in this thing together. i'm rooting for cornell. but you know what they call vanderbilt? the cornell of the south. what else, pete? >> debbie lee from oakland, california, who writes i refuse to sleep until willie promises he'll cha-cha on "dancing with the stars." >> no chance. no chance. i appreciate the offer. it's a good thought. i've been on the front row when one of my friends was on "dancing with the stars" a few years ago. it's not something i'm going to do. there's way too much tie polyester and spray tanning. just not really my look. pete, thanks so much. "morning joe" starts right now. pretty amazing things being said. "the economist" said you were arguably the most powerful woman in america." brown university professor has said you are certainly the most powerful speaker in 100 years. >> that sounds good. i don't take it personally except i take it as a compliment

for all women because as the first woman speaker, i certainly wanted to demonstrate that we could get a job done that has eluded others. >> all right. top of the hour. welcome to "morning joe." 6:00 on the east coast. i'm mika brzezinski in new york. joe scarborough is in atlanta this morning. with us on the set here in new york, "the new york times" charles joining us for the hour. nice to see you. also, mike barnicle is back. hello. >> what a nice tone. >> well, i'm just saying, it's good to see you. we've got willie geist running in from his show and a lot to talk about today. the president will sign health care reform into law, but the fight is far from over. what's expected in the senate. we'll talk about that. could it be a bumpy ride as we heard from one senator yesterday, charles? >> i think, you know, they could throw up roadblocks, but i think that it's pretty clear that it's passed. i think that the democrats have to take back the message, which

is that most people actually did want reform. >> yeah. >> there's an interesting cnn poll out yesterday which said, you know, 39% of people approve this bill. 52% didn't. >> yeah. >> 13% of those people wanted the bill to be more liberal. >> certainly it would be at this point very difficult to stop the tide. also, adios a.c.o.r.n. the once mighty community activist group folding for financial reasons. but i wonder how much of a factor that videotape of people dressed up like a pimp and a prostitute played into that. we'll talk about that. and you can continue to send pornographic e-mails to china if you'd like. >> i was worried about that. >> google is standing up to censorship in china. what it means for the search engine giant and u.s./chinese relations. that's a big story. on the front page of "the new york times" today as well. here comes willie. you know, at some point. yeah, just have a seat. thank you. all right. let's get a look at news.

joe getting wired up in atlanta. time for a look at today's top stories. president obama will sign health care legislation into law today during a white house ceremony without the's approval to revisions of the final legislation. from there majority leader harry reid wants to bring the reconciliation package to the senate goor by this afternoon with the goal of passing the bill on friday or saturday. although that is expected to be delayed by republicans planning to repeal. the white house, however, remains confident about the future of the bill. >> you expect the senate to pass this word for word what they passed? >> look, i -- i think that the senate will take this up at some point this week, begin the process. and look, health care's going to become law tomorrow. i think that -- i can't speak to all of the amendments or all of the shenanigans that will be tried on capitol hill over the course of the next many days.

but we're confident that this process is coming to an end. >> i don't think it will last. >> no? >> i think when you ram something through against the wishes of two out of three americans, it will have an impact. there almost certainly will be dramatic change. this is a big bureaucracy, high-tax, high-litigation bill that will further weaken the economy. >> all right. let's look at this poll, and then mike barnicle chime in. a new poll shows that 57% of americans think democrats are trying to pass the health care bill for political reasons while just 35% think they have pushed the bill because it is actually good policy. mike barnicle who's been spending his team sitting in doctors' offices and dealing with the medical system firsthand. >> you know, i'm just wondering what's going to happen when a lot of people, a lot of people, say around july or august, realize that their 24-year-old

unemployed son or daughter can go on their health insurance plan, what they're going to think of all this language that's been occurring over the past five or six months, that this is disastrous, that it's going to bankrupt the country. there are parts of this bill, at least several of them, are things that people have been wanting for decades, and now they're about to have several of them almost immediately. that's one thing. the second thing is, we just saw newt gingrich, former speaker of the house. what did they do when they had power all those years? did they ever introduce a piece of health care legislation? did they ever try to get something constructive done? the answer, willie geist? >> willie geist? >> yes. sorry. what was the question? >> see? i knew i'd wake him up. come on, boy. >> somebody pour cold water on him. i think they would argue they did have ideas along the way and they were turned down and that it was not a bipartisan effort. and is there any argument to be made for that? >> on the flip side of that

question you just put on the screen was that 60% of people think that the -- they object to the bill for political reasons and not principle. both sides of this have been fighting too long. most people think it's taken up too much energy. so that idea is already there. the other part of it, though, is most people do want health care. most people want what they have in this bill or more. we cannot let republicans take over that talking point, which is that most people don't want this bill somehow because it's too liberal. that's just a lie. that's just a lie. >> but joe would say he wants health care for all americans. he wants exactly what you want or what you want, for sure. and they're being painted as people who want to deny coverage, which isn't fair as well. it's gotten very ugly. >> if i were a candidate for office this fall in the house or the senate, i would love to be running on this health care bill. i would love to be running against a republican.

i'd love to be running against a republican and say here's what you're against. >> right. >> you're against my 24-year-old daughter getting on my health care bill. you're against preexisting conditions being eliminated by insurance companies, you're against going after insurance companies that no matter what you do when you go to a hospital, the insurance companies will give you a problem, no matter what kind of policy you have. >> this will cost us, and i think the republicans didn't do a very good job explaining what those costs were. we're making a full screen. chris, are we doing it on different types of taxes? we're going to see on this bill as it goes through. we're working on that. it's pretty unbelievable. and it seems like instead of saying no, no, no, they could have said okay, but here's what it's going to cost. do you really think we can do this? >> right. there will be costs. >> there will be? >> the idea that the thing will pay for itself, that's not true. the idea that -- >> it's not paying for itself. >> you cover people on the front and as much on the back end, that's just not true. >> speaking of numbers, because

you've studied them, you are a master of the numbers, as for house speaker nancy pelosi and senate majority leader harry reid's poll number numbers, loo this. a new cbs poll shows pelosi comes in with a favorability rating of just 11% as speaker of the house. i don't even think newt gingrich had -- that's yours. that's different. >> yeah. >> go ahead, charles blow. >> i think -- what i think these numbers represent is the fact that people are very frustrated with the process. the process by which this came to be. >> they're disgusted. >> it was really awful. and what it showed was that there's a kind of ineffectiveness in leadership that would allow this thing to drag on to this degree. i also got that cbs poll earlier this morning. one thing people found -- what people said was that the longer it dragged on, the worse they thought the bill became, not better. >> right. >> and the fact that they allowed it to drag on this long

reflects poorly on them. and i think that's what you see in those numbers. >> well, and also, kathleen parker had a great piece over the weekend about the rising number of political -- the political homeless clash, she called them, independent voters where the numbers are growing and growing. and they're coming from both parties. people are disgusted. we watched eight years of anything but conservative values being pushed from washington. and now we've got it from the other side. the same games. not change, in terms of the process. it was ugly. people are disgusted. >> you know, those numbers, if we could put that up on the screen again. >> reid and pelosi? reid is at 8%, i think. >> those numbers, they don't matter for nancy pelosi. she's from a safe district. she doesn't -- i don't think she really cares about the 11%. harry reid, that number there -- >> that's bad. >> -- says bye-bye, harry. he's up for re-election and a very tough election. nancy pelosi, tough, got it done, got something done that

very few speakers in history have ever gotten done. >> it's true. there is that headline. and we talked about that. this moment when we see the president making -- signing this legislation will be historic no matter how you slice it, no matter what you think of it. and that is the headline that will wash away a little bit of some of the ugliness that we've seen. people will put it in the rearview mirror to an extent. and nancy pelosi will be on the front end of that to an extent as well. but it certainly wasn't what we were promised in terms of the process, and perhaps things -- there will be a learning curve from it. >> but the last thing to remember, though, is national poll numbers on a representative are worthless. >> yeah. all right, president obama, let's move on to foreign news, will meet with benjamin netanyahu in a closed-door session at the white house later today. some are saying the closed meeting is possibly a sign that a rift remains between the two countries over israel's construction plans in eastern jerusalem. the meeting comes a day after

secretary of state hillary clinton and netanyahu presented opposing positions over those plans while speaking to a pro-israel audience in washington. while netanyahu claims israel's policies are not impeding the peace process, clinton defended the united states' decision to criticize israel. >> new construction in east jerusalem or the west bank undermines that mutual trust and endangers the proximity talks that are the first step toward the full negotiations that both sides say they want and need. and it exposes daylight between israel and the united states that others in the region hope to exploit. it undermines america's unique ability to play a role, an essential role, in the peace process. and the health care bill isn't the only legislation sticking to party lines by a narrow 13-10 margin. the senate banking committee led

by connecticut democrat chris dodd has improved the financial reform bill designed to overhaul wall street's regulations. the bill would give government unprecedented powers to split up firms considered a threat to the economy and put together a council of regulators to watch for risks in the financial system. and the community organizing group a.c.o.r.n. is shutting down due to financial difficulties. it comes six months after a.c.o.r.n. employees were videotaped giving tax tips to conservative activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute. shortly after that scandal, congress voted to cut off all grants to the organization. the chinese government is slamming google for its decision to shut down its website there. instead, redirecting users to a search engine in hong kong. the move comes just two months after the search giant threatened to leave the country entirely over a dispute about hacker attacks. google's decision ends a nearly four-year effort to help bring

more information to chinese citizens and loosen the government's controls on the internet. uh-huh. okay. don't just -- yeah, okay. coming up next, an exclusive first look -- i just could tell there was a snide remark coming out of barnicle's mouth and i didn't want to hear it. the politico playbook is snex including the republicans' strategy for the midterms and the tough choices facing vulnerable democrats in the near future. and the wrong door. the awkward moment that interrupted president obama's speech. you know, that happened to joe and i when we went to the white house. that was very embarrassing. but first, here's bill karins with a check on the forecast. bill. >> good morning, everyone. heavy rain last night moved up the mid-atlantic into the northeast. it's ended for our morning drive for new york, philly and d.c., you're just fine. new england getting socked. heavy rain from hartford all the way up through the boston area. and this will continue to push off towards the northeast as we go throughout the day. significant airport delays are possible today at logan, also

down into providence and even as we go up into manchester or portland, maine. here's your forecast for today. showers and heavy rain from boston, albany to hartford. clearing out slowly new york and philly. not a picture-perfect day, but it won't be rainy like it was yesterday. the rest of the country, another snowstorm for denver today. possible airport delays. they're calling for six inches of snow. you look great, though, from chicago to atlanta. and finally, florida and the southeast is beginning to warm up after a very cool beginning to your spring. you're watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks. imagine skin so healthy, it never gets dry again.

can your moisturizer do that? dermatologist recommended aveeno has an oat formula... now proven to build a moisture reserve... so skin can replenish itself. that's healthy skin for life. save at aveeno.com.

know what happened over the weekend in washington, d.c.? history was made. in washington, d.c., history was made. you know what i'm talking about? yes. right. history was made. congress actually worked on a sunday. >> that's a good one. all right. welcome back to "morning joe." 18 past the hour. i'm mika brzezinski in new york. and joe is in atlanta this morning. ready to look at the "morning papers"? >> yeah, that sounds great. you know, since they're working through the weekend like david said, maybe harry reid's approval ratings can get in double digits. >> oh. they're at eight. >> not that i'm focused on that all morning, but nancy's at 11%. that's certainly something that the majority leader could aspire to, double didn'ts.

>> they're a little low. "morning papers," "washington post," the senate banking committee voted along party lines to transform the regulation of the financial markets, sending another piece of far-reaching legislation to the full senate. >> "wall street journal," google has stopped censoring its news service by redirecting viewers to a less restricted version of google. "the journal" calls it a risky and dramatic act of defiance that could prove to be a pivotal moment in u.s. companies' efforts to do business in china. big story. >> "miami herald," two former presidents, clinton and bush, toured haiti's earthquake damage and vowed to help kick start that nation's tattered economy. >> a.c.o.r.n. announced it is folding amid falling revenues six months after video footage emerged showing some of its workers giving tax tips to conservative activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute.

here with us now, editor in chief of politico, john harris, he's here with a look at the "politico playbook." >> good morning. >> let's talk business. the republican strategy. the president's going to sign in just a few hours the house bill into law. where do republicans go from here? i know mike allen sat down with paul ryan, the republican from wisconsin. let's listen to a little of what he said. >> obviously, we're not for keeping this law, but i say we should repeal it and replace it with reform. but not just to go back to the status quo that we knew yesterday, that wasn't sustainable either. we've been saying all along we want to fix what's broken in health care. >> john, we heard david axelrod say a week ago if you really want to go out in the fall and say we're going to take health care away from children who didn't have it, please make my day. is this a good idea for republicans? >> right. it's interesting in that clip with ryan, he doesn't want to make david axelrod's day. and so what you're hearing him say is repeal but repeal plus.

that's a little split in republican ranks because there are some who say we should run nakedly on sort of tear down this wall, repeal health care, horrible mistake and that's going to be a winning strategy in 2010. i think there are other republicans who say not so fast and they agree with what some of democrats are saying which is once you get past the process, never watch sausage being made, once you get past that, people will focus on the tangible benefits. a straight down the line repeal position isn't necessarily the most winning approach. >> and it's tough to do as a practical matter, too, john. repealing a law is not exactly the easiest thing in the world to do once it's been signed by the president of the united states. >> certainly not and there aren't many precedents for it. and obviously republicans would have to take back not just one house but two, which, you know, almost none of the political oddsmakers expect that to be possible. they do think this is a winning strategy. really both parties have a big challenge now because, you know, as we've seen in other

legislation like the stimulus, it gets defined after passage. public opinion is very malleable in this period for a month or two after the bill passes. >> yeah. it is made easier, though, john harris, is it not, by the fact that a lot of the -- a lot of the provisions in this bill actually don't go into effect until my 2-year-old child graduates from college or at least until barack obama's out of the white house. there are $435 billion in tax cuts. the largest tax cuts ever. but the dreaded bedpan tax, for instance, doesn't go into effect until 2013. and other taxes don't go into effect for a few years. and the union tax doesn't go into in until 2018. so actually, the president may sign this bill, but a lot of it doesn't actually become actual law as far as enacted law where it goes into effect for quite some time. >> well, joe, that's certainly true of both the purported

benefits and the purported dangers of this bill. so i think a lot of people just watching the show on tv may say, hey, look. nothing happened. we passed this and the sky didn't fall. but that does a lot of democrats to focus on their most popular talking points this bill does, eliminating preexisting conditions as a reason to shut down your insurance. they can focus on popular items, and the focus will recede on sort of the institution that americans hate most, which is congress. >> and, you know, willie, by the way, of course, i said the largest tax cut ever, it would be the largest tax increase ever. and a lot of those taxes, obviously, roll out a few years down the road. >> yeah. john, we saw also joe talks a lot about being important for politicians to keep a moderate temperament. we didn't see a lot of that over the weekend. it got a little ugly at times. people screaming in the house, things like that. and i understand you talked to some republicans who are

concerned about the way they looked. >> politico did a story sort of casting this forward. and there's definitely some republicans who say if we look going into november of this year like we looked last weekend, i.e., like a bunch of sort of loud-mouth jerks, that is not a winning strategy for republicans. so they've got this challenge, which is the challenge of both parties always, which is how to energize your base, the sort of most rabid supporters. at the same time looking sensible, pragmatic problem solving to the people in the middle. some republicans really worried they don't have that mix. and down in virginia the other day, one of the tea party activists was sent out an alert saying that people who are upset about the bill should go visit representative tom at his house. it had kind of a vigilante feel. they put his address or what they thought was his house. actually it was his brother's house. they put that on the web and urged people to knock on the door in person.

some people say that kind of appeal is over the line. you know, it kind of smacks of sort of bullying or vigilanteism. >> it's way over the line. you know what's to fascinating, though, and i was talking to mika about this earlier. republicans are starting to get this. conservatives are starting to get this. like you said, a lot of people realize we can be conservative ideologically, but like reagan, we need to be moderate temperamentally. i was struck this morning by what red states, eric erickson, wrote to republicans, basically saying stop saying the sky's falling. stop saying your hair's on fire. we've got a great debate now between small government conservatives and big government liberals. let's argue the facts and let the american people decide. i think that's the message -- sounds like, john, that you're saying some republicans on the hill are finally getting. >> well, they've also got some examples to look at. if you look at the big victory that republican bob mcdonnell had in virginia last fall, he's

a very, very conservative republican, as you know. but he was able to cast himself as a more moderate figure, kind of in the vein of how you're describing it, joe. he won a big victory, and he flipped independents who voted for obama in 2008 and voted for the republican overwhelmingly in 2009. so that formula does exist for republicans. the opposite formula is also very much on vivid display of kind of angry, pitchfork-carrying republicans, maybe less of a winning image. >> politico's john harris, thank you very much. and still ahead, former presidential candidate rudy giuliani and msnbc political analyst lawrence o'donnell will be here on the set. i'll ask rudy giuliani why he was smoking on top of a building in chicago recently. and a noticeable menu change expected at restaurants across the country. it was -- i'll tell you in just a second. it was everything to do with that new health bill. we'll be right back with more "morning joe." ♪

[ male announcer ] the cadillac laurel sales event. featuring the acclaimed cts sports sedan. a car & driver 10best for the third year in a row.

♪ with a direct injection v6 engine. see your cadillac dealer soon, because while there is no expiration date on achievement, on rewarding it, there is. for qualified current lessees, the cts luxury collection. ♪ some people will stick with their old way of getting vitamins and minerals. others will try incredible total raisin bran. with 100% of the daily value of 11 essential vitamins and minerals, juicy raisins and crunchy whole grain flakes. guess it's all about what kind of crunch you like. how are you getting 100%? to finish what you started today. for the aches and sleeplessness in between, there's new motrin pm. no other medicine, not even advil pm, is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. new motrin pm. is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. [ crowd gasps ]

[ announcer ] if you think about it, this is a lot like most job search sites. - they let everyone in, - [ crowd groans ] so the best people can't stand out. join theladders.com. the premium job site for only $100k+ jobs... and only $100k+ talent. because with national, i roll past the counter... and choose any car in the aisle. choosing your own car? now that's a good call. go national. go like a pro.

♪ now that's a good call. vo: this season, your home can look like a picture in a magazine with the better homes and gardens spring line. and it's only at walmart. get unbeatable prices on the entire line of better homes and gardens furnishings. it's enough to spark anyone's imagination. the look you love costs less at walmart. vo: save money. live better. walmart.

welcome back to "morning joe." look at that beautiful shot over washington, d.c., with the planes landing there at national airport. it is at reagan airport. 6:30 on the east coast. time for a look at some of today's top stories. the president will sign health care reform into law later this morning. but he is not done pushing the plan. he heads to iowa on thursday, part of a cross-country swing veered toward gaining support for the plan. and you can watch the president sign health care legislation into law today during a white house ceremony live at 11:15 eastern time right here on msnbc. documents obtained by the associated press allege that michael jackson's doctor stopped performing cpr on the pop star and delayed calling 911 so he could collect drug vials at the scene. the account was given by jackson's logistics director who was by jackson's side as he was dying on june 25th.

the explosive allegation against dr. conrad murray is likely to be a focus as prosecutors move ahead with their involuntary manslaughter case against him. remember his lawyer is questioning the story say the witness never mentioned the vials in an earlier statement to police. you don't do that. you usually just continue with cpr, i think. >> i need a logistics director. >> good lord. and a personal archivists. customers will have a tougher time ignoring the 800 calories in that caesar's salad. >> what? >> under a provision tucked into the nation's massive health care bill, the country's more than 200,000 chain restaurants will be required to post calorie counts on menus. while many fast food joints currently list nutritional information on their website, the new law orders companies to post calories right next to each item. so you know exactly what you're eating. >> yum. >> right, willie?

>> the more the better i say when it comes to calories. >> i don't want to think about it. >> you've never had a caesar's salad in your life. time for sports. we've got golf news, tiger woods. golf. going to talk golf. the golf channel reporting and is confirming that tiger started preparation yesterday for the masters by making a quick cameo at augusta national. he got in a practice round where he'll start in a couple weeks. we don't know exactly how he played. we didn't get a report from inside. but considering he's the best player to ever walk the earth, he probably played well. he returns to the masters where he's won four jackets. that comes in just a couple weeks, trying to put everything else behind him. also from tiger news, only 11 days after former white house press secretary ari fleischer announced he would help to plot tiger's return, he says he's done. fleischer confirmed that he has ended his professional relationship with tiger because, fleischer says, he feels like he's becoming too big of a story. >> oh, yeah, right. >> oh, okay.

>> i would have gone another direction with my excuse on that one. >> he knew it was a big story. get out your calculator, mika. minnesota twins' superstar catcher joe mauer signed yesterday a contract worth eight years, $184 million. eight years, $184 million. >> uh-huh. >> that's a lot of money. mauer in a twins uniform through the 2018 season. won three batting titles, mvp last year where he hit .365. he's from minnesota who's drafted number one overall by the twins in 2001. top three players in baseball, mike? >> yeah, a-rod -- >> pujols. >> well, albert's something. >> no, i'm talking player. salarywise. >> absolutely. >> how much is that a day? >> that's $23 million a year. which is a little bit less than a-rod makes. >> it's great for baseball. >> great guy. >> great guy. great for baseball. >> great player. >> hometown boy.

>> twins got a new stadium. >> yankees. >> we'll find a way. >> he's got no trade. >> we find ways. we find ways to pillage. we wouldn't normally show youhighlights, but they're getting so close. this is the end of regulation as terrence williams hit one from beyond half-court. that gave the nets a lead at halftime. that doesn't happen often. but the heat stormed back and won the game. so this drops the nets to 7-63 through 70 games. they have 7 wins out of 70 games. they have 12 games left to play. >> yeah. >> they need two wins in those 12 games to tie the all-time record which is nine wins in a season for the worst team in nba history. if we can keep them under those two wins and get them to eight wins total, they'll be the worst team officially in the history of the nba. >> you want them to get all their losses out before they move to brooklyn. >> exactly. it's all going to change. coming up next, the nation's

chris hayes joins the conversation. he'll have to sift through mika's must-read opinion pages. you're watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks. [ children laughing ] look in the glove box. [ children laughing ] suitcase? huh? ♪ where do gummy bears hide? under the seat. look! yeah! ♪ [ telephone rings ] [ male announcer ] the all new chevy equinox. [ man ] guess who? dad! [ man ] enjoy the trip! okay, daddy! [ laughter ] [ male announcer ] a consumers digest best buy. with a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. it takes you farther... and brings you closer.

but there's one that makes your skin look better even after you take it off. 98% of women who tried neutrogena healthy skin makeup thought so. does your makeup do that? neutrogena cosmetics.

♪ take me take me we heard the minority leader, boehner, say "shame on you. shame on you." >> well, you know, some people will do anything for the insurance companies. >> is that his entire motive? >> yes, i do. i think his motive is there will not be an expansion for all americans with a government involvement in regulating the insurance companies. but you have to ask him about his motive.

i really don't question people's motivation. i just comment on their actions. >> wow. welcome back to "morning joe." the sun has not come up over the white house, but a big day today for president barack obama. live from d.c., joining us now, the washington editor of "the nation," chris hayes. joe scarborough in atlanta and we're here in new york along with charles blow, mike barnicle and willie geist. a lot to get to, joe. what did you think of pelosi's comments, though, to diane sawyer, first of all? >> i thought they were, in the words of a williams graduate, raised in the east coast enclave of virginia, i thought it was delicious. i thought it was delicious because nancy pelosi, according to the former head of the new england harvard professor and former -- greenwald is writing about this. he's been on our show and one of the best progressive thinkers out there.

he said that insurance companies got exactly what they wanted. that they wanted a mandate. and glen also said i want to ask chris hayes about it because this was a special interest giveaway, this bill. and if you're a progressive, you can't be happy about it. let's put the quote. obama neutralized industry special interests -- these are glen's words -- quote, by bribing them and accommodating them to such an extreme degree that they ended up affirmatively supporting a bill that lavishes them with massive benefits. chris hayes with "the nation," respond to glen greenwald. >> i think that's largely true. i actually think -- i think it's not accurate to say the insurance companies got everything they wanted out of the bill. the people that got everything out of the bill was pharma, the big drug companies, and in some ways hospitals. the people that have it the

toughest are the insurance companies. the insurance company regulations that are in the bill are actually quite strong. the ways that the exchanges can bar insurance companies from participating if they do things that they don't like is pretty strong. so that's actually where the strongest consumer predictions and strongest regulatory -- >> you agree, chris, that big pharma was bribed and big hospitals were bribed and big unions were bribed. let me read you a quote that glen greenwald on salon also said about these big insurance companies that nancy pelosi said are villains, and boy, we're taking them down by forcing everybody to buy their product. glen quoted marsha anschultz, professor of harvard medical school and former editor of "the new england journal of medicine." she said that what insurance companies have been fighting for are, quote, the individual mandate. and if they get that, quote, they're going to be extremely happy with it. glen also pointed out that flags

for the obama white house said the insurance industry was fighting this when, in fact, they didn't fight this bill at all because they got -- insurance companies got exactly what they wanted with a universal mandate. >> it's not actually not quite true. that they didn't fight it at all. in fact, they hedged their bets. so they supported it on one side, and "the national journal" reported they were funneling all their opposition money to the chamber and the chamber was running ads against it. if they had their druthers, if the insurance companies could just wave a magic wand, i don't think any of this would have happened. they would have just continued with the status quo more or less. they read the writing on the wall that health care inflation in the neighborhood of 15% a year was just not sustainable. there was political will to change it and they tried to get out in front of it. >> chris, there is now a mandate. you are now force the to buy their product. mike barnicle and his family and kids and my kids and everybody are forced to buy their product as, again, going back to glen greenwald, i know he's going to hate me quoting him this much,

but he said that they really didn't put up a fight because this was their dream. they are, quote, extremely happy with nancy pelosi's bill and with barack obama's bill because now we are all forced by law to buy their product, or the feds come after us. why wouldn't you be happy with that? >> well, the reason is that there is something of an exchange here, right? they are getting the mandate. they're getting new customers in return for an unprecedented degree of regulation in the exchanges and generally in terms of what kind of behavior they can do. in fact, insurance companies are turned into something like utilities here. now, i should also point out there are two arguments against the bill. the one you're quoting is the one from the left. but that's incompatible with the one from the right. it cannot simultaneously be -- let me finish this. >> that's why i'm asking you these questions because there are -- you would -- did the left

not tell us all along that a mandate for insurance companies would never work unless there were cost controls? and you and i both know there are no cost controls. the difference between you and me is you want a federal bureaucracy to set up those cost controls. i want the free market to do it. but i think we both want the antitrust exemption lifted and want insurance companies to compete. there is no more competition for insurance companies. in fact, i know you know matt iglesias would think progress. he said this, quote, special interest groups were able to get 85% of what they wanted in exchange for, quote, absolutely nothing. that's think progress, not the national review. this is a giveaway to corporate interests that i thought progressives hated. >> yeah, look. we fought -- i mean, you could quote from stuff i've read that sounds similar. i think, look. i think the most rational thing to have from the very beginning which is what the magazine's been advocating forever is

everyone can buy into medicare. we have a single-payer system. you could write that bill on two sheets of paper. the fact of the matter, if we went that way, not only would the interests fight it, you would be calling it socialism along with everybody on the right. so whenever the left tried to actually push through exactly the thing that would make this not quite the corporate giveaway, they were attacked as somehow being the vanguard of leninism in america. no, no, i'm just saying -- >> i understand, but here's my point, okay? >> you can't have it both ways. >> right, i understand. and if you want to say we think it is so important morally to insure 31 million americans -- >> right. >> -- that don't have health insurance, we will do deals with people that we hate. i can deal with that. what i can't deal with is nancy pelosi calling insurance companies villains for the past year and a half and then saying yesterday on diane sawyer something that is just a lie, saying -- >> joe --

>> -- the insurance companies hate this and john boehner loves health insurance companies. just tell us the truth, nancy. don't lie. >> i completely agree that every time my back gets up every time that a democrat phrases this as some sort of victory over the insurance companies. i totally agree with you. i think that's a completely disingenuous statement by nancy pelosi. >> let me picture this. david brooks has a piece that's interesting in terms of the victory. david brooks, "nobody knows how this will will work out. it is an undertaking exponentially more complex than the iraq war, for example, but to me it feels like the end of something, not the beginning of something. it feels like the noble completion of the great liberal project to build a comprehensive health care system. the task ahead is to stave the country from stagnation and fiscal ruin." mike barnicle, he caps it off. >> david brooks ends his column

by saying the democratic party has revealed itself over the past year does not seem to be up cothat coming challenge, neither is the republican party. this country is in the position of a free-spending family careening toward bankruptcy. that at the last moment announced he was giving a gigantic gift to charity. you admire the generosity, but you wish they had sold a few of their mercedes to pay for it. >> that would be an issue of the cost. joe, go ahead. is that chris? go ahead. >> it's chris. >> i read that column this morning. i thought it was interesting. i think he's right in one sense in which if you look at the social welfare state we have in the u.s., the most glaring hole forever has been the fact that we do not have guaranteed health insurance. i mean, imagine if there was some country in europe that just didn't provide free mandatory k-12 education. we would think that's crazy. imagine if there was a country in which 20 million or 30 million schoolchildren, some of them just didn't go to school. we would think that's nuts. in that sense we have closed

this sort of obvious gap in the basic social welfare structure. >> and there's no one who doesn't want health care for everyone, but the question is how we got here and what exactly this is going to amount to. very quickly, mayor bloomberg -- >> one thing to add real quick. i'll continue reading from newspapers. this is mayor bloomberg yesterday quoted as saying this plan does not address the cost of health care in our country. it doesn't address the fact we spend double what they do in western europe and have a lower life expectancy. it addresses coverage and he goes on to say it's a system we cannot afford. but the president and congress have spoken. and i am forced to implement it. that's the mayor, mike bloomberg. >> mika, what i've been saying for years, when you talk about health care you have to talk about two very legitimate things. the morality of it that chris is talking about, how do you tell 47 million americans that they can't have basic health care, but the other side of it is the math. barack obama told us at the beginning of this process he's going to take care of both sides. he didn't.

the math's still not taken care of. and if we have 31 million more americans in this new system, we're going to have to figure out starting right now how we're going to keep that system afloat over the next 20, 30 years. so chris can drive around in a mercedes when he's 60 years old. >> he likes his mercedes. >> miami, l.a. >> a mercedes bicycle. >> willie? >> got to love chris hayes. next, a little "news you can't use." don't you hate when you go downstairs in the middle of the night there's cookies and there's a guy addressing the united states in front of you? >> i hate that. >> this guy popped out the wrong door the other night. we'll show you what happened when we come back. >> that's a shame. [ female announcer ] sometimes you need tomorrow

to finish what you started today. for the aches and sleeplessness in between, there's new motrin pm. no other medicine, not even advil pm, is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. new motrin pm. i can download files up to 10x faster than 3g... outside. i can stream the movie "airplane" to my cell phone... at the airport. i can have a crystal-clear videoconference with my clients... ...muffin basket or something... ...while working offsite, or share five high-speed connections for online gaming... while enjoying the great outdoors. [ video game sound effects ] eat it, yoshi! what can you do with 4g? [ male announcer ] experience 4g from sprint. it's more than a wireless network. deaf, hard-of-hearing and people with speech disabilities, it's a wireless revolution. access www.sprintrelay.com.

( sniffing ) missing something? now at sears optical, get 2 pairs of glasses for $99.99. with bifocals just $25 more per pair. sears optical. don't miss a thing.

last wednesday was st. patrick's day which meant a lot of drunk people dressed in green clothing. our local fox affiliate helped us get in the spirit with tonight's edition of "behind the news."

>> i should mention that even now at this late hour, things are going pretty well. it's a pretty good crowd. taking advantage of those free rides. >> heads-up play by the cameraman. avoiding the moon. time for "news you can't use." you were probably focused on what president obama was saying sunday night after they passed the health care reform bill in the house, but being who we are, we were focused on the background. >> yes, of course. >> just watch. >> tonight after nearly 100 years of talk and frustration, tonight -- >> that was a quick pivot by that guy, actually. he came out -- we don't know who he is or what he was doing, but we know he walked through the wrong door as the president was addressing the united states of america. >> on his legislation. >> he was on the vip late-night tour. >> oh, well. >> it happens. it happens. okay. so i know you all remember where you were on july 20th, 1969. i know i do.

>> i do. >> sure. >> when america landed on the moon. the second man on the moon, buzz aldrin, this man right here, neil armstrong beat him to the door, so he was the first guy out there. >> pushed him out of the way. >> he did. it was disgusting. last night buzz aldrin, 41 years later, appearing on "dancing with the stars." >> what? ♪ cupid draw back your bow ♪ >> hey, "a" for effort, first of all. the judges, they're all focused on the technical aspects of dancing. gave him the lowest score of the night. 14 out of 30. we're going to start a movement to keep buzz around. >> wait a minute. you're not going to do that? >> we're going to do that later. >> he's still bitter about armstrong beating him to the door. when we come back, donny

deutsche joins the conversation. and later, rudy giuliani and lawrence o'donnell. plus joe with us live from atlanta this morning. keep it on "morning joe." [ female announcer ] for dazzling white teeth, give toothpaste the brush off. you need listerine® whitening® vibrant white™ rinse. the mouthwash that gets teeth four times whiter

than the leading toothpaste. and kills bad breath germs. listerine® whitening vibrant white™. kids laughing grandmother: who wants to go banother lap?rms. kids: go grandma, go faster! vo: manage your weight and stay healthy at unbeatable prices. vo: healthy living costs less at walmart. vo: save money. live better. walmart.

♪ she's a lady ♪ oh oh oh ♪ she's a lady pretty amazing things being said. "the economist" said you were

arguably the most powerful woman in american history. brown university professor has said you are certainly the most powerful speaker in 100 years. >> that sounds good. i don't take it personally except i take it as a compliment for all women because as the first woman speaker, i certainly wanted to demonstrate that we could get a job done that has eluded others. >> okay. top of the hour. welcome back to "morning joe." i'm mika brzezinski in new york. joe scarborough with us from atlanta this morning. and here with us now joining the conversation along with willie and barnicle, the chairman of deutsche incorporated, donny deutsche. >> hello. >> gloating a bit this morning. first, joe, your take on diane sawyer's interview with nancy pelosi. the sound bite we just ran, she seemed to like what she was hearing. >> well, i think there's no doubt. i remember i was in the chamber when nancy was sworn in. i know this was a shock to a lot

of people listening today and watching today. nancy and i worked together in congress. i like her an awful lot personally even though i couldn't disagree with her more politically. and i remember when i saw her getting sworn in sitting there thinking, what an historic year, the first african-american president and then that was in early 2007, actually, an historic time, the first female speaker. she is a very -- she's one of the most powerful speakers. she's also, of course, again, just passed historic legislation. she's also sitting at 8%. and i suspect like newt gingrich, she will be better getting power -- or she's at 11%. i'm sorry. i was just corrected. harry reid's at 8%. i owe nancy pelosi a great apology. but she is, to be honest, within the margin of error of single digits. i think newt gingrich will be a

lot better getting power than holding power because she's too unpopular across the country. i'm glad donny's here because, of course, your specialty is brands. we've talked about how sorry the republican brand is over the past two years. the nancy pelosi brand may not matter in her district, but it certainly will matter in the southeast for these democrats who are already fighting for their life and the midwest because everywhere they go, every opponent will say, the first vote you're going to cast when you get into the new congress, if they elect you, is for nancy pelosi. if she's 11% nationwide, she's 3% or 4% in some of these southern democratic districts. >> that's 11% today. you talked about brand. there is one fundamental tenet of the american brand across the country that drives everything else, and we love a winner. you know, whatever you like or dislike about nancy pelosi, she won here. she tucked the football under

her arm, and she did it against all odds, so to speak. and once again, three months from now, i'd like to look at those numbers. and you know, we talk about the republicans running against this. i would love -- and you might have said this earlier -- i would love to be a democrat and run a campaign and say, okay. my kid, your kid was born in asthma and he's got health coverage now. the republicans want to take it away. america loves a winner. people are going to see three or four months from now, the world has not fallen. the changes happening this year, next year, with the good, easy changes. and the boogeyman is not coming. >> donny, you're whistling past the graveyard, and i hope for the sake of conservatives that democrats and liberals continue whistling past the graveyard. you just said something that i must admit is one of the greatest spins i've ever heard in modern american politics. >> what is it? >> and please, everybody write this quote down. yeah, she's at 11% today. as if that's going to go up and

double. >> it is going to go up, joe. it is going to go up because what's going to happen -- >> let me finish. she was at 54%, 55% a summer ago. she's at 11% now. her approval ratings may go up in san francisco, in manhattan with a lot of your friends, but she just passed a bill that the majority of americans, first of all, don't know what's in it, but secondly, oppose. and for everything that you can say about this bill that is positive, i can find ten things that voters will find more negative. >> i could find ten things in the opposite direction. first of all -- >> no, you can't. >> the specific things in the bill a lot of people don't understand, americans are for. and what i'm saying is now through the end of the year, all of the republicans, all they can do now is no. america is tired of that. this is a bill that will be -- >> no, donny. they're not tired of that. >> yes, they are. you see it in the numbers, joe. i couldn't disagree with you

more. >> if you have somebody come into the boardroom of deutsche incorporated and you say, you know what? we're out of money. we've been growing this business too quickly. the market busted. our advertisers are in retreat. they go, i've got a great idea. we are going to extend deutsche incorporated's reach further than it's ever been extended. >> joe, i want to put some numbers out there. >> you would say they were crazy. >> i would say joe, in the year 2016, if our entire health care costs in this country are $3.7 trillion, the course of this bill in that year is $160 billion, basically a 4% of the overall bid to save 50,000 lives a year to entirely overhaul a system, i'd say that's not bad. i'd take that trade. >> you know, donny, we don't know what's going to happen in 2016. in fact, the cbo numbers were gamed, history will prove that. we will roll this tape a year from now and everybody will say what they've been saying about what barnicle and i have been saying for a year, that this

administration should have focused on jobs. >> i agree with that also, joe. that i agree on. >> thank god this is all on tape because just as i've been proven correct every day and mike barnicle has been proven correct every day over the past year, we will be proven correct a year from now. >> joe, i agree with you 1,000%. >> this is a reckless bill to pass. if you want to do the moral thing and extend health care coverage, fine. tell me how you pay for it in ways that aren't as destructive as this bill. >> joe, two points. number one, i agree with you, health care or not health care will not make a difference with jobs in november. that's number one. number two, how i'm going to pay for it, you want to put a 3.8% tax on my investment, somebody making 1 million bucks a year, cough up an extra $40,000 a year, i've got no problem with that. starting with output which is the biggest chunk of the tax right there, you know, it is a little bit of a redistribution of wealth, and that's okay. >> here's the problem, though. and i say this with all due respect to you. because unlike some democrats, i

love success. i love people that take their dad's business and make it even bigger and better, and employees, thousands and thousands of people, i'm dead serious. i love that that's the american dream. the problem is that this starts the tax at $200,000. imagine a family of five living in manhattan making $200,000 and being told -- this is when we're going to punish you -- if you make an investment that actually creates jobs, opportunity, economic growth in the form of a capitals gain tax, we're going to tax you. >> joe -- >> it's a washout. if you make a stupid investment, come on, donny, you have no idea what it's like living with $200,000 in manhattan with a family of five. >> manhattan, yes. that's a different number. and joe -- >> you have so much more money. why is it that the rich -- and

i'll count myself among that -- why is it that the rich always want to tell people that make $200,000 that they're rich and that what they can afford and what they can't afford? that's offensive to me. >> joe, what's offensive to me is 45,000 americans dying a year that they don't have to. and if everybody's got to put a little skin in the game, first of all, tax credits for small business right now. we know it's going to happen to the elderly and young people. this is all in their favor. right now if somebody came in right now and went around this table and you could save a life on that street but it's going to cost you 20 bucks, shame on somebody if they don't do it. it's going to hurt a little bit, but there are ways to pay for this. let's start with tort reform. let's start with taxing unhealthy -- you want to kill this thing right now? diabetes. we saw diabetes. we paid for this whole thing. let's start going after the food companies doing unhealthy things. there are solutions here. but to do nothing is a nonsolution. and history was made and god bless. >> donny, my son has diabetes.

and i pray for a cure for diabetes every night. but this belief -- and i don't know exactly where this belief comes from in modern america, but this belief that the federal government is the answer to every one of our problems, that this bill, this horrific bill that really showed the dark underside of washington and the buying off of special interests behind closed doors, the ramming of a bill through the house of representatives, not allowing any amendments on it, i mean, is that really how we come to this place? >> if you want to talk about making of the sausage, yeah, that's ugly, and that to me is the party of no. i want to talk about how sweet the sausage smells. and starting tomorrow, if my kid is born with asthma, he's got insurance. >> well, donny -- >> that's what i run on, and that feels pretty good to me as an american. >> i promise you i've been

hearing liberals for the past three days saying you know what? we're going to run on preexisting. we're going to run on this. we're going to run on that. you know, it sounds great in this all-or-nothing world, but i can tell you as somebody who has campaigned four times for congress, when i wasn't supposed to win, at least the first of those times, your opponent says, i'm for ending preexisting conditions. insurance companies, blah, blah, blah. i go, yeah, i am, too. what else you for? i think that insurance should -- i -- i -- i -- i'm for that, too. and now let's talk about how you voted for the largest tax increase ever. let's talk about how you paid off big pharma. >> the majority of the people, joe. you're burying the lead. >> the largest tax increase ever. lawrence o'donnell said it. $435 million. >> lawrence o'donnell said it was a triple play, the odds of this thing passing through and he said last week and said how will this go through? obviously there's no genius

there. >> these are numbers. i don't know if you've looked at the cbo scoring i have. i don't know if you've looked at the joint committee on taxation charts. i have. this is the largest tax increase ever. and if anybody believes the american people will reward a party that passes the largest tax increase ever at a time of 17% unemployment -- >> joe, those taxes -- you're comparing 70% -- >> -- you're dreaming. >> -- to kick in 12, 13, 14 and the richest americans. it's going to cost more money. i'm not happy about this. >> you're not going to feel this. that's the problem. you're not going to feel this. a lot of americans are. >> the average american will benefit from this, joe. that's where we agree to disagree, then. love you, buddy. >> love you, too. let's talk about tiger, mika. >> no, let's not. i actually like this conversation because for the first time you really could see both sides of it because joe, to an extent, the one thing that i think really came off in this

entire debate is it seems like republicans are being painted as people who don't want health care reform, who don't want people to have coverage. >> right. >> who don't want people with preexisting conditions to get -- that's not the case. >> no, it's not the case. here's the problem for the american left. and i say this to my democratic friends and my progressive friends in washington and manhattan who shape the news. you convince yourself of this every two to four years that the republican party is evil, that the right is evil. you paint them as being against health care reform. and then they go out on the campaign trail, and they go, yeah, i've got a grandma. i don't want medicare to go bankrupt. i'm just worried about how we pay for this. yes, i've got a son that has aspberger's or diabetes. i understand most americans, he needs medical care, and there are other families who deserve and need medical care. is this the best way to go?

so you set these republicans and conservatives up as two-dimensional cartoon characters. >> right. >> they go out on the campaign trail. they blow it up. and mike barnicle, it's like scott brown up in massachusetts. he's painted as a tea partier and some crazy right-wing kook. and you go, oh, wait. he's actually like my next-door neighbor. a lot more than that lady he's running against. >> yeah. that's actually true. and it's still true today about scott brown. but let me ask you, joe, having been on the ballot, all this talk we hear from the republicans, john boehner and newt gingrich, that they can't wait to run this fall against the democrats because they're going to be cleaned out of the house because of this vote on health care. but there's a little caveat in here that might be some unintended genius aspect to this bill. maybe they didn't think of it. but the tax bite on you, me, on everybody out there having breakfast this morning, doesn't come until 18, 24 months down

the road. but some of the benefits, your 14-year-old daughter being wheeled on a gurney down the hospital hallway can't be kicked off insurance. that's going to happen right away. your 23-year-old son who can't find a job with health insurance goes back on your family plan. that happens right away. how do you run against stuff like that saying we ought to repeal it? >> well, mike, we were talking yesterday about chris licht, and he's certainly not as well paid as mchltd ika, but none of us a. it's a joke. he went to his account and said i can't believe how much i'm paying in taxes. and his accountant said wait till you see what happens next year, and he said don't make any smart jechlt investments becauu do your capital gains taxes will spike up about 10 percentage points. i can run on that. i can run on all of this. it's a terrible bill. it went through the most horrific way. barack obama was campaigning for

changing washington's climate. washington -- and again, these are in the gallup numbers -- washington's more partisan than it's ever been. and barack obama basically, as glen greenwald on the left saying, bought off special interests. there's another side of that, though. and the problem is that this republican party in washington, d.c., right now, its leaders don't appear to stand for anything. newt gingrich at least said elect us, and this is what we're going to do. you can't beat something with nothing. and right now the republican party still has nothing. >> and americans are tired of that. they are tired. so a highly imperfect solution which i think we can all agree upon is this bill is certainly if i'm the average american, better than nothing. >> but there should be no one painting -- for example, someone like joe who is concerned, fundamentally concerned about this bill, as someone who doesn't want people to have access to health care which i

think -- >> nobody's suggesting that. no, no, no. i'm just suggesting that they're not putting an alternative on the people. i don't think any intelligence person will say republicans don't want to insure. that's never been my argument, let's put it that way. >> i'm just going to say as we go to break, though, republicans have offered alternatives. paul ryan has. i have. i've been talking about allowing americans to buy insurance across lines, ending the ridiculous, the absolutely ridiculous exemption, antitrust exemption that allows health insurance companies to price fix, tort reform. there are a lot of things -- >> i love tort reform. george w. bush was in office, i didn't see anything on the table. >> but nancy pelosi ruled every republican amendment out of order on saturday and sunday. so guess what? we didn't have the debate about tort reform. we didn't have the debate about buying health insurance across state lines in a meaningful way. we didn't have this debate, but

we will have it in november. and, again, i suspect that will be bad news for a lot of these democrats that stifled the debate this past weekend. coming up in just a few minutes, great conversation. former presidential candidate and new york city mayor rudy giuliani will be here in our studio. also, chuck todd has this morning's developing stories out of the white house. plus, online showdown. google boldly defies china over its tough stance on censorship. that story in a few minutes. first, bill karins with a check on the forecast. >> good morning, mika. we were concerned about heavy rain around boston, but so far, so good at logan. check ahead if you have flights there during the day. they're seeing really heavy rainfall, gusty winds. temperatures are down in the 40s. the forecast today, showers are still possible in areas like new york, but the heaviest rain is over with. neisser today in philly and d.c., getting up near 60. the heavy rain remains. the other big story today, another snowstorm in colorado. denver expecting six to ten inches. and that will probably cause some airport problems also.

the rest of the nation, you're looking just fine on this tuesday. you're watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks. [ male announcer ] looks clean, doesn't it? but look below the surface. your mouth is no different. brushing leaves teeth looking clean, but millions of plaque and gingivitis germs are left behind. a quick 30-second rinse with listerine® antiseptic cleans deeper. [ boom! ] its unique penetrating formula destroys germs [ boom! ] brushing leaves behind.

[ sighs ] [ male announcer ] ...for the deepest clean and the healthiest mouth. listerine®. clean deeper. get healthier.

nancy pelosi owns this service anyone else. and i think the fact that the way she's run the house, the way that a lot of the republican leadership was not a part in crafting this bill in the house, and certainly working with the senate leadership trying to get some things done, very difficult. she, i think, more than most, has a greater hand in what we saw passed the other night than anyone else. and the bottom line is, if you want to try to undo a lot of the damage that's being done or being planned to be done in this

bill, nancy pelosi's got to get fired. >> all right. welcome back to "morning joe." the sun's up over the white house. live look in washington for you. 22 past the hour. welcome back. with us now from the white house, nbc news chief white house correspondent and political director chuck todd. he is also cohost of "the daily rundown." chuck, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. >> the president signs this health care bill into law later today. when you look at nancy pelosi and harry reid's approval ratings being so low, one might ask, how are they able to get so much done, or perhaps what tactics did they use to get so much done with so little support? >> reporter: well, i'll say this. that's the first time we've heard some pragmatism out of the republican party lately. and in this case it's political pragmatism because the irony of what michael steele said about speaker pelosi is actually it was harry reid's senate bill that speaker pelosi passed in the house. she didn't get her bill.

she didn't get the one that she wanted to get. she got mostly whatever they could get through the senate in that respect. however, when you look at the landscape, there's a realistic shot that republicans can win the house. there's probably not yet a realistic shot that they can take over the senate. so make speaker pelosi your campaign, run on a check. i mean, as far as political pragmatism is concerned, it makes sense if they're going to make pelosi try to make this idea of running against her as a, quote, check on the president. >> do the american people get tired at some point -- here we have history made, probably the most important legislation in the last 40 years, and the republican response from the committee is fire the person that did it. i think americans don't want that tone, don't want that music. >> reporter: well, it's interesting you say that. what -- who -- this tone issue, how is the middle going to respond on the tone issue? we know on the tone issue this

does fire up the republican base. and the problem is there is a penalty to pay, donny, there's a penalty to pay in the republican party if you aren't seen as helping to stir the pot right now. i look at a guy like utah senator bob bennett, not exactly the world's most liberal republican. he made the audacious attempt of trying to come up with a bipartisan health care bill with ron wyden, and he has got six primary challengers, might not even make it on the primary ballot the way utah's rules were -- >> i'm talking the general election. >> reporter: -- and they're going after him simply because it's an easy scalp to get. they want to send a message to the party. so if you're another republican and you see bob bennett, this isn't a charlie crist or arlen specter situation. this is bob bennett, a guy who worked in the nixon administration. if you're saying that he can't get a pass from the conservative

grass roots, then you have to go on -- you can't publicly sort of go anywhere but where they're going. >> i want to go back, though. donny, you have said -- donny deutsche has said now for the past two blocks that this is what the american people want. the american people are tired of this. the american people are tired of that. i never assume to know what the american people want or what they're tired of, but i do look at polls. and a new cbs poll shows that what you're saying, donny, is just not correct. >> what's in the bill, but when you go item by item -- >> come on, man. >> no, jo, as this unfolds, you'll see they want what's in the bill. >> you're over the top, donny. look at these numbers. look at these numbers, donny. you are in the middle of a parade. you just got back from the lunar landing. the confetti is streaming down on your head, and there are thousands and thousands of young, attractive women screaming from windows, and you're drunk right now. the fact is, only 35% of americans think it is good

policy. >> joe -- >> only 11% of americans support nancy pelosi. >> joe -- >> only 8% of americans support harry reid. charlie cook with the cook political report says it looks like democrats could lose control of the house. >> joe -- >> donny, you can't cherry-pick what parts of this bill you like. >> joe, i can look -- >> because i can cherry-pick items that americans will hate. >> joe, here's the difference between today and tomorrow. i'll say it one more time. the fundamental tenet, the biggest essence of the american brand is we love winners. let's revisit this "a," 9d0 day from now, and "b," what america knew what they were getting, the polls swing in the opposite direction. >> so it's americans' ignorance. okay. >> i don't want to say it as crassly as that. >> no, you think it's americans -- >> no, once this unfolds and once we're in november and all that's happened between now and november is my kid can get

insurance and my taxes have not gone up. >> we'll continue this, donny, in a minute. let's go back to chuck. so does the white house understand, does the hill understand that now the real battle begins to shape this health care bill and try to sweep as many americans into the euphoric state that donny deutsche now finds himself in? >> reporter: well, i'll be honest, joe. i think this is a little bit of -- that both parties are in a box in this situation, right? because we know what the number one issue is. it's not health care. it's the economy. however, you go -- that cbs poll had another number that was very striking to me, and that was people that were saying that they were confused about the legislation, i think they asked, do you understand the legislation, or do you find it confusing, the group of voters that found it the most confusing, democrats. self-described democrats. it does go to this issue.

on one hand, the white house has no choice but to go out there and explain this bill better because they didn't sell it very well the first time. they got it passed but they didn't sell it. they lost the message war. okay. you look at polls that say okay, you've got to do that. you also say, well, everybody's worried about the economy. and do you really want to look like not only have you spent the last year focused on health care, you're going to spend the next six months on health care, too? and then that's the challenge for the republicans, right? on one hand, i think today the election were next month, they'd love to run against health care. but in six months, do they want to run against health care, or do they want to say hey, those guys haven't focused on the economy. let's show you our economic plan. i think it's a real challenge for both parties about how to strike that balance. >> all right. chuck todd, thanks very much. and obviously, you'll be covering the president's meeting with benjamin netanyahu today. >> reporter: i don't know. i can't because they won't let any tv cameras in. not a single second straight meeting. netanyahu's coming here. no camera.

they're not going to appear together. the president and our close ally, benjamin netanyahu, no photos. >> interesting. we'll follow that. keep asking. chuck todd, thanks very much. we'll see you on "the daily rundown" right after "morning joe." coming up, google makes a big move in china complicating u.s. reelinglations. and in our green room, rudy giuliani on deck. got a question about what he was doing on the top of a building in chicago. keep it right here on "morning joe." [ female announcer ] sometimes you need tomorrow to finish what you started today. for the aches and sleeplessness in between, there's new motrin pm. no other medicine, not even advil pm, is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. new motrin pm. is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. announcer: wherever the game takes you, transitions is your best playing partner.

transitions lenses adapt to changing light to help you stay comfortable and in the zone in all light conditions both on and off the course. kenny perry and trevor immelman have made transitions part of their game. transitions is proud to be the official eyewear of the pga tour and title sponsor of the transitions championship. [ wind howling ] [ male announcer ] it balances you... [ water crashing ]

[ male announcer ] ...it fills you with energy... and it gives you what you're looking for to live a more natural life, in a convenient two bar pack. this is nature valley... delicious granola bars made with 100% natural ingredients. nature valley. 100% natural, 100% delicious. and a kind of pressure behind my eyes. i'm wondering if you've ever been checked

for cortical spreading depression. [ doctor ] yeah. actually, he was. november 11, 2009. came back negative. march 23, 2007, a c.t. scan for nasal polyps -- also negative. july 1, 2006 -- advised to quit smoking. january 4... [ male announcer ] imagine a day when your medical history could be in one, secure place, easily accessed by your doctors who could collaborate more effectively and treat you better. thanks, guys. i got it from here. makes sense. can i have my pants back, actually? [ male announcer ] electronic medical records from ge. better health for more people. ♪ we love getting our outback dirty. because it seems like the dirtier it gets, the more it shines. the subaru outback®.

motor trend's 2010 sport/utility of the year®. hurry in to the subaru love spring event for great deals on all models. now through march 31st. he is tough. welcome back to "morning joe." it is just after 7:30 on the east coast. time for a quick look at some of today's top stories. the president will sign health care reform into law later this morning, but he is not done pushing the plan. he heads to iowa on thursday. part of a cross-country swing veered toward gaining support for the plan. and you can watch the president sign health care legislation into law today during a white house ceremony live at 11:15 eastern time right here on msnbc. the chinese government is slamming google for its decision to shut down its website there and instead redirect users to a search engine in hong kong. the move comes just two months

after the search giant threatened to leave the country entirely over a dispute about hacker attacks. google's decision ends a nearly four-year effort to help bring more information to chinese citizens and loosen controls on the internet. a.c.o.r.n. is shutting down due to financial difficulties. it comes six months after a.c.o.r.n. employees were videotaped giving tax tips to conservative activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute. shortly after that scandal, congress voted to cut off all grants to the organization. that's a quick look at the news. we'll be right back with rudy giuliani next on "morning joe." ) we believe in giving every investor a lot more for a lot less.

tdd# 1-800-345-2550 that's why, at schwab, tdd# 1-800-345-2550 every online equity trade is now $8.95 tdd# 1-800-345-2550 no matter your account balance, how often you trade tdd# 1-800-345-2550 or how many shares... tdd# 1-800-345-2550 you pay what they pay what everyone pays: $8.95. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 and you still get all the help tdd# 1-800-345-2550 and support you expect from schwab tdd# 1-800-345-2550 millions of investors. one price. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 at charles schwab... tdd# 1-800-345-2550 investors rule. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 are you ready to rule?

mom: mom, anybody? momhey...where's grandma?o? grandma: here! mom: how'd you fit in there? woman vo: manage your weight at unbeatable prices. woman vo: healthy living costs less at walmart. vo: save money. live better. walmart. (announcer) not just sinus headache... ahhhh! but pressure... and congestion. introducing sudafed pe® triple action™. for more complete relief from the sinus triple threat. sudafed pe® triple action™.

everything we passed tended to have big bipart sisan majorities. we had democrats vote with us on a balanced budget. we had a liberal democratic president to sign a balanced budget. this is a ruthlessly chicago machine kind of approach that is, i think, fundamentally wrong and fundamentally against the american tradition. >> all right. that was newt gingrich now. i guess apparently he was approached at the airport and had to give an answer on this. joe, from atlanta. >> yeah, i'm not in morocco. >> not in morocco. former mayor and republican candidate for president rudy giuliani with us joining the conversation. first, your thought on newt's comments.

>> well, he's right. you know, it's so interesting how the media constantly painted newt's contract with america as some right-wing ploy when you looked at about half the democratic caucus supported all of those provisions, there were things like the balanced budget act. we did do welfare reform, tax cuts, did term limits, went after term limits, tried to do a lot of good things. and a lot of democrats supported us on. i can't recall a bill that passed like this. again, it is -- and you will never hear this in the media because the media has a narrative. they love health care reform. as lawrence o'donnell says, they've been cheering for health care reform and this president for quite some time, as lawrence o'donnell says. and you will not hear the fact that this is one of the most harshly partisan processes in modern american history. certainly on the domestic bill, it was, and it's why it passed. and if democrats want to run congress that way, that's fine.

but what comes around goes around. >> well, let me ask the mayor about this because you said on cnbc yesterday that the health care bill has an ideological commitment to government takeover of medicine. of course, gingrich using the word "ruthless." is this constructive criticism politically speaking given the way republicans are being painted in this conversation? why? >> actually, i see it as part of an overall movement by this president that moves in the direction of much larger government intrusion in your life. after all, he took over the automobile companies, right? he took over the financial institutions. he's telling them how much to pay. he wants to move on from here to take over energy. the reality is that most democrats were not satisfied with this bill because it didn't go far enough. most democrats wanted more government takeover. this was a compromise with it. and as many of them said, a step in that direction. so i'm just quoting what they say. they would like to have single

payer. thee like to have the government be a single payer. there's a big contingent that's pushing for that. if teddy kennedy had it his way. that comes from their own words. >> mr. mayor, this tune of big government taking over the world, taking over the car companies, they saved the car companies. they saved hundreds of thousands of jobs. they are regulating these financial institutions that were on the brink of going away. i don't see that as big government. i think that as government doing what they're supposed to do for the american people. >> they took cover the car companies for the benefit of the union. >> he doesn't have a deal with car companies. >> wait, taking over the car companies was a crass political deal. >> there would be no general motors. everybody else who is working at general motors. >> who knows if there would be or there wouldn't be a general motors. the reality is, they did it to save the unions. the same thing they did with this health care bill. here you have the cadillac

insurance plans. which, by the way, you know, now is government motors, cadillac. the cadillac insurance plans were going to be taxed. that's how you were going to pay for this. unions come in, yell at obama, obama caves. they're going to be taxed in 2018. now, that's a joke. a tax passed now -- a tax which makes the whole bill a joke. the tax is put off until 2018. the mandate is put off until 2013 when the president goes out of office. and this was sold to us as a crisis. people are dying because of the lack of health care. they're not going to get it for four years to eight years. >> mike barnicle? >> i have a question for you and for joe. both of you have been on the ballot. both of you sit here. joe sits here every day, except when he's in atlanta. and i hear you talking about, you know, what you would have done. i hear you talking about cost containment. i nod my head and say yeah, that's pretty good. i hear joe talking about selling insurance across state lines. i hear joe talking about

increase in tort reform legislation. i agree with that. i nod my head. so my question to both of you, as republicans, is the leadership, the republican leadership in cawashington so inept that you couldn't sell these messages? >> here's what you have to do. you just laid out how republicans should run the campaign when we get a month, two months out of this, not repeal health care. but give us a chance to put forward our version of how to reform health care, which we will only be able to do if you give us control of one house. i think it would be the house of representatives. then a republican majority in the house of representatives, much like newt gingrich wanted with the contract with america, do it differently now, could pass tort reform. they could pass interstate purchase of health insurance. they could pass a $15,000 tax deduction so you could go out and buy your own health insurance. they could pass the things that would be positive reductions in expenses. and then -- let me finish. then they could present that to

either a democratic senate or republican senate. and let's see how the democrats will vote on these areas that they have snuffed out of the debate. those republican ideas were taken off the table because either the unions don't like them or the democratic special interests don't. i mean, the trial lawyers would never let obama agree with tort reform. much like the purchase of general motors was to aid the unions that supported them. >> all right, joe. jump in. >> well, you could have gone on any number of republican websites over the past six months. and you would have heard them saying the same thing that i've been saying about the need for buying health insurance across state lines, ending the antitrust exemption for big insurance companies, ending the price fixing between insurance companies. tort reform, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. but the bottom line is that nancy pelosi did not want these issues debated on the house floor. republicans had 60 some -- are

telling me now this morning they had 80 amendments that were all ruled out of order because nancy pelosi didn't want these issues that we've talked about this morning debated on the house floor. now, i will say, i will give past democratic congresses credit. the reason i decided to get involved in politics is back during that 1993 debate on bill clinton's tax increase, i saw john casic, a republican, and tim penny, a democrat from minnesota, putting their plan on the house floor. and i sat and watched for several hours. i thought, my god. this is american democracy. i want to be a part of it. well, nancy pelosi didn't allow that. so i can't, this morning, i'm always harshly critical of the republican party in washington, d.c., but this morning, mike, i can't blame them for not getting their ideas out there because first of all, the president has a huge bully pulpit. and secondly, nancy pelosi ruled every single republican amendment out of order.

so we didn't hear about tort reform. we didn't hear about buying insurance across state lines. we didn't hear about any of these policies that the mayor's talking about that would have been extremely popular with american people but not popular with trial lawyers and big unions. >> so mr. mayor, political strategy looking ahead. looking ahead to people that you want to support in the next election. who will this hurt in 2010? >> well, i think george was correct. it's really going to depend on who can get off this message and go to the positive message. and the positive message for republicans has to be not repeal health care reform but give us a chance to finally put on the table the things that we've always wanted. give us a chance to reform health care. give the president a chance to react to it. nancy pelosi snuffed out our ideas of tort reform, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. if we get control of this congress, we will pass those reforms. we promise you. and the democrats will have to react to it. >> republicans health care and say where are the jobs? where are the jobs? where are the jobs?

he's been looking at health care. so i wouldn't even be fighting the fight against health care. >> you stop fighting the health care fight when the polls tell you to stop fighting it. and they may say that six months from now. >> the pocketbooks. >> this is going to be their pocketbooks. the american people understand the deficit. they understand that we are moving this -- this whole thing of putting this off till 2018, to make our children pay for it, this is a terrible thing that the president has done. i never remember a piece of legislation where the cost of it was spread out into the next generation this dramatically. i mean, we are saying, we can't solve this problem. let our children solve it. let them pay for it. >> that does worry me. >> we keep coming back to these numbers, $3.7 trillion in 2016, $160 billion. >> joe, the bill -- the numbers in the bill are a joke. the cbo should be ashamed of itself. >> you want to go to break, mika? >> thank you very much. and by the way, the union league

club will never be the same. you and karl rove, caught smoking, caught smoking. >> karl didn't have a cigar. only me. >> karl didn't? okay. >> i'm a stand-up guy. it was only me. >> it's a great place. great to see you. willie? where is willie? >> well, mika -- >> what do you have coming up next? >> we know he's an american hero. we know he can walk on the moon, but can buzz aldrin do the cha-cha? that's the important question this morning. we'll let you decide when we come right back. hey!

increase in 6 months. pete, back it up! ( marker squeaking ) when business travel leaves you drained, re-charge with comfort suites. spacious rooms, free hi-speed internet, and free hot breakfast. comfort suites. power up. now stay two separate times with comfort suites... or any choice hotel and earn a free night. book at choicehotels.com. or any choice hotel and earn a free night. [ birds screech ]

[ loud rumbling ] [ rifle fires ] [ announcer ] if you think about it, this is what makes theladders different... from other job search sites. we only want the big jobs. join theladders.com. a premium job site for only $100k+ jobs... and only $100k+ talent. can your moisturizer do that? dermatologist recommended aveeno has an oat formula... now proven to build a moisture reserve... so skin can replenish itself. that's healthy skin for life. save at aveeno.com. as having to decide to go for it? at the hartford, we help businesses of all kinds... feel confident doing what they do best. by protecting your business, your property, your people. you've counted on us for 200 years.

let's embrace tomorrow. and with the hartford behind you, achieve what's ahead of you. ♪ well, the tiguan's great. mm. and the routan has everything we're looking for. plus, every volkswagen includes no-charge, scheduled, care-free maintenance. so, what's this punchdub days about? you know, where you punch someone in the arm every time you see a volkswagen. red one! [ baby crying ] test drive?

[ male announcer ] with great deals on all 13 models, it's a whole new volkswagen. and a whole new game. ♪ oh, just come snuggle with momma! missing something? now at sears optical, get 2 pairs of glasses for $99.99. with bifocals just $25 more per pair. sears optical. don't miss a thing. i think we saw a little of zabar's there, a great place, whatever you want. >> they like you. >> 8 0th and broadway. buzz aldrin, we all respect him. do you respect him more or less

after what you saw on "dancing with the stars"? let's watch. ♪ you bet and let it go ♪ ♪ straight to my lovers yeah ♪ [ applause ] >> that's your second plan on the moon right there doing the cha-cha. >> it was like he was walking on the moon all over again. >> that's why i turned it down. >> you were asked? >> just the outfit. >> you didn't want to wear the tight satin pants? >> i didn't want to have to -- >> did he get that from nasa? >> the -- >> the outfit. >> the pants. >> i've been there with a friend and there's a lot of spray tanning and polyester. >> wasn't there a behind the scenes -- >> it was ugly, too. >> what else? >> we want to show you from the speech that the president made two nights ago. >> this is good. >> hailing the passage of the bill. watch this. >> after nearly 100 years of

talk and frustration, tonight -- >> tough night for that guy, walked out during a major presidential speech. hit the wrong door, happens, what are you going to do -- this is for you, mika. your girls are into there justin beaver character. my primary concern is with his hair and the fact that he was hitting on our friend, barbara walters, on "the view." watch this. >> i heard that you have a crush on beyonce but she's taken. what kind of girl are you into? >> you know, i'm into -- you know, people that, you know, like barbara walters. >> okay. [ applause ] >> 16. he's 16. >> and i've been on there, i think she's so hot. i have a crush on barbara walters. there's something very sexy aboutler. >> yeah. >> she's so sexy. >> she's elegant. fabulous. her last special -- [ advisor 1 ] i have clients say it's really hard to save for the future

and they've come to a point where it's overwhelming. [ advisor 2 ] oh gee, i'm scared to tell you i've got this amount of credit card debt or i've got a 15-year-old and we never got around to saving for their college. that's when i go to work. we talk, we start planning. we can fix this. i know we can do it. when clients walk out of my office they feel confident about their retirement. [ male announcer ] visit ameriprise.com and put a confident retirement more within reach. rheumatoid arthritis going?

they're discovering the first self-injectable ra medicine you take just once a month. it's simponi™, and taken with methotrexate, it helps relieve the pain, stiffness, and swelling of ra with one dose a month. visit 4simponi.com to see if you qualify for a full year of cost support. simponi™ can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious and sometimes fatal events can occur, such as infections, cancer in children and adults, heart failure, nervous system disorders, liver or blood problems, and allergic reactions. before starting simponi™, your doctor should test you for tb and assess your risk of infections, including fungal infections and hepatitis b. ask your doctor if you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, or develop symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start simponi™ if you have an infection. [ female announcer ] ask your rheumatologist about simponi™. just one dose, once a month.

the important thing is today kids with pre-existing conditions and their families will have the assurance of knowing that they can get coverage. small businesses all over this country will get this year tax credits, 35%, for health care so they can give health coverage to their employees. lifetime caps will come off insurance so that if you get seriously ill you won't go bankrupt, you can't be thrown off your insurance if you get seriously ill. these are fundamental fundamentals that are going to improve -- fundamental things that are going to improve the

lives of the american people. >> you can throw up this argument that the left is starting to do, saying there are all these great things that the republicans want to do, repeal the bill, they're taking something away from you. first off, you haven't gotten anything yet, that's the first thing. you're not going to really get the impacts this bill for four years in term of the actual vision. welcome back to "morning joe," top of the hour just about. i'm mika brzezinski in new york, joe is here and joining us in studio is lawrence o'donnell. >> look, he's just crazy. i love this guy. >> i know. almost sinister and crazy at the same time as well as delightful. and delicious. and from washington -- >> stop that. >> i can't help myself, lawrence. >> back to delicious -- >> yes, you are delicious. >> we're in no hurry to move on. >> are you delicious. >> oh, my gosh. >> i don't think he's delicious. wait a second. i would like to go back to a week ago, he and i were here, i

guaranteed health care would come on. mr. o'donnell smugly came on afterwards and said you don't have the luxury of the knowledge i have, and the odds of it going through a triple play, here we are again. >> and we saw a triple play. i've never said that this won't pass. what i've always said at every stage is i can't bet on it passing, okay. and so -- and to give these people credit, they have done an extraordinary thing. they passed it by a hair in the house on procedures never used before to pass these things. but mika has a job to do, and she's waving me off. >> i'm saying you hold on to that delicious because -- >> is that my name new? >> it is, it is. especially when you completely lose it and your eyes go crazy, it's a delicious moment on television. >> i'll call him the d-man. >> the d-man. from washington, associate editor and pulitzer-prize winning columnist for the washington -- >> adorable? i like that. that's good. i was going to hold out for

scrumptious, but adorable. >> okay. that's pretty good. >> okay. so let me start with you, lawrence o'donnell or should i say captain delicious and the admirable cowboy, captain delicious, i want to put up for you something that glen greenwald wrote on salon.com, glen is a progressive, like you, who is -- is just irritating enough to speak truth to power and tell the truth. >> i have it here if you need it. >> this is what glen rights on salon, obama neutralized industry special interests by "bribing and accommodating them to such an extreme degree that they ended up firmtively supporting a bill that lavishes them with massive benefits." and this morning we had chris hayes with "the nation" on admitting that nancy pelosi was lying when she said that democrats stood up to health care companies and to big pharma

and special interests. this is what matthew iglesias said, "special interest groups were able to get 85% of what they wanted in exchange." yglesias says, "for absolutely nothing." do you agree, lawrence? >> no, i do not agree. i think there's a lot of over simplification in that. was there a lot of business as usual in this legislation? yes, there was. there is always business as usual in the legislation. if you want purt, you're going to have to look to some other system. i don't think there's any, you know, giant sellout element in it. i think that they were trying to find exactly how they could pass this bill, and they -- if you take out one step they made at any point in the last year, i think this thing crashes. i'm not -- i can't come on here and say they shouldn't have made the deal with pharma. they passed the bill. you cannot argue with the fact that they got to the end zone, no one else ever has. i believe that this white house,

the president, ram emanual -- ram emanual, everyone performed throughout. whenever anyone said they were making a mistake, turn out they were wrong. these people were not making a mistake. these people executed perfectly. no one else ever has. >> so the end justifies the means. if it took buying up big pharma -- >> stop it. >> fine. >> this is silly talk. you were in the congress. you never voted on a pure bill ever. >> if it took buying off trial lawyers -- >> every bill you voted for had deals in it. every bill you voted for had deals in it. stop it, joe. this is childish. >> a litany, i've just begun. >> it's beneath you. >> if it means giving health care insurance industries -- >> it's the children's hour here -- >> what they dream of, and that is -- that is a mandate that forces americans to buy their product and if they don't buy their product the full force of

federal power -- >> no, they don't. you know what the penalty is for not, the penalty for not paying your tax on the individual mandate is nothing. there is no penalty. >> this is a boon. there is a penalty. >> there isn't, they took it out. >> good lord. >> this a boon. then i need to go back, the joint committee on taxation needs to go back and amend what they put out yesterday. this, lawrence, is a boon to help the health insurance industry. >> i don't think it is. i think the health insurance industry opposed it with all the energy they've ever brought to this. >> that's a lie. lauren, that is a lie. they did not. >> i saw it on tv. i saw the head of the insurance group on tv every day, opposing it. >> they didn't. >> all the way. as soon as they -- as soon as they didn't get their way in the senate with harry reid, they oppose this thing every single step along the way. >> they didn't. >> okay. i want -- >> that's just not the truth. >> let's get gene in here,

scrumptious. >> you can't just say things -- i guess you can if you want to. >> gene, a glorious day for democra democracy, right? >> pretty good day, right? sunday was an amazing day. and as lawrence said, they got it through, nobody else could get it through. did they -- you know, make deals with bib pharma -- with big pharma and the insurance companies, yes, they did, that's probably the way you have to get a health reform bill passed. it doesn't happen -- >> gene, weren't you critical of parts of the process here that were disappointing? is that just all okay now? >> well -- >> yes. >> yeah? >> it all -- it all produced a result that is a positive result. i didn't think the process was ever going to be pretty. it was uglier than a lot of people even expected, but in the end, i think a very significant step was taken with this health care legislation. that's a significant step in the

evolution in the life of this country. and i think it's -- i think it was an amazing day. >> joe, i think you are beating the drum that the republicans are going to beat, and it's the wrong drum. nobody wants to hear about the process at this point. to lauren's point, they're in the -- lawrence's point, they're in the end zone. the guys in the cheap seats going, how did you get there? they don't hear about the process. >> they ran the wrong way. this happened with the vikings back in the 1960s. >> the vikings? >> the guy they were trying to -- >> the vikings? >> it was like i'm scoring a touchdown, i'm scoring a touchdown -- they're like, dude, you're in the wrong end zone. and he crumped up on the ground. >> dude, health care for 35 -- >> you're arguing about an interference call back at the 45 yard line. >> no. no. >> what you're arguing about -- >> did you see the poll -- >> no, hold on. i'm going to put up a cbs poll and you tell me what end zone they're in. this is the number of americans who actually support what nancy

pelosi passed the other day on this amazing day. this transformative day, this touchdown of touchdown days. how many americans think it's good policy? 35%. okay. >> joe, i'll say it again. look at polls tomorrow and not yesterday. once again, the elements in the bill americans support, and once again, america loves a winner, my friend, if you're running for office and you did it successfully, i think today you'd have a problem because you're looking at today and yesterday versus tomorrow. >> yeah, that is my problem. i am -- i'm insulated and don't know how to win elections. >> i preface that you do. if are you going to keep pointing at that poll you'd have a problem. >> i'll be pointing to polls that say the same thing in a couple of months from now. >> we'll see. >> let me ask lawrence o'donnell, do you since you now think this is a grand and glorious bill and the people t white house are the smartest people that ever lived --

>> joe, joe's not allowed to say "lawrence o'donnell says," because half the time i hear that when i'm getting up in the morning, i think i didn't say that. >> you say everything. i might have said something sort of like that. >> this is the most glorious bill ever -- >> what? >> you said the white house are the smartest people ever on the face of the earth. that changed quickly. >> yeah, i do. >> so -- >> wait a minute. wait a minute. you can go through all the tape of the last year. i am the one person who never once criticized the way the white house was handling this. i never said i have a better idea of how to handle it. every other pundit in america gave the white house advice every week. they were all telling the president when he wasn't giving enough speeches or when he should have done this or should have done that. i never did that. i never said rahm emanuel should be doing something different. they have proven themselves to be the only people who have ever been able to figure out how to do it.

and if they pass the thing by 40 votes, joe, then you could actually say maybe they made some mistakes. the fact of the matter is when you pass it by a hair that's the best you could possibly have done. >> fair enough. >> exactly. exactly. >> now if i could actually ask you the question, lawrence -- thank you very much. >> okay. >> do you agree with donnie and others that actually there will not be hell to pay at the polls this fall for democrats? is this a net plus for democrats running in the southeast, the southwest, the midwest, who are in dangerous districts? >> you know, i've never been sitting here saying this is what's going to happen in november. i've always been -- i was always wary of the argument, you know, months ago, they're better off passing something than not passing something. i couldn't see the evidence in the polls that could tell you which one of those choices were better. i hate to phrase it this way because i don't think this means a thing. what i'm about to say. but my sense of it right now, just sort of feeling the air out there, beyond just reading the polls, is that things are

turning slightly better for the democrats. but i want to see polling evidence. i agree, i want to see tomorrow's polling evidence. which is to say i want to see it 90 days from now. as i've said all along, all sorts of things can happen in afghanistan and iraq that completely change the way we look at the situation. >> eugene robinson, you questioned tactics, you were disappointed along the way. you were overall fairly positive about the health care bill. what about the deafed costs? what -- deferred costs? >> what about the deferred payments on this? is that really going to work out? we are going to end up paying for this, or what's going to -- go ahead. >> you know, the reform is going to over time i suspect be reformed. and fine-tuned and tinkered with. i think this is more the start of a process unfortunately than the end of it. this isn't the be all, end all. there's some who think we won't revisit health care for a

generation. i think we'll have to revisit health care because of some of those out-year costs. my bottom line all along has been that the greatest, richest nation in the world couldn't provide health care for 50 million of its citizens, that that was an outrage. that had always been an outrage and that had to be -- that had to be fixed. that we'd be a better nation when we decided that we wouldn't force families to go bankrupt because of illness or losing a job and losing health insurance. and i think we have -- i think that principle has been established, and i think now we're going to work with it. and i don't think this talk, well, let's repeal it -- fine, good luck with that. that's not going to happen.

>> right. >> i don't believe the republicans are, a, going to say, well, we're going to take away the right to keep your kid on your insurance policy, we're going to take away the right not to be kicked off your insurance because you're sick and by the way somehow we're going to coerce president obama into signing it. >> gene, let me ask joe about that because the republican effort to repeal it, also this very, i think, effective narrative whether it's based on reality or not. that the republican party is the party of no. and they wanted to say no to health care reform. how do they work with that in the next election toward 2010? that has been built quite well. >> i will tell you if i were a republican campaigning against a democrat that voted for this bill and voted for the rules package, i would get a stack of the 60 bills at a debate that republicans tried to put on the amendments to this bill, whether it's torte reform or making sure that there wasn't a payoff to big pharma or -- and i would stack it up on top of my poet yum, when they -- podium, and

when they said party of no, i would say, actually, you're the one that voted no, i wanted to debate tort reform. here's the debate that you debated out of order. i would keep saying it and say you didn't want a real debate. you wanted to call us the party of no. yet, you were the ones that stifled debate. as lawrence o'donnell says -- sorry, lawrence -- the house of representatives is not a democracy, it is a communist state where the republicans run it -- >> a institution -- >> you have 30 seconds. joe -- >> that's what lawrence o'donnell says -- >> a soviet institution -- >> exactly. yeah -- >> what you said is great if you're giving a speech. if you got to get that in a 30-second message -- >> i don't have to. that's what you don't understand. >> you have to. you do. if i'm a democrat -- >> no, you don't understand what you're talking about, with all due respect. >> that's what you're talking about. i do advertising and marketing for a living. the message you said is not a

sound bite, 30-second message. >> let me explain to you, donnie deutsche -- >> yes, joe scarborough -- >> to be nice, i fell off the set before. i literally stumbled off the set. >> i've never seen anything like it -- >> whether you or a member of your family have been injured, you may be entitled to a big settlement reward. that's not where campaigns are won or lost. i know that the media has a huge filter. but whether you're running in a congressional district in central virginia or south carolina johagainst john spratt you have wonderful opportunities to one kiwanis club after another, one rotary club after another. you have the debates that pbs usually runs, that i saw firsthand swayed opinion, i -- nobody knew who i was, that's how i get my momentum. you have -- you don't have to tell the story in a sound bite.

you tell it every day on the campaign, and the democrats -- i just believe. i could be wrong. but my good friend lawrence o'donnell says they're in big trouble. >> it's too bad that joe's in atlanta. it looks like he's in this little loser's box. >> oh! lawrence! >> joe, you're very angry today. you're very angry today. >> it's too bad. >> i'm very happy. let me just say, as -- no, this was actually paul simon. and i really believe this, not the singer, the senator. i say it all the time, and just watch, children, just watch. in politics sometimes when you win, you lose. and sometimes when you lose you win. >> like the vikings. >> i think this is a big win for true conservatives in their campaign against southern democrats that are in districts that mccain and bush won. and there are a lot of them this year. >> all right. save this tape for many reasons.

coming up next, an exclusive first look inside the politico playbook including the republican strategy for the mid-terms. and the tough choices facing vulnerable democrats in the near future. also, wall street reacts to the health care bill with signs of strength. will new housing numbers this morning stall the rally? first a check on the forecast. bill? how come no one ever describes barnacle as delicious? that's the question. oh, well. this morning's forecast, rainy and wet especially up around boston. surprisingly enough they must have amazing runways and crews in logan because they never have delays. right now they're not reporting any, despite getting an inch of rain just this morning alone. all of the big airports are doing okay. showers new york city southward this afternoon. overall it should be about 95% of the day will be dry. temperatures near 60. the other problem area, denver, going to see the second snowstorm in one week. we're expecting six inch of snow at least in denver in the next 24 hours. [ male announcer ] mix it.

blend it. sprinkle it. sweet! [ male announcer ] grilled. filled. chilled. sweet! [ female announcer ] just about anywhere you use sugar you can use splenda® no calorie sweetener. more ways than you ever imagined. [ male announcer ] flakes. shakes. cakes. sweet! [ female announcer ] splenda® starts with sugar. tastes like sugar. but it's not sugar. it's... [ male announcer ] savory. crunchy. yummy. sweet! [ female announcer ] splenda®. america's favorite no calorie sweetener.

chances are your soil is like this: compacted, drained of nutrients. it'll hold your plants but it'll also hold 'em back. the solution: miracle-gro garden soil. the perfect mix of rich, organic ingredients, and miracle-gro plant food. just mix it in. and turn bad soil into great soil. helps plants grow twice as big. instead of holding 'em back, they'll leap ahead. miracle-gro garden soil. and moisture control garden soil.

tiger woods, he's a buddhist. he says he lost his way when he drifted from buddhism which is the religion he grew up. now he's -- i guess if his

jewelview any indication it would indicate he has reconnected with buddhism. >> i notice you're wearing a bracelet k. we see it? what does it mean? >> it's buddhist for protect and strength. >> will you be wearing it? >> absolutely. >> for the rest of your -- >> absolutely. >> oh, man. okay, 21 past the hour. time to look at the morning papers. we'll start with the "washington post." senate panel passes financial regulation bill. the senate banking committee voted to transform the financial markets to send another piece of far-reaching legislation to the full senate. joe? "wall street journal," google has stopped sensoring its news services in china by redirecting viewers to a less restricted version of google hosted in hong kong. the "journal" calls it a risky and dramatic acts of defiance that could prove a pivotal moment in the history of u.s. companies' efforts to do business in china.

"miami herald," two presidents tour the earthquake damage and vow to kickstart the nation's tattered economy. "houston chronicle," texas vows to fight over health care. officials planning to join at least eight other states in filing a constitutional challenge to the new health care legislation. the texas attorney general says that once signed into law it will violate state sovereignty and individual rights. all right. here with us, editor-in-chief of "politico," john harris here with the morning playbook. john -- >> good morning. >> i take it -- mike allen sat down with representative paul ryan who says that republicans are threatening to repeal the health care bill. let's take a look. >> obviously we're not for keeping this law. but i say we should repeal it and replace it with reform. but not just to go back to the status quo that we knew yesterday. that wasn't sustainable either. we've been saying all along we want to fix what's broken in health care. >> okay. is the effort at this point a little bit moot or should key

democratic strategists be afraid? >> well, i don't think it's politically moot at all. i think we're in this very, very critical phase n.o.w. that the bill is about to -- phase now now that the bill is about to become law. it's important to define it because most people are not going to be seeing either the tangible benefits or tangible defects in their own life. it's very much a battle of perceptions. if you look at what paul ryan said, i thought there was an interesting nuance. he's saying repeal but replace with reform. and in the republican party, there's a sort of two camps. there's people who say hell no to this bill, and they're going to fight it every step of the way with every weapon possible. and there's people who are saying no but. and ryan seems to be clearly in this camp. he does not seem to think that it's a good, substantive position or good political position to be saying, look, we just want to go back to the way things -- the way things were. >> huh. we saw conservative activists at work over the weekend, trying to fight this whole thing. some say that their overzealous

efforts may have hurt the republicans. how does the gop fight the bill without alienating moderates? >> it's a tricky balance and maintaining that delicate balance isn't the ease yeftd thing when you've got the activists who feel strongly about this. as we saw over the weekend aren't always the most temperate or nuanced in their own comments. there's clearly a number of republicans at the state level, the attorneys general, many of the republican attorneys general say they're going to fight this on constitutional grounds. this week in the senate they're going to try to take one last stab at that -- fouling it up on procedural grounds, the so-called reconciliation bill to fix some of the problems in the bill, obama's going to sign today. but basically i think it's a matter of perceptions and the -- the larger public framing of the argument. >> yeah. or they could hire lawrence o'donnell. >> not available. not available. they're not going to have any success, any significant success with the parliamentarian. the parliamentarian actually

ruled last night that their big challenge, the republicans' first big challenge that they've publicized over the weekend that they were going to do, the parliamentarian has ruled in favor of the democrats on that. he had a making with republican and democratic staff yesterday. i talked to some of the people who were in that room, and it looked like it was leaning toward the democrats, and then later that night as i was talking to one of them, he got an e-mail from the parliamentarian saying they ruled in favor of the democrats. so the big threat the republicans had, using a social security 310-g challenge, point of order, to knock out the bill, that's completely dead as i kind of predicted it would be when i read their challenge on sunday. it was intended primarily to scare the house members before they vote that there was a possibility that the republicans could kill it in the senate. >> mike? >> that sounds like the latest attempt by chrysler to replane profitable, introducing -- remain profitable, introducing the 310-g challenge. >> section 310-g of the budget act. when you look, it's clear this was not a violation.

>> the funny thing is we sit here -- i keep reminding myself that america isn't talk radio, it's not 24-hour cable, it's people looking to their paychecks. and by the time october rolls around, the health care debate, the parliamentary process, people are going to be say, huh, my house is still worth less than my mortgage and i'm losing my job. >> that's something we have been talking about throughout this entire debate. whether or not we have lost time. politico's john harris, thank you very much. >> see you soon. coming up, drug and hospital stocks led the markets higher yesterday. see what is in store today with cnbc's erin burnett. national car rental knows i'm picky.

so, at national, i go right past the counter... and you get to choose any car in the aisle. choose any car? you cannot be serious! okay. seriously, you choose. go national. go like a pro. let's wind 'em with precision. open our throttle to even more selection.

and turn that savings swagger up full tilt. ♪ so when the time comes to bust open a can of doing... we've got all the tools for all the things we need to make 'em happen. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. right now, get miracle gro garden soil for flowers and vegetables for just $3.97. you need listerine® whitening® vibrant white™ rinse. the mouthwash that gets teeth four times whiter

than the leading toothpaste. and kills bad breath germs. listerine® whitening vibrant white™. and kills bad breath germs. i'm george duran and i'm on the hunt's crash kitchen tour. today we're cooking, the men are washing. nice! ah! these tomatoes, they're bye bye. hunt's flash steams their tomatoes and that keeps in that backyard garden fresh taste. guys, dishes. isn't it time to take a fresh look at your tomatoes?

welcome back to "morning joe." a live shot of new york city. somewhere in new york. erin burnett, international superstar, who graces us with her presence every day. erin, the "wall street journal," let's get off health care for a second. >> yep. >> the "wall street journal" headline, "google defies china on web." that's huge. what does that mean? >> this is an interesting one. for google, i'm going to be

honest with all of you, it doesn't mean very much. google's been struggling in china. they've been unable to do very well. the company gets about 1 opinion 5% of its -- 1.5% of its revenue from china. 1.5%. it is incredibly small for google. not for lack of trying. they have just struggled mightily to get a foothold there. here in the united states the leader is their chinese competitor. google sort of as all of this was giving up. now obviously the growth in china is where the future is for google. pulling out is not insignificant as far as the future goes, but in terms wherever they are now, they were putting in money, they weren't getting anywhere, it might have been easier for them to pull out. that's google specifically. for companies overall, you know, yesterday there were executives at rio tinto, the mining company, that pled guilty to bribery charges in china. the war of words has turned into more than that between u.s. companies and other western

companies and china. one of the biggest issues as you all know is that when you operate in china as a u.s. company, it's hard to do it. as an insurance company you've got to get approvals in each individual city. if you're a car company you have to have a joint venture with a chinese car company. and as part of that you have to share all of your secrets, your trade secrets. and that's just the way they've operated in china. the market's so big that they've been able to secure those terms. so now there is more of a fight, the state department commented on the google situation, but the reality of it is is that china has the upperhand. they have the people, they have the money, and they have made the rules. >> quickly, what are the markets looking at? >> the markets are going to look at a slightly lower open. remember, yesterday we had the lower open on health care and stocks ended up going higher. s&p index up slightly, overall the market was up slightly. there's a lot of optimism out there. a couple of quick headlines as we go to break. california, the state in crisis. there's more demand than there

was supply for california to borrow money. so investors are scooping up risk left and right. that's one example. >> really? >> people are feeling better. >> very good. >> except for people at google. >> exactly. who basically are beating their chests saying "we're fighting censorship" when you're telling us they're just not doing well there. what are you going to do? >> you know? >> international superstar erin burnett, thank you very much, as always. mika, what's up next? >> coming up, our political roundtable with "new york times" best-selling novemblist kate white. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 tdd# 1-800-345-2550 to help with my investments. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 so where's that help when i need it? tdd# 1-800-345-2550 if i could change one thing... tdd# 1-800-345-2550 we'd all get a ton of great advice tdd# 1-800-345-2550 just for being a client.

tdd# 1-800-345-2550 i mean, shouldn't i be able to talk about my money tdd# 1-800-345-2550 without it costing me a fortune? tdd# 1-800-345-2550 if i had my way, investment firms would be tdd# 1-800-345-2550 falling all over themselves to help me with my investments. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 (announcer) at schwab investors rule. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 are you ready to rule? want to make sure allergies don't always have to keep you cooped up inside. that's why we're making it easier for everyone to find allergy solutions. by offering products like new zyrtec liquid gels. zyrtec, the fastest 24-hour allergy medicine, is now available in a liquid gel. zyrtec liquid gels work on your worst symptoms... indoors and out. you'll also get the expert advice of your walgreens pharmacist. so you'll feel freer to love the air. walgreens. there's a way to stay well. wow, the tiguan's great. mm. and the routan has everything we're looking for. plus, every volkswagen includes no-charge, scheduled, carefree maintenance. so, what's this punchdub days about? you know, where you punch someone in the arm every time you see a volkswagen.

red one. [ baby crying ] test drive? [ male announcer ] with great deals on all 13 models, it's a whole new volkswagen, and a whole new game. ♪

pretty amazing things being said. the economists said that you are arguably the most powerful woman in american history. brown university professor has said you are certainly the most powerful speaker in 100 years. >> that sounds good. i don't -- i don't take it personally except i take it as a compliment for all women because as the first woman speaker i certainly wanted to demonstrate that we could get a job done that has eluded others. >> welcome back to "morning joe." 38 past the hour. joe scarborough in atlanta. the editor and chief of "cosmopolitan" magazine, cates white. welcome, and the author of the novel "hush," a "new york times" best seller. congratulations. >> thank you. >> let's talk, first of all, joe, the conversation diane

sawyer was having with nancy pelosi, given the numbers, i wonder if they jibe with diane's questioning. yeah, diane sawyer didn't ask how popular nancy pelosi was, she talked about power. i can't think certainly of anybody she has -- got 11% approval ratings, but there are very few women that i think historically that match up to nancy pelosi in terms of historical import. not only is she the first female speaker ever, most house observers will tell you she's one of the most powerful speakers ever. and other than hillary clinton and eleanor roosevelt, there just aren't a lot of women that come to mind in american history that had the impact of nancy pelosi. >> i think you have to look at sandra day o'connor. she is most -- i think in the total evaluation of power and power wielded, sandra day o'connor is still as of now the most influential woman in american history.

most powerful -- >> what about eleanor roosevelt? >> she's nothing compared to the speaker of the house and the supreme court justice. i mean, the supreme court justice is it. so it depends how long pelosi stays in this job, how many other things she has to her credit at the end of it. but right now i'd say sandra day o'connor is ahead. >> and with power comes controversy. and nancy pelosi has her share. kate white, i think joe made the right distinction between popular versus powerful. and your manage, you look at popular women, powerful women. how do you think pelosi ranks in the grand scheme of things and the challenges she faces along the way? >> i think powerful women still scare us. you know, particularly if you're carrying a big gavel at the time. i bet if i polled "cosmo" readers which i'm going to do when i get back, i bet they're not as intimidated. i bet her approval rating would be much higher with young women because i think they find someone like her totally inspiring and unthreatening. >> inspiring and unthreatening.

okay. i'd say that's fair. she has definitely -- >> once again, change is hard. revolution is hard. and let's judge nancy's popularity a little ways down the road here. >> you know, joe, i asked eddie markey, congressman from massachusetts, several months ago about nancy pelosi as speaker, as leader of the democratic party. and i asked him in the context of tip o'neill, you know, and eddie said to me, he said, the big difference between nancy pelosi and tip o'neill is that nancy pelosi is much tougher. and that word -- that word applied to a woman in this takes on different connotations, tough. >> much tougher, but kate, also, if you're a woman, unfortunately you can't get away with the things that a man can get away with. like for instance, if i'm in politics and i'm having a disagreement with a guy, i think about like a tip o'neill kind of guy, we can sit and scream and

yell, and i can put my finger in his chest, and he can scream at me, and then afterwards, we put our arms around each other and go, hey, let's gets a beer and watch a football game. it seems for a woman it's harder to nuance that because our society is -- it doesn't allow -- women live by tougher standards in power positions than men. >> right. yeah. we get categorized in these compartments, psycho or shut, not that necessarily there are many women in politics who are sluts -- >> there aren't many women in politics who are -- >> you were talking about women in power and i've said this a few times. that sarah palin is so fascinating to the american media because for the first time we've seen a physically attractive, hot woman in power -- >> good lord. >> many women don't -- >> oh -- >> i want to ask a woman who talks to women -- >> yeah, yeah. >> a new character -- guys, how do you not recognize this?

i love kate's reaction as somebody who follows women for a living. this is a new character. >> you follow women for a living. >> yeah, exactly. >> she's not the only one here who follows women for a living. >> i want kate's reaction to that. >> it's true. i think joe's point that we're not as used to women being nuanced. and i think with sarah palin we saw a woman who we haven't seen. usually women hide that sort of sexy part of them, not in all fields but certainly in politics. and she -- she went with it. >> i'm not putting her down, it's a fascinating -- >> that's another double standard. again, i is grown up around -- i have grown up around tough women in my household and also politically. i was surrounded by tough women, they ran my operations for the most part. but women live by different standards. and you talk about a man can take off his shirt and be sexy, john kennedy is sexy, and had helps him win votes. barack obama is seen as a sex symbol -- >> scott brown can do a nude photo. >> scott brown and he can be called sexy. and it helps him win votes.

but sarah palin or, say, another attractive woman goes out there and, again, it -- it somehow lessens her for some reason. >> it has to do with the prominence of the position. for example, before nancy pelosi was speaker, the most powerful woman in the house of representatives was janice mays who no one has ever seen. she's the chief of staff of the ways and means committee. she has been in that job for decades now. and she was completely unthreatening to everybody. and i think if she had become famous she would then -- and was on tv -- she would then be threatening to people in -- in behind the scenes there was no problem. it was huge for a woman in politics being on stage or behind the scenes. behind the scenes they are incredibly effective. and they are certainly the equal in every way with men behind the scenes. >> superior -- >> it depends on the field, too. look at television, you've got diane sawyer. when barbara walters was first anchoring the news, it was seen

as very threatening, and we weren't comfortable with it. now we've got two female anchors at networks. so i think politics still got a long ways to go there. >> let's get back to the word -- joe's used it several times -- the word "tough." in any workplace for women. to me it's the height of the double standard. whether it's tv, politics, financial services, advertising, if someone says a woman is tough, it has an entirely different contation than if you say a guy is tough. >> i'll take it a step further and say at times in my career when i have been tough that has been the worst thing for me. it has not worked. >> if goes to the "b" word. >> you don't come off as a "b," you come off as crazy. >> if it was a guy he'd be rewarded as a hero. >> it depends on the field, too. >> or crazy. we say that even when you're sane. i've learned so much, kate, working closely with mika that she learns to smile -- i say,

you need nog there and scream at those executives. >> great advice. >> and she says, "it doesn't work that way with women." >> it doesn't. >> she goes in and smiles, and it drives me crazy. it is so unfair for women in the workplace. >> except i'm in a field of women's manages, and women can be tough -- magazines, and women can be tough there because it's seen as something admirable when you're tough. >> that's interesting. >> my company, ten of the top 11 senior executives are women. most of the senior partners, i've surrounded myself -- >> we're not going to go there, donnie. >> i get cast as the sexist thing. >> can you tell me exactly how many people you have in your h.r. department, i'm curious. >> do you have an h.r. department? >> we have a very robust and fiesty h.r. department -- >> one of my closest friend works with donnie, and she loves it. >> i hope she's okay. kate, white, thank you. >> "hush," it's fabulous. >> delicious. >> you're delicious. that's your word. >> but it's not tough. when we come back, imagine

being the passager in a small plane when suddenly your pilot dies. the remarkable ending to this worst case scenario next. [ advisor 1 ] i have clients say it's really hard to save for the future and they've come to a point where it's overwhelming. [ advisor 2 ] oh gee, i'm scared to tell you i've got this amount of credit card debt or i've got a 15-year-old and we never got around to saving for their college. that's when i go to work. we talk, we start planning. we can fix this. i know we can do it. when clients walk out of my office they feel confident about their retirement. [ male announcer ] visit ameriprise.com and put a confident retirement more within reach. [ male announcer ] the cadillac laurel sales event.

featuring the acclaimed cts sports sedan. a car & driver 10best for the third year in a row. ♪ with a direct injection v6 engine. see your cadillac dealer soon, because while there is no expiration date on achievement, on rewarding it, there is. for qualified current lessees, the cts luxury collection. ♪ the cts luxury collection. ♪ vo: this season, your home can look like a picture in a magazine with the better homes and gardens spring line. and it's only at walmart. get unbeatable prices on the entire line of better homes and gardens furnishings. it's enough to spark anyone's imagination. the look you love costs less at walmart. vo: save money. live better. walmart. but it can't have... can't have about half a day's worth of fiber?

i assure you it does. i can only taste... only taste the crunchy clusters, honey, and brown sugar. no madam, i don't have esp. (announcer) fiber one. cardboard no. delicious yes. somewhere in america... there's a home by the sea powered by the wind on the plains. there's a hospital where technology has a healing touch. there's a factory giving old industries new life. and there's a train that got a whole city moving again. somewhere in america, the toughest questions are answered every day. because somewhere in america, more than sixty thousand people spend every day answering them. siemens. answers.

[ woman ] nine iron, it's almost tee-time. time to face the pollen that used to make me sneeze, my eyes water. but with new zyrtec® liquid gels, i get allergy relief at liquid speed. that's the fast, powerful relief of zyrtec®, now in a liquid gel. zyrtec® is the fastest 24-hour allergy medicine. it works on my worst symptoms so i'm ready by the time we get to the first hole. and that's good because the competition's steep today. new zyrtec® liquid gels work fast, so i can love the air.™

that was right before i snatched that lady's purse. i feel terrible about that. the national air trafficq controllers association is honoring a team in south florida for keeping its cool under high stress and with limited resources after the pilot of the plane died. this is an incredible story. nbc's tom costello has it. >> reporter: it was easter sunday, 2009, in south florida when a new voice urgently cut across the air traffic control frequency. >> i got to declare an emergency. my pilot's unconscious. i need help up here. >> reporter: doug white, his wife and teenage daughters, were headed home to georgia after attending his brother's funeral. now suddenly the pilot of their private plane was dead. and the plane was climbing at 2,000 feet per minute. >> i need to get this thing on the ground. my pile's deceased. and i need help.

i need a king air pilot to talk to. >> all right, stand by. >> reporter: four months earlier, doug white had started learning to fly a small cessna. now he was in the pilot's seat of a much larger twin-engine king air. if it kept climbing, it would stall and crash. >> it looks like the space shuttle. there's dials and instruments i don't even know what they are. >> already busted 10,000, i'm steady climbing. i need stop the climb. all right, stay with me miami. >> reporter: that's when controller lisa grimm stepped in. >> we'll have you hand fly the plane. >> we're going to have you find me the widest runway you can, ma'am. >> reporter: while a controller for just a few months, lisa grimm was an experienced pilot and instructor. >> pull back slightly on the throttle and just ease on to the yoke gently. hype she knew white's cessna experience was nothing like the king air she was flying. >> it would be like taking a

teenager who has a learner's permits with their driver's license and putting them in a manual stick shift in a mass car race. whatever you're comfortable with, we'll make a nice, shallow, 500 feet per minute descent. >> reporter: while controllers relayed instructions from the king air pilot on the phone from connecticut, lisa grimm slowly talked doug white down from 17,000 feet. then handed him over to controllers at ft. myers airport. >> they've got the longer runway, and we're going to get you the most available runway for your landing. you're going to do fine. >> she is my angel. she always will be. that's what she sounded to me like up there. >> wow. tom costello reporting. how about the cool for both of them, the controller and the guy flying a plane he's never seen before with a dead pilot next to him. unbelievable story. thank you for that, tom. don't forget, by the way, this thursday, two days from now, "morning joe" will be holding an education town hall live in tampa look at that

lineup. special guest, mayor bloomberg, former governor jeb bush of florida, john legend, al sharpton, mayor cory booker, all scheduled to be there. going to be an incredible look here on "morning joe." coming up, what did we learn today? oh sure, we have plenty of employees that...

you can label as "different." like janice. uh-huh. yeah. fashion deficient. and tom... copy incapable. it's open kimono time. looking good, dan. oh, we want to make sure all our ducks in a row. yeah. volume control syndrome. but we focus on the talent and skill that each person... brings to the team. i mean, no one's really concerned about labels. not even mine. labels get in the way. disabilities rarely do. visit thinkbeyondthelabel.com to evolve your work force. (announcer) not just sinus headache... ahhhh! but pressure... and congestion. introducing sudafed pe® triple action™. for more complete relief from the sinus triple threat. sudafed pe® triple action™. more complete relief.

wow, the tiguan's great. mm. and the routan has everything we're looking for. plus, every volkswagen includes no-charge, scheduled, carefree maintenance. so, what's this punchdub days about? you know, where you punch someone in the arm every time you see a volkswagen. red one. [ baby crying ] test drive? [ male announcer ] with great deals on all 13 models, it's a whole new volkswagen, and a whole new game. ♪ wow! [ grunts ] oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. aah! [ door opens, closes ] wow. what's the occasion? [ male announcer ] relax. pam helps you pull it off.

i love barnacle. it's time to talk about what we learned today. joe, we'll start with you. >> i've got to say, you know, this is i'm -- i'm sure there are people on both sides freaking out about there discussion. this has been one of the funnest shows we've done. >> yeah. >> it's a real date about where america goes, and very excited

about it. and it's like my good friend lawrence o'donnell says, this will do the democrats to 40 years in the minority. >> i've never said that. i've never -- you know what i learned today is that there is a rich guy who doesn't mind paying taxes. donnie deutsche, the -- >> good. >> i think he speaks for most rich people. you say pay another 3% -- >> i don't know about that. >> another 3% for social good. who wouldn't do that? >> that's it. >> exactly. >> enough with this race, you got to spread it around. >> willie? >> i learned what lawrence said, he wants to be taken off joe's resume as a reference, i think. >> and by the way, i do want to just say, mika, lawrence o'donnell was wrong that there is still a -- an nbc news tells me section 1002 still punishes people, 2.5% of their total salary if you don't -- >> the point is you do not pay it, the irs is not allowed to do