good evening, americans. and welcome to "the ed show." tonight, from new york, these stories are hitting my hot buttons at this hour. well, here we go, republican attack dog darrell issa is on a witch-hunt to try to take down the president of the united states in his administration. he wants, death by a thousand hearings. congressman dennis kucinich is the man with the plan to stop him right in his tracks. he'll join nus just a moment and i'll have commentary. rush limbaugh, has this guy lost his marbles? he's attacking me because i called him out for his racist hit job on congressman jim clyburn. i'mf i've got something to say

to the old rust ne"the playbook." and sarah palin mama grizzlies' propaganda, folks busting at the gut last night. the worst moments as he tried to show us russia from her backyard. it's all coming up, stay with us. this is the the story that has me fired up tonight. the brand-new congress the new members they're invading washington, d.c., and of course, folks, they're out for political blood. the republicans and their tea party henchmen don't take control of the house until january, but they've already got their lead attack dog on the hunt. darrell issa, out of california, is the incoming chairman of the government reform and oversight committee. he has set his sights on taking president obama down one subpoena at a time. this is what issa said on the drugster's radio show. >> he has been one of the most corrupt presidents in modern times.

he's ignored the very laws that he said were so vital when he was a senator, and you know he's going to have to come back direction. >> okay, issa tried to back away from those comments, but he made this outrageous claim about the stimulus package on "good morning america." >> his administration received $700 billion worth of walking around money in the stimulus, and used it just that way, a great deal was used for political payback. his administration has a lot of explaining, where the $700 billion went, where investigations that should have gone on, particularly into a.c.o.r.n., an organization that he had passed, influenced with and should be willing to do a lot to end. i think those have to be dealt with. >> so, welcome to the new congress. congressman dennis kucinich jumped all over that statement when he third on my radio show. he immediately fired off a letter to issa, demanding he

produce the evidence of walking around money, or offer a retraction of that statement. i think, i believe, i want dennis kucinich to step up and run for the democratic leadership position on issa's committee. kucinich would be, i think, a great check and balance for issa on make sure that he doesn't get away with smearing people, and coming up with phony charges and making outlandish statements. kucinich i think is the best counterpunch the democrats would have against issa's witch-hunt. he is an honest broker and would make issa prove every shred of evidence. now, in the meantime, the tea party wave is set to take over the republican party. in january, i'm convinced, the tea party republicans will make sure issa's forces president obama to show his birth certificate to, i guess, rush limbaugh. they'll demand that issa does everything in his power to set the table for impeachment of the second democratic party in a row, and if you're wondering where darrell issa's going to go, remember that i said it right here, he'll go everywhere and anywhere to defeat this president. every morsel of information he will seek out. any tip that he can get, anybody

that will leak to hip any kind of information or speculation that there might be some wrongdoing in the obama administration. and throw that kind of stuff to a guy who claims the president's corrupt, throw that kind of stuff to an ideologue whole stop with nothing at the use of the gavel, i think this, this is bad for the country, it's part of the plan. i don't think that issa is working on this on his own. i think that he is the appointed attack dog. i think this is all part of the plan. and the republicans are going do everything they can to just wire things up for the next two years. it's all about defeating the president in 2010. get your cell phones out. i want to know what you think on this. tonight's text survey question is, do you believe republicans will try to impeach president obama? text "a" for yes.

text "b" for no to 622639. we'll bring you the results later on in the show. now, for the record, mr. issa has told us that he doesn't want anything to do with impeaching president obama. that's not what it's all about. he just happens to want to have a hearing every week. and he just happens to be going on national shows, saying that president is handing out walking around money. that, in itself, i think, should disqualify him as the chairman. but of course the republicans love that stuff. they have no shame. joining me now is congressman dennis kucinich, a member of the oversight and government and reform committee. congressman, good to have you with us tonight. >> thank you very much, ed. it's great to be with you. >> you bet. how serious do you think issa is and should this be a wake-up call to the country. >> as you point out, this is the committee that has the ability to be able to investigate anything and to compel witnesses to come by virtue of subpoenas, to compel the production of documents. if an individual who is chairing that committee who has no compunction about making unsubstantiated charges or using smears and innuendo what that can do, it can plunge the entire

oversight responsibilities in the united states congress into suspicion, into a lack of public confidence. i'm concerned about it institution of congress here. i'm concerned that the oversight committee, not be used to smear people, to engage in witch-hunts and so i came forward after hearing my friend, mr. issa, a week ago make the comments that spoke about the wide -- the quote, widespread corruption inside of the administration. and basically said, look, put up. what do you have? come forward. but don't -- don't conclude with a charge unless you have the evidence. that's not the american way. in america you don't smear people when you're trying to get to the truth. you hold hearings. you bring forth the evidence. you come to conclusions. so i think, ed, that we have to have zero tolerance for smears and innuendo, immediate response to any unsubstantiated charges, and a firm commitment to the

process of oversight which gives people a chance to testify without charging them with anything. >> congressman, do you want to be the ranking member? >> well, i'm going to be talking to my colleagues about what would be the best route to take, to ensure that the oversight responsibilities of the congress will, in fact, not be compromised by a mentality of a star chamber. and so this is an inside baseball, effectively, ed. members have to make the decision about who they think would be best ready to be able to -- to take this challenge. >> but do you think -- >> because it is a challenge. >> but do you think that it will take a special effort to thwart issa. >> listen, he's a very clever man. he's quite skillful. someone who is formidable. should not be underestimated. and i think, yes, it is going to take a concerted and special effort to be able to meet the chapter and verse, allegations that are already floating out there. when you say that the president

of the united states is corrupt, you better have some facts before you say that. and when you're chairman of an investigative committee, you could -- you may conclude that after a body of evidence, but if you say that without having the evidence to prove it, what you're doing is you're undermining public confidence in government and you're assaulting the presidency of the united states, which isn't about one man. it's about our nation. and we have to be very certain that in this oversight that we don't there the run on to smears where people have their reputations damaged and then somebody comes back later on oh you know what i guess that we didn't find anything. first you have on get the evidence. >> congressman, i think that you should be the ranking member on this committee. you have the working knowledge. you have the passion, the desire, and you know how serious this guy is. i mean, this is going to be a full-time job, big time watching these people, because i think that their mission is to take down this president. congressman -- >> well, it is. >> good to have you with us tonight. >> and we have to stay on top of this and i'll keep you posted, ed. i'm talking to my colleagues next. >> okay, thank you so much. congressman dennis kucinich with us here tonight. joining me now is clarence page, columnist for "the chicago

tribune." clarence, they want to go after white house job offers, a.c.o.r.n., bp, economic stimulus, and czars. would there be anything here or is issa just a loose cannon with some power now. >> well he's got power now. i don't think that he's a loose canon and although spoke like one before the election. but he says he wants to go after stimulus, for example. he's already got a website up, asking people to send in pictures of stimulus signs, calling them a waste of money or a taxpayer-funded political move. that's news to me. it's a pretty old practice putting up signs for federal projects. but he is out for bear. and i think his hope is though -- i think can send people down in hearings, he can get attention, maybe he can get somebody to trip up and make a contradictory statement and that'll generate into a controversy or maybe even charges of lying to congress.

something like to. you know you could do a lot of mischief or you can do a lot of good to oversight. heaven know, government needs serious oversight. so it remains to be seen just how serious darrell issa's going to be. >> well, we also know that senator byron dorgan held countless hearings on waste fraud and abuse in iraq and the republicans didn't do anything about it, but now all of a sudden they're all ginned up over the fact that issa over on the house is going to go after it, and have a hearing every week. but -- >> you're right. >> now would this, in your opinion, be part of a bigger plan that issa's just the attack dog on this to set the table for 2012, to throw the administration off, but maybe even to go so far as to set the table for impeachment? or is that too grand? >> well, i think you're onto something as far as the general scenario, ed.

i only disagree to point of not thinking there's that -- there's that, what, well-planned of a plan right now. there's still some disarray in republican leadishship. john boehner's still figuring out how to deal with the moderates which his heart is really with, and the tea party folks who've given energy to the parent right now. but darrell issa's committee, certainly, is the kind of you know point of the spear when it comes to attacking the administration. even if all you do is tie people up with putting documents together to come and testify, that's an ardrouse process and it gets in the way of the kind of programs that the program is trying to push and it's red meat for the right, which is also what the party wants. so he was got, you know, an important significant function here. >> clarence thomas, columnist "chicago tribune." clarence page. >> thank you even more, ed. >> it's always good to get the name right, isn't it. >> you're not the first one to do that! >> we love you. thanks so much. >> thank you, ed. coming up -- darrell issa isn't the only republican we need to worry about. the tan man is dishing out advice to his new flock of

righties. i'll give him something to think about in the bottom of the hour. and the drugster takes a shot at little old me, the guy from fargo? he's defending the racist remarks he made about jim clyburn. and just wait until you hear what he said about affirmative action. i refuse to let him get away with this hate speech. i've got commentary coming up in the "playbook." and plus bubba's got a hangover. bush sit down with doushie. and i'm throwing rand paul into "the zone." [ female announcer ] we were flattered when regenerist beat a $100 cream. flabbergasted when we creamed a $500 cream! for under $30 regenerist micro-sculpting cream hydrates better than 23 of america's most expensive luxury creams. fantastic. phenomenal. regenerist.

coming up -- pretty soon john boehner and mitch mccogg are going to be wining and dining at the white house. progressives are warning the president, he better not serve tax cuts from the rich for dessert. pccc founder, adam green will take a serious bite out of this one in just a moment on "the ed show." 

welcome back to "the ed show" and thanks for watching tonight. fight, don't cave. that's the message progressives have for president obama regarding the bush tax cuts for the wealthy. the american people don't want another round of tax cuts for the top 2% especially if it means cutting social security and having the middle class having to pay for it. the republicans keep throwing around the word "compromise." but their idea of compromise as president obama crying uncle. bring in adam green co-founder of the progressive change campaign committee and we should say the fastest-growing liberal organization in america. great to have you with us, adam. all right, you say fight, don't cave. what's your definition of

caving? what do you want the president to do? what's the pccc demanding? >> well, i say it and about 134,000 people have now gone to our website, bold progressives.org and told obama fight, don't cave and is pretty simple. if one side goes into negotiation saying that we really, really want to compromise and the other side said we're willing to fight. it's obvious who's going to win that negotiation. president obama's lining him up -- himself up for failure right here and what we need him do is say, look, i'm fighting for 98% of the people. the republicans are fighting for 2% of the people. i'm not going to cut a 50/50 compromise if they insist of doing wrong by the american people, i will fight them, hold them accountable to their constituents, i will bloody them back up at home and if he does that and then they'll come to table in good faith. we need him to fight. >> so the president has stated, tax cuts for the middle class, the top 2%, they'll negotiate that number whether $250,000, $500 grand or $1 million a year,

would your organization go along with that? do you think that the liberals in this country would accept that as a framework? >> no, absolutely not. let's not be mistaken. the fact that we're potentially helping out an extra 2% of the people does not mean an extra 2% the price tag. george b. bush did very right for the super wealthy. somewhere between 30%, 50%. i mean it's huge. it would add about $700 billion to our deficit. and especially at a time when we're talking about potentially having social security on the chopping block, it is crazy to even think about having tax cuts for the wealthy. so, no, no temporary -- no temporary, no permanent extension for the rich. it has to be just about the middle class. >> okay, just about the middle class is the only ground that you would accept. what if the president or the democrats were to get together and come back and say, take the position, let's just let this legislation fade away and let's turn it over to the republicans in the house and force them to come forward with their plan and

let's see who they really care about. what's wrong with that strategy? and i say that, because it's rather unusual that the tax plan that was put in place back in the 2002 and 2003, just happens to fit our dire economic situation that we face right now. there's no way. so why don't the democrats just purport the idea let it sunset and let's start over and let's see if they really want to work with us with the majority in the house. what would be wrong with that? >> well, i wouldn't call that wrong. i think that there's one step before that. what we're advocating and what the afl-cio and howard dean's democracy for america and others are advocating is that the democrats say, there will be one vote and one vote only on the middle-class tax cuts. and we dare the republicans to oppose it. but part of that is saying, if they oppose it and kill it, it will die, it will fade away and we'll be fully willing to blame them and hold them accountable for it. it has to be part of the

equation, and to folks out there who loves president obama, when he says, no matter what we will pals the middle-class tax cuts, what he's saying is if we do a strong strategy and fail and then i will accept what the republicans put on the table and i will cave. we can't have coated language here. the president has to be strong. one vote on the middle-class tax cuts and if the republicans kill it, they kill it and we'll take the blame. that's what fighting and not caving looks like. >> adam green, good to have you with us tonight. fight, don't cave, is the message from the pcc. thanks so much. yep. coming up, the senator-elect who totally ignored this brutal behavior by one of his supporters has the audacity to accuse the president of the united states of being insensitive? he feels sorry for the billionaires that run big oil? rand paul, i mean, he comes storming into the "the zone" tonight and deservedly so.

and in "psycho-talk" tonight, senator-elect out of kentucky, rand paul, this guy is still sticking up for bp if you could believe it. now, he may have run for office as a tea party and a man of the people, but he's just like every other republican out there who's only in it to take care of his big business buddies. now, this weekend he went after the obama administration, again, for standing up to bp looking for accountability after the oil spill. >> i didn't think the president or his people should say something like putting the boot hill on the throat of a business. i didn't like that. it wasn't that i thought that we shouldn't be tough. i do think that we should be tough and if they break the law they should be punished, et

cetera, et cetera. they should be responsible. they should pay for the cleanup but don't think that the president should be talking of putting a boot heel on. >> senator, 11 people lost their lives in the deepwater horizon oil rig explosion. but rand paul, you sir, you're worried about offending bp because corporations create jobs and you don't want to have a bad tone. this isn't about tone. and he's quick to complain about a so-called boot on the neck? when one of his supporters actually stomps his boot on someone's neck, where was rand paul? for some time he completely ignored it. attacking the president for standing up for the folks who are responsible for the largest oil spill in u.s. history is outrageous psycho talk. coming up -- folks, don't be fooled. nancy pelosi has not been broken.

the speaker has shown the tan man that she's no lame duck. she's going to bang that gavel like there's no tomorrow. congressman ilikia cummings will lay out the progressive game plan next our "battleground" story. i can't believe that the drugster is attacking me, little old me because i called him out for his racist driving miss nancy slur against congressman jim clyburn. hey, drugster, there's more of where that came from in "the playbook." and plus sara barracuda says she's no quitter. w. pals around with douchie and the cowboys finally won a game. we had to put that in tonight because our director is a big cowboy fan. trouble getting around, i

welcome back to "the ed show." "the battle ground" story tonight, this is the chance for house speaker nancy pelosi to, once again, show some leadership and tell everybody what it's about. the lame-duck congress is

officially back in session. democrats will have the majority, the house, for the next six weeks. speaker pelosi should use this time to put the hammer down and get things done. on tax cuts. maybe the dream act. don't ask, don't tell, repealing that. and, of course, extending unemployment benefits. she has more spine than any other democratic leader in washington. and i hope that she can get it done one more time before she hands the gavel over to the tan man. let's bring in congressman elijah cummings from maryland. congressman, good to have you with us tonight. this is going to be a terribly important session. you have got a lot of members coming back who are going to see their jobs end because they were defeated. is nancy pelosi going to be able to reel them in and get them to vote the progressive agenda in this short period of time in the lame-duck session? what do you think? >> i think ms. pelosi, who's a great leader, will have a lot of success.

the problem is going to be, ed, what the senate does. clearly, we have got to pass unemployment benefits because we've got about 2 million people who are about to lose their benefits so -- >> so you will do that in the house? you think that you'll get the unemployment benefits done in the house? >> absolutely. >> okay. >> we've got to get it done. >> and how about the tax cuts? >> i don't know exactly what's going to happen. many of us are urging ms. pelosi to make sure that we vote on not extending the upper class tax cuts and making sure that the middle-class tax cuts remain. and that's the vote that we really, really want. and i -- and if anybody can do this, it's nancy pelosi. i've noted -- >> go ahead. >> what would be the cutoff number? a half a million, $250,000? where do you think that line would be drawn? >> i'm not sure exactly where it'll be, ed. but i do -- i think that there

may be some compromise, but, again, i mean, senator warner had a very interesting proposal. and then certainly schumer, senator schumer did, too. but, clearly, perhaps maybe $500,000, maybe a little less than that. but i think we ought to be able to find some kind of compromise on this. i just don't want to see the tax cuts for the richest of the rich extended another two, three years. >> you think that's a political trap? i mean if they extend it for couple of years because we'll be back having the same conversation in 2012. >> ed, you took the words out of my mouth. that's what i'm so concerned about that we'll have this same battle again and again that we will have lost revenue that we desperately need. and, you know, the interesting

thing, ed is that you know, it really baffles me is how i know that we're going to have to fight, for example, for unemployment benefits for people who are down and out and will not have a decent holiday. on the other hand, we have our republican friends fighting to get the richest of the rich tax cuts. so i mean, you know, something's got to give. but, again, i'm glad that you, ed, have stood up for speaker pelosi. >> i think she's terrific. >> she's phenomenal. >> and i think that she'll be as good or better minority leader than the majority leader. you passed over what 240 bill? >> that's right. >> and they sat over in the senate, so getting things done has not been her floor that's right. >> and the issue now is going to be with the american people with, i think, the progressive community. why not let the tax cuts just expire? and put the ball in the republicans' court and make them come back and do something and hang it on them? what about that?

>> i think that that's a -- i think that that may not be a bad idea. we've just got to strategize this thing, ed. keeping in mind, what the senate may or may not do. but knowing our speaker, she will fight for what she thinks is best and what she thinks is right. and you know, and i do think that in the end, ed, folks will look back on her speakership and realize what a great speaker she has been. the other thing to keep in mind and i hope that our republican friends will keep this in mind, and that is that, people don't want us to be worried so much about who we're fighting against, but they want us to worry about who we should be fighting for. >> yeah. >> and that's our middle class,

our people who are struggling, the people at my district who are losing their homes and jobs, that's what -- they don't -- all of this bickering up on capitol hill, it doesn't mean anything to them. >> yeah. >> but they want solutions to problems, and hopefully we'll be able to accomplish that. >> congressman, our show and recent shows has focused on some of the reckless comments that darrell issa has been talking about, about how many hearings, how many investigations, what he thinks of president obama, accusing him just last week of taking stimulus money for political payback and spreading it around the country. is the -- do you think he's serious, and do you think that this is a real danger to the obama administration? >> i think -- i think mr. issa is very serious. he's a good friend, but i know he's serious and we -- and i was just talking to some members of our committee today and ed townes and others and kucinich, and we're going to have to fight back. i think he has gone across the line, calling this president corrupt. even when we were going through difficulties with president bush, you never heard members of our committee calling president bush corrupt. >> who is goings to be the ranking member? are you up for that? would you take that job? >> clearly, mr. townes is the ranking member, i support him and he'll be the ranking member. >> okay, congressman elijah cummings, always a pleasure. >> good to be with you, ed. now let's get rapid fire response from our panel on these stories. the tan man has some advice for incoming freshman lawmakers, be

humble and remember it's all about the people? what's he been smoking? senator john mccain says he's willing to block the don't ask, don't tell repeal. he doesn't buy a new study that says, most troops are totally fine with repeal. and i'm get the panel's take on how the president should handle the tax cut fight with the republicans. joining us tonight, leo hendrie "huffington post" contributor and managing partner at intermediate partners and michael medved nationally syndicated radio talk show host. gentlemen, good to have you with us tonight. i want to talk taxes first. leo, mr. hendrie, let me ask you, why wouldn't a good strategy for the democrats be, let the republicans own the next economic move in this country. let the tax cuts sun set. make them step to the plate and see who they really favor. wouldn't that be a good strategy or maybe not. >> no, i think it would be a perfect strategy, ed, but i think it should be accompanied

by as strong as possible statement these tax cuts for the extremely wealthy, this country, is representative cummings' just described is inappropriate, unacceptable. but let the next move on the taxes be a republican move with the statement of conviction about the tax cuts for the wealthy. that's simply unacceptable. >> michael medved, what's the best move for the republicans right now in your opinion? >> the best move for the republicans is to make it clear that we're not talking about giving new tax cuts to anybody, not a single american right now. what we're talking about is avoiding a tax hike and no american should have his or her taxes raised in the midst of this weak economy. and that's a consensus of the american people. you have 40 democrats who agree with that and republicans should use those democrats and have a bipartisan extension of the bush era tax rates. >> mr. hindery, what do you think. >> i think that michael is wrong. this is not a tax hike. these tax cuts are scheduled,

to expire at the end of this year. >> what do you call it when you raise someone's taxes? you call that a tax increase. it's a tax hike. >> michael, of the three of us probably talking this evening, i would be one of the wealthy. and it's -- >> congratulations. >> and it's been absurd since 1980 to argue on these trickle down forms of economics. rich people just get richer. i'm one of them. i am not asking for a tax cut. i didn't want the bush tax cuts to begin with for the wealthy and to let them expire. >> if you would like to give extra money to the government no one stopping you but the question is should the government take more money out of our private economy in a time like this when that economy is struggling to recover. >> the top 2%. michael, none of them will spend moneys in a way that are productive to this economy. they will simply become wealthier by reason of extension of their tax cuts and it's simply -- it's unconscionable in this time of recession to be

giving a $680 billion benefit to the top 2% over the next ten years. >> michael -- >> it's not giving anyone a benefit. it's letting them keep their own money. >> michael, if the bush tax cuts didn't create jobs the last eight years what will you make it think it will work right. >> you it's not a question of creating jobs. the old hippocratical oath. first thing is, physician do no harm. the idea that right now you're going to help a struggling economy by jacking up taxes on the job producers, on the small businessmen, on people who can create economic activity is simply wrong and look the point is -- >> you're making it, you know, the standard point that i've heard a thousand times by conservative talkers across america. >> because it's true. >> if that's the case -- why hasn't it worked? where were the jobs during the bush administration and where have the jobs been with these tax cuts in place, this tax policy. >> we're not now talking about a new strategy. we're talking about a strategy to try to allow the private sector to recover.

government cannot spend its way to prosperity. president obama's demonstrate that. >> the top 1% gets exactly what it wants. mr. hindery, i'll let you finish on this, does -- do tax cuts for the top 1% stimulate jobs in the economy? >> they have proven themselves completely ineffective at doing so, ed, for the last -- now 20 years. trickle down fails at the very top. michael is avoiding the issue. we're not talking about the middle class here. we're talking about the top 2% who will simply be wealthier by reason of having this tax benefit extended. >> okay. let's go to the next subject. we've got senator john mccain here talking about don't ask, don't tell on "meet the press." here it is. >> i will stand that i want a thorough and complete study of the effect on morale and battle effectiveness of the united states military. i will listen as i've said for years to our military leaders,

and not a study that is leaked as we know this town's pretty good at that. >> that's good 7 in 10 members of the military think that it would be fine to have it lifted. >> you and i have not seen this study and this study was directed at how to implement the repeal, not whether the repeal should take place or not. i wanted a study. >> mr. hindry, is senator mccain in denial. >> senator mccain should be listening to his daughter megan on this issue, ed. we've had don't ask, don't tell for 17 years. there's myriad studies and information available to all of us as to its effects and what the american people believe about this program. all of the western developed nations have the equivalent of an open enlistment into their militaries. we're the only one who persist in this archaic and cruel and bigoted behavior on behalf of roughly 12% of the american population. the vast majority of americans want don't ask, don't tell to be eliminated tomorrow.

and for senator mccain to simply ask for another study after 17 years is putting his head in the sand. there's all the information. every woman or man needs to make an informed and fair decision on this issue. >> with all due respect, senator mccain has a great deal more of military experience than his daughter megan, than mr. hindery, ed and/or me and the truth the matter is -- >> not more than mike mullen. >> you're right. >> the chairman of the joints chiefs of staff. >> and that's why what senator mccain said there is crucial, which is to listen to the military leaders. the comandant of the marine corps is totally opposed to removing don't ask, don't tell and the only standard of the military should not be only a social program, what should it help the military with its mission, which is to basically defeat the enemy and to break their stuff. and frankly, if you have a crossbenefit analysis that suggests that repealing don't ask, don't tell is going to cost more and impact effectiveness, then it shouldn't be done. >> so bigotry is okay as long as

the numbers work out? i mean, come on, michael. >> okay. i'm sorry, is it bigotry, ed do you believe it's bigotry if men and women don't bunk together in the military. >> it is absolutely a policy of bigotry. the military wants to change it. and now here comes a red herring and senator mccain saying that he wants to see the real study. i mean the facts are clear where they are. gentlemen, we're out of time. spirited discussion. mr. hindery, mr. medved good to have you here tonight on "the ed show." coming up, rush limbaugh and i, well i guess that we're in a fight. it seems i struck a nerve with the drugster when i blasted him for saying racist things about congressman jim clyburn. he shot back at me today. i'll play you the tape and tell you who will let him get off of the hook. nobody.

and it's not too late to let us know what you think. tonight's text survey question is, do you believe the republicans will try to impeach president obama? and in my playbook tonight, oh a touched a nerve. on friday i called rush out for suggesting the democrats sol their leadership conflict by making clyburn nancy pelosi's chauffeur. today on his radio show welt drugster lashed out at me. >> they call us racist, sexist, bigots, homophobes just for getting out of bed and here they were trying to figure out how to ace out the black guy so that the white guy kept the leadership gig. what's that? they're supposed to lay down and let the black guy have it. that's what they teach us. that's what teaching affirmative action is. so sergeant schultz not happy about what he saw the way we

presented this at rushlimbaugh.com. >> any fair-minded american knows that this is no slip of the tongue. limbaugh posted this driving miss nancy image of clyburn and pelosi on his website hours after he called the democrats racist. here's the photoshopped image that i was talking about. rush limbaugh laughing about this. "i put this on my website." the image is undenyiably offensive, but limbaugh thinks it's funny. >> we did, we had a graphic up there -- well, hey, we didn't create the movie. we didn't catch the the movie. "driving miss daisy." the way this was all presented it was a race between the black guy and the white guy, i didn't make this up and that's the way that politico and everyone was covering this. >> rush, settle down i'm just that $4 an hour a guy from fargo who you said would never make it.

that's classic drugster material right there trying to dodge responsibility by throwing the blame on everyone else. for more let's bring in talk radio host consultant, holland cook. holland, how does he get away with this? he's quite the master at maneuvering the facts around. >> well, rush is too big to fail. the radio stations he's on just have more stations under one roof than they can afford to manage or have time to listen to. i got a call saturday night from the owner of a radio station that rush limbaugh is on. and he says, what did he say? because these people aren't even listening to their own stations. rush did what he did on thursday. so the guy gets to hide in plain sight and pedal this anger as freely as he does. never pick on somebody smaller than you. today he gave you a commercial on his show. and the underlying premise of

this whole driving miss nancy thing is phony baloney to begin with because the democratic leadership is still the same three people in the same order at the to the leadership. so these guys are going out of their way to create discord and anger and devisiveness. >> the way that limbaugh does it here, comes out and makes the racist comment and twists it and says oh it was just a joke and we didn't make up the movie. he was just a classic for that. but he says racist things and gets away with them, correct? >> and he lives a consequence-free existence. rush limbaugh is not an fcc licensee. the hundreds of radio stations he's on have pledged to serve in the public interest, convenience, and necessity. and rush limbaugh does this rude gesture and picks a fight with the father of an fcc commissioner. i have met commissioner clyburn, and she is a tireless champion of enabling technology like broadband for all.

>> sure. >> these are good people that he's calling out for no good reason. >> we will followup on this story again tomorrow. because i think there's going to be a lot of congressional reaction. you're just allowed to say racist things on the air and get away with it? i find it amazing. >> whatever you want. >> holland, good to have you with us tonight. thanks so much. >> you bet, pal. in the "playbook" tonight, w. paid a visit to the kids across the street this morning on "fox & friends." and the former president thought it would it be okay to tell us a story about his dad terrorizing nurses. >> i was trying to explain his sense of humor. and i tell this true story, believe it or not. so he's implying about after an operation and the nurse walks in and he says, ma'am, are my testicles black? and you can imagine the nurse's reaction to former president asking that question. and she said, mr. president -- and he said, no, no, are my testicles black? and so she reaches for the sheet and he said, are my test results

back? >> oh, funny. and finally, tmz is reporting that former president bill clinton shot a cameo for "the hangover ii" in thailand on saturday. i can't wait to see how that one ends up. coming up. cariboo barbie has been released into the wild. her alaskan adventures had a lot of folks rolling on the floor last night. i'll show you the tape. and get reaction from lionel in just a moment.

and finally tonight on "the

and finally tonight on "the ed show," sarah palin's eight-part reality series kicked off on tlc yesterday drawing almost 5 million viewers. the most in the network's history for a premiere. palin is reportedly raking in about a million dollars per episode. and has editorial control over the program. so it wasn't much of a surprise when this show resembled an extra-long campaign commercial. for example, the half-term government used a rock climbing scene to try to convince us that she's really not a quitter. >> this may flippin' take me all day. >> you've always wanted to be a rock climber, sarah. >> was it a rock climber or a rock star, hm. about halfway up the rock i didn't know if i would be able to finish the task. i didn't want to quit. i didn't want to quit in front of other people. i was getting tired. i knew that i couldn't quit

because there was nobody that was going to rescue me halfway up there. >> oh, joining me now for more is new york's picks 11 commentator lionel. you can find him on lionelmedia.com. are you inspired to climb that rock? >> ed, not only am i inspired i'm leaning forward. not really sure what that means but i'm leaning. first, ed, a couple of things here. you know you've got us speaking of black testicles which i think this is a family show you've got a set yourself making fun of this woman. she's an outdoorsman. she does the same thing. i know all about you, ed, on your facebook. look i have gutted a carp. but, ed, this was the biggest show in tlc's history. it was a fun festive extravaganza from the get-go. to learn something, to like these people. but a couple of things, first, the whole thing i love was, there she was, ed, and you're an

outdoorsman, you're a mountain man, she's within, what, killing distance of a kodiak? i don't understand this, isn't that beautiful? look when a mama grizzly. why can't these people just have a couple of drinks at the top of the bellagio? reagan did his horror stuff and cleared brush and then bush was clearing the brush. clinton he cleared brush but in a different way and then we've got this lady. what is with this it's message, that i'm out there and i'm going to go from one spirited adventure to the next? and by the way as far as the rock climbing goes she looks stranded and to have the -- as we say in the latino world, the c.o. jones to say i don't quit, when in fact she quit, goes to show you not only the huts paof this woman but the gene zblus here's sarah palin talking about the mama grizzlies. >> i love watching these mama bears.

they've got a nature, yeah that a humankind can learn from. she's trying to show her cubs. no one's going to do it for you. you go out there and do it yourself, guys. it was amazing to watch this mama grizzly, brown bear really, protecting her cubs and saying you know, nobody's going to mess with my cubs. nobody's going to mess with the future of this species. >> will this series be a hit? >> grizzly -- oh, absolutely. by the way that was symbolic of john mccain, when he first heard who his running mate was going, to that was mccain arguing with his campaign -- i'm going to run with who, sarah who? i waited my whole life for this sarah who? i love this, she could take the complexity of the nature and reduce it to the most simplistic -- and yes, it will be a hit. hit, ed. >> lionel, good to have you. >> lean forward, ed. >> good to have you with us tonight. i'm always lean, buddy.