, and the kids are eating pizza and candy and ice cream. these are not children from a lower economic level, and half of them are heavy. it's a problem on so many levels. i think we need to look at it. i don't know if taxing is the

answer, but it worked for cigarettes. >> it's a good point. >> yeah. >> they don't have these issues. >> yeah, with us now, editor and pulitzer winning prize columnists for the "washington post," eugene robinson. he writes:.

explain, eugene. where has your mindset evolved compared to the last time we talked. >> i will say up front, mika, my bottom line is where it was before. i think the arrest should have never taken place. the man was in his own home, and the police officer had ascertained by then he was dealing with a guy in his own home. i enjoy talking about this story because i think it's just a fascinating, almost war shock test. it's not a tragedy. nobody was injured or killed. just feelings were hurt. and so we can kind of talk about it. number two, we know facts and we learn more facts, and our views change and there are a lot of levels and angles on the story.

in the end, when we talk about it, what we are talking about is our own experiences and our own views and own prejudices, and i include myself, and that's an interesting conversation to have, i think. you know, we say we want to have this sort of big conversation about race. i think we are not going to all sit down in a classroom and, okay, let's talk about race. but there is a chance, this is a story in which when we talk about it, we are talking about ourselves. i think we have a useful conversation about it. when i have been thinking about, since the police report, and we have heard from officer crowley, and i think i am persuaded that professor gates acted like a big cheese. do you know who you are messing with? who do you think i am? and that's something that is

happening in our society, which is there are more big chaesz now, who look like skip gates and sonia sotomayor who don't look like the white big male cheeses we are used to. and it's also not something new in the society. i was wondering whether that visual and that new kind of experience of that power relationship played enroi any r this incident. you have to figure out what is making you think that way. that's what today's column was. >> you make a great point. i remember the one way to get arrested is to say to a cop you will be sorry for this. and if he said you don't know

who you are messing with, it's like saying put the cuffs on. but what if a white person said you don't know who you are messing with. is it because he was a cheese that was black, or is it because he was being a big cheese. >> in your piece, you make the assumption, if i am reading it correctly, that perhaps if that same dynamic had happened between two white people he would not have been put in handcuffs. i question whether that's true. when two men get together and have an argument, it did not end well usually. >> that's true. and i can say honestly that i believe that if it had been --

an example i used before, if it were another brilliant famous harvard professor like larry summers. you have an encounter in the street with the police officer, and you go there, you don't know who you are messing win, and sure, anybody is going to get hauled in. but in this specific instance, when you go to check to a potential burglary, you ascertain that it's the guy in his own house, and all you have to do is leave at that point. that's really what you have to do. and so i do think that it's not -- appear police officer is not necessarily going to take that next step for a guy in his own house. the step was taken this time, and, again, i cannot prove that race played a factor in that, but something tells me that it

did. and that's more belief. that's more theology than puricism. >> well, but why are we all jumping up and down making it a big racial debate and argument -- >> it may have been a class issue. >> yeah, not to bring gene and sarah palin in this, and there is a populist backlash against elit elites. and this is an elite bossing me around. i will not let him boss me around. it's perhaps the same thing that drives the huge following for

sarah palin. >> i was also thinking about the setting. cambridge, massachusetts. i lived there for a year. i loved living in cambridge. but meeting a famous harvard professor who is arrogant is like meeting a famous basketball player that is tall. it strikes me it cannot have been the first time that a sergeant on the cambridge police force ran into a harvard professor that was acting like a jerk. >> i want to put the words out right, but given, eugene, the initial reaction and coverage of this story, which i don't think across the board, but loudly, analysts and newspaper editorials and just the blairing what message that you heard is

racist cop, you know, racial profiling, is it regrettable that that was labeled on that cop so quickly? >> we talked about this on friday, mika -- >> i am wondering now looking back. >> well, i think if people said racists cop, if people said that, or said words that could only add up to that, then i think that was a mistake. i think that should not have been done. i now think while i never thought the racial profiling angle of the story was the heart of the story, i thought the decision to make the arrest and how did that dynamic work was the story, and the racial profiling -- it was a brief story to tell. in racial profiling i would have

a much more nuance view if that was worth talking about. a quick story. a few years ago my son is in high school, and he for gets his key, and we are both at work and he goes from the window into his room. and we live in a white house neighborhood. and the neighbor calls the cops. okay. no incident, and everything works out fine, and they look at the i.d. and everything is okay. but, i wondered, gee, we lived there for years and they knew what my son looked like, and we found out the rest of the story. my son had two friends with him

that happened to be white, and the neighbor saw the two friends follow. what they saw was two white kids climbing into a house where they knew a black family lived. so i guess that is racial profiling. and they picked up the phone and called the cops. i would like somebody to call if somebody is crawling in my window. if we are going to look past race, we can't pretend we don't see it. >> i think it's regrettable about what happened to the cop's reputation. i still don't think we know the answers. it still may pan out in a way that might surprise us. >> still a great conversation. >> and taking health care off

the front page. >> mika? >> yeah. >> i am so with you about the story of obesity. it's a national epidemic, and something should be done. >> i agree. i think we need to look at it and talk about it. it's not a pretty conversation, but it is real. it's killing us. sorry, go ahead. >> jegene, look into the camera and say you don't enjoy a big mac from mcdonald's. >> i love big maces, and i am blessed with good genes. i, mean, live is not fair. i am with dan. i don't think that i am going to see michael vick. >> thank you, thank you.

i do not want my son watching michael vick. >> eugene robinson, good to have you back. thank you very much. coming up next on "morning joe," governor ed rendell is in the middle of the 28-day budget stand off. erin burnett, we will get the latest from her. and we will talk to the director of "super size me," and he has a new movie appearing on a laptop near you. you are watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks. at 155 miles per hour, andy roddick

has the fastest serve in the history of professional tennis. so i've come to this court to challenge his speed. ...on the internet. i'll be using the 3g at&t laptopconnect card. he won't. so i can book travel plans faster, check my account balances faster. all on the go. i'm bill kurtis and i'm faster than andy roddick. (announcer) "switch to the nations fastest 3g network" "and get the at&t laptopconnect card for free".

here is the big fun over the weekend. sarah palin, governor of alaska stepped down. no longer the governor of alaska. it was a moving day for sarah palin. she went out on to her porch and waved good by to russia. she is going back to her old job, and -- >> it's the revolt against the elite. this is what is resonating. the palin movement. in 1992, ross parot got 19 million votes. sarah palin is operating in a

time that is far worse. >> all kidding aside, do you think she is a viable presidential candidate? >> i think she is a viable candidate for the republican nomination. i think she is not qualified to be president. >> okay. did i yjust make it on to "way too early "? >> yeah. now, here with us now, the governor of pennsylvania, ed rendell. good to see you. >> i would not say we are like california. >> well, before we get to the fiscal problems, and willie has important news to bring to the table pertaining to your state. >> we hear about the negative

news, and penn state named the number one party university. what do you think? >> well, maybe we have to take a hard look at that. >> governor, let's talk about your state -- >> i am kidding, guys. >> and the poll showed some approval ratings for you that are troubling at this time, so given those, how do you plan to deal with the budget troubles that your state faces, and how do they compare to california? >> well, one of the worse things that happened to the country is people have approval ratings and it shows politicians how they are doing. politicians should dedicate what they are doing to what they

think is right. i think we need a income tax to bridge a deficit. we lost $3.5 billion in revenues last year. it will cost the average person about 4.90 a week. pennsylvania right now was ranked the fifth best state in the union, and improvement in education. the test scores came out yesterday and for the first time in the state's history, every one of the grades had significant improvement in reading and math. i think we have to have a balance. we propose $2.3 billion that cuts in addition to the revenue

enhancements. you have time-out boo do both. i am digging in for education, and i don't care if my ratings drop to 10%. can you imagine what lincoln's ratings would have been in his first tum. probably an 8. >> governor, this new cbo report out this weekend showing there is no way the tax increases, the surtax the administration proposed and the congress wants to pass, at least the relevant committees want to pass can pay for the growth in the health care system. with that there is a bipartisan group of senators coming forward with a bipartisan plan to move forward with the health care program that does not include

the very costly public plan. do you think that's something democrats could get behind if it just seems this program is too costly to stomach and sell to voters? >> well, number one yes, because doing nothing is unacceptable. if we continue the way we are going in five years, we will have no employer-based health care in this state. and secondly, i think when the cbo looks at cost figures and containment, they are underestimating the money that can be saved. we had a huge problem with hospital acquired infections, as every state and city does across the country. we passed in 2006 the most aggressive bill in the country. we were spending $3.5 billion, and the system was paying for

that. in one year we cut them 8% and reduced the charged by $358 million. if you extrapolate that across the nation, that would be a lot of savings. we are treating the chronic care patients totally different. we have a model that takes them from the beginning and keeps them out of the hospital. we reduced inpatient cost by 26%. don't underestimate. i know the cost savings, they will all be pilots and not add up, but they can add up significantly. i know it's difficult to quantify, but when they did not quantify anything, they say they cannot put cost savings attached to that. >> governor, r rendell, we knowu

have to go. >> we did not talk about infrastructure today. >> we will have to do that. >> that's part of the stimulus. that's start of the stimulus. >> yes, it is. governor, thanks very much. >> is there something between you and governor rendell? >> me mika gets excited about infrastructure. >> do you think the cbo really is underestimating how much savings could be, like governor rendell says? >> well, they may be.

>> we'll talk about this more. when we come back, cnbc's erin burnett will be with us with an update on the market fewchures. ♪

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president obama has invited

henry lewis gates and the police officer that arrested him to join him for a beer at the white house. let's grab a beer. and, if that works out, obama will have mahmoud ahmadinejad and netanyahu over for yagerbaum. >> what is that. >> well, it's dropped into a beer. let's get a check on business with erin burnett. >> those are horrible things. >> you guys are far too knowledgeable about this subject. >> we have a friend in common

that was good at all of those things, willie and i do. okay. so in the markets today, we will have a lower open. a couple crucial things to watch. yesterday we had the unexpected jum in that new homes sales. it was unexpected and more than anybody thought. it did not give the market too much of a fill up, and today we have the numbers. these are a little back dated. they will be two months dated. they are what the market uses to gauge where home prices are going. we are looking to see if we will get a four month straight of improvement. the other thing we will look at is commodities. some of these are amazing. aluminum, for example, right now has been increasing for the longest amount of time in more than 20 years. it's 11 days in a row.

up 19% since the middle of july. it's copier, and pretty much everything used to build anything all on spent on what you decide. that's going to be the big question. commodities are the story, and there is talk about whether we will get regulation on the firms. and that means the focus today will be on goldman sachs. so there are the headlines for the day. >> that's big. back to the drinks, for you. gold shaw logger. up next, we have morgan spurlock. that's next on "morning joe." 4mm

my dad's entire career seems to have prepared him for this moment. he found the perfect partner with the rising super stars of the car business. the stakes were as high as they get. negotiating a contract would not be easy. >> we could get naked, and show you just exactly who we are. that was a clip from the new documentary film, and it's about the quest of creating the company from scratch. today the producer of "the intrapreneur." >> i learned all of my negotiating tactics from malcolm. >> yeah, i can tell.

also with us this morning, toure. well, this is the guy that brought super to america, and the film chronicles him trying to bring the first chinese business to the america. and it's a reflection on what happened in the united states. it's the number one movie, and we are trying to get a new release model out there. and like malcolm tried something new, we did too with this film. >> i want to say thank you very much. before supervise me, i occasionally ate fast-food, and

now i never do unless i am stuck at an airport. >> look how good you look now. you look amazing. >> thank you. >> and let's talk about the film in the release model. it's only online for free. how are you going to make money? is this a future looking model? the future of certain released models or what? >> i think what we look at now, the tv and the computer will become one in the same. this is the first time u.s. audiences have had a chance to see it. it will run for a week on hulo and i think it will be a great place for people to see original content. and so this is just step one of,

i think, a brand new way to look at movies. >> how does this film make must not wrae when it's released online for free. are you talking about the television sales? that's how you will make back the money? >> in time, we will see more money coming in. right now it's an ad. it's not going to make a lot of money, but it's a step. as everything changes and grows, you have to realize you will not see the same type of revenue off the bat. anybody that is trying to sell a movie, even traditional out let's like tv distributions, it's tough out there. >> it's a good morning. we were talking about a story on the front page of usa today saying $137 billion a year is

spent on obesity related charges in health care. and as you travelled, eating mcdonald's every day, how bad was the problem that you saw? >> i think if you walk out your door, if you live any are in the united states, you see the results of that. you can see 1 out of 10 people are living in obesity in their live every single day. we live in a country where you have the ability to eat whatever you want. we never think this has an end result. that's part of the problem. we are more of a country about sick care rather than health care. >> morgan, did you ever get any direct response from mcdonald's about supervising. >> i loved that movie. look at the stock prices. it's one of the greatest things

they have ever seen. >> yeah, they did not get hurt too badly. >> yeah, i think the film was a catalyst to give them a way to change in a good direction. at the end of the day, it worked out for everybody. >> thank you so much. you can watch the entire film "the entrepreneur" online all this week, at snagfilms.com. >> more "morning joe" is just a minute. nothing beats walmart's unbeatable prices...

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i think you are not going to be canceled.