now, time for "the last word," with lawrence o'donnell. > yesterday, antoinette tuff prevented a madman with a gun from killing children at an elementary school. today, the president of the united states called her to thank her. >> students were back in class today at ronald mcnair learning academy. >> let's talk about the gun debate. >> the incredible 911 audio. >> it is going to be all right's sweetheart, i just want you to know i love you, though. >> is this going to restart the conversation. >> colorado state legislature passed the gun control legislation. >> the gun lobby mobilized to fight back, a corporate lobby trying to overwhelm the voice of the american public.

>> the real battle lies ahead in washington. >> this delay is inexcusable. >> it is thursday, august 22. there are so many other issues looming large. >> president obama speaking at the university of buffalo. bradley manning's stunning announcement. >> more revelations about the nsa. but first, developing stories. the worst voter suppression laws in the country. >> the justice department is pursuing a new course. >> to the state's voter id law. >> there is a new electorate. they know the south has changed. >> there has to be a point where the two sides clash. >> that is why they're trying so hard to stop the vote. >> the real battle lies ahead in washington. >> the brave, quick thinking

unarmed woman who stopped the bad guy with a gun who walked into an elementary school in georgia almost was not there. antoinette tuff was reportedly scheduled to have the day off on tuesday, but a last-minute shift switch put her in the school's front office, where she was confronted by the gunman and successfully talked him into surrendering. her heroism, as you know, was captured on a 911 call. >> stay on the line with me now, where are you? >> i'm in the front office. he just went outside and started shooting. oh, can i run -- >> can you get somewhere safe? >> yeah, i got to go. yeah, he is going to -- call me back. oh, hold on. >> put the phone down. >> he said he should have just went to the mental hospital instead of doing this, because he is not on his medication. do you want me to try -- i can help you -- you want me to talk

to them -- okay, well, let me talk to them and let's see if we can work it out so that you don't have to go away with them for a long time. no, it does matter. i can let them know that you are not trying to harm me or do anything with me, if you want to. that doesn't make any difference, you didn't hit anybody. okay, let me ask you this, ma'am. he didn't hit anybody, he just shot outside the door. if i walk out there with him, if i walk out there with him, so they won't shoot him or anything like that he wants to give himself up. is that okay? they won't shoot him. he is on the ground with his hands behind the back, tell the officers they can come in, don't shoot anyone, and i'll buzz them in. hold on. just sit right there, i'll buzz them in, so they know when they're coming -- okay. just say right there, they will see you are not trying to harm me, okay? >> okay.

>> it is going to be all right, sweetheart, i just want you to know i love you and i'm proud of you. that is a good thing that you're just giving up, and don't worry bit. we all go through something in life. guess what, michael? my last name is hill, too, you know my mom is a hill. he said what are y'all waiting for? what is taking them so long to come on. she says she is getting to them now, they're coming. they're coming. so just hold on, michael, go ahead and lay down. don't put the phone -- okay, you just got your phone? okay, that is fine, tell them to come on, come on. okay, he just got his phone. that is all he got, is the phone. it is just him. it is just him.

hello? yes. i'm going to tell you something, baby, i never been so scared in my life. >> but you did great. >> oh, jesus. >> you did great. >> 20-year-old michael brandon hill, who came to the school apparently intent on killing people, possibly hundreds of people with hundreds of bullets, in the end killed no one. every spared child and every spared teacher owe their lives to antoinette tuff. every georgia family that is home tonight watching tv or out to a movie tonight instead of being crushed by the grief of a loss of a loved one to one of michael brandon hill's 500 bullets owes a lifetime of gratitude to antoinette tuff. michael brandon hill will not be the last person with a supply of bullets and entering a public school with the intent to kill. it will happen again at some

other time and place and it will happen soon enough. and it will happen several times after that. and antoinette tuff will not be there. but congress and state legislators can save lives in those situations by limiting access to firearms and to high capacity magazines for ammunition. that is what lawmakers did in connecticut after newtown. and that is what lawmakers did in colorado after aurora. last month, new laws went into effect in colorado that limit high-capacity magazines to 15 rounds and require a background check for every gun purchase, including private gun sales. colorado has required background checks at gun shows since the columbine massacre. a new poll shows that 82% of colorado voters support universal background checks in their state. but two state lawmakers are now facing a recall election for their support of those new gun laws. it should come as no surprise

who is trying to force these lawmakers out of office. of course, it is the organization dedicated to making sure america's mass murderers are the very best equipped mass murderers in the world. >> morse is pushing major >> morse is pushing major changes that leave you with less freedom. john morse, too extreme for colorado. paid for by the national rifle association committee to restore colorado's rights. joining me now is john morse, colorado state president. a former police chief and facing a recall election on september 10th. john morse, did you see this coming when you voted for these laws? >> no, i mean, when we voted for them we knew people were upset. but we didn't see the recall coming until the first of april

when they filed the paperwork, and then the 21st of april when they started paying signature-gatherers to gather the signatures. that is when we knew we would likely face a recall election. >> and is there any polling on this point? >> i saw a couple of polls on this today. in other words, people supported what we did in march, before march, and they continue to support it. >> and we once not so long ago had a federal law that limited these magazines to below 15 rounds. colorado was subject to that then. it seemed to work perfectly well. >> you know, i mean, as a police officer i carried a firearm that had one round in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine. i mean, i was paid to go into dangerous situations and had 15 rounds at the ready. and then another 28 rounds on my belt to be able to reload with two additional magazines. and you know, obviously, it was

more than i ever needed as i drew my service weapon several times but never actually fired it at anybody. >> and what we have been seeing in a lot of these mass murderer cases, it is legally obtained weaponry. it is not stuff where people have gone out into a black market to get specialized equipment. it is what they can get over the counter, and the case in colorado -- connecticut, what the shooter's mother could legally obtain, for example. and so it seems that real legal restrictions would have real effects in some of these kinds of cases. >> i don't think there is any question about it. i mean, once you get through that 15 rounds, and maybe you have got one in the chamber so that you actual got to shoot 16 rounds, then you have to reload. and i can tell you as a police officer we drilled with that constantly, because we understood that that gun in my hand empty is a paper weight. and so however long it takes me to reload it and i'm practicing so that i can do it as quickly

as possible. but still, two or three seconds where i have a paper weight, and that is where the real world has a chance to react to this and to try to make something good happen. and i'm sure you're aware, when gabrielle giffords was shot, it was a 63-year-old woman who was able to keep the shooter from reloading long enough for everybody else to stop him and put an end to that horrific situation. and there were already casualties, obviously, but fewer because of that action. and that is really what the 15-round limit is all about. >> how are you making your case to colorado voters on this recall? >> so i'm making my case to colorado, that colorado voters, just one vote at a time on their door step. talking about what i have done and who i am and why i have done it. and overwhelmingly, they support me. and certainly if i had a chance to talk to every voter i would win it easily. but that is not necessarily what is going to happen. but we have plenty of volunteers talking to folks, as well.

but still, it is tough, and others on the other side are going to show up with their votes to vote. and we have to make sure our folks show up, as well. it will be very, very difficult. no question. >> well, thank you for your bravery as a legislator. and thank you for joining us, colorado, john morse. >> you're welcome, thank you for having me. joining me now, joy reid and frank smythe, i want to go back to antoinette tuff. for good reasons, we just can't get our minds off of her. and there is a great line at the beginning of what we played tonight. where she says -- she has a moment where she wants to run, she says oh, can i run? and that is where heroism always coming rs from. it generally is a last resort. her first impulse was how do i get out of here and save myself? she realizes she can't do that

and goes on to do what she has to do. >> and it is extraordinary for what she does. people train for years and years and years to be hostage negotiators to do what she did. to just have that a moment of humanity and empathy, and this first impulse to this young man, to treat him almost as a mom. i think why you and i and so many people fall in love with antoinette, you could feel her maternal instinct, which is the same way that students feel from their teachers. they love these kids and treat them like their own. this was so frightening, this guy was so clearly mentally ill and needed help. he understood that he needed help. i think it is an important lesson in why would somebody who so clearly needs help be able to

get his hands on an ak-47 and 500 rounds of ammunition. >> and frank, one of of the striking things about it in the end is that this was clearly a performance on her part. she, at the beginning, clearly, when she is not talking to him wants to run, realizes she can't. goes into another gear, and then as soon as it is over, you watch her collapse a little bit emotionally on the phone with the other woman. revealing that everything she was doing between those two moments was a front, a brilliantly conceived and performed front. >> well, i think she managed to draw on her inner strength and her own energy and faith. which seemed very hard for her. and be able to connect, as joy said, and have empathy and see this individual as a human being. i think her fear was always there. she was able to walk through

that to overcome it, push it aside for a second. and once the situation was over, she was out of danger. she allowed herself to finally feel that. i don't think it is uncommon. what is amazing is she had the strength of will and the purpose and the determination to see it through. and to connect with him. and she only did that because she really was reaching out to him, i think with genuine compassion. >> yeah, well, let me clarify. what i'm saying here, once she realized she couldn't run, she wars going to have to lean on and use another part of herself. it was all real. and it was all in her. and she was going to have to use all of those things that you were just talking about, the skills she no doubt developed as a mother. but with all the kids in school and everything she has to deal with. >> as the bookkeeper, dealing with the kids and the staff. and looking at a situation like that where somebody has a gun on you at that moment. you are the person in danger. you can either react in a number of ways. you can just beg for your life, what do you do in a situation like that, the person has total power over you because they're

the bad guy with a gun. and what is so maddening that the rights, the nra talks about in these situations, is they think a person's normal instinct would be to reach into the drawer and bring out a gun and shoot back. that is not a normal situation. she had to make a split situation in terror, beg him, please, don't kill me. or immediately go into teacher/administrator, mother mode and talk to him. >> how can i help you? she turned it into how can i help you with the trouble you have. and frank, what are you hearing? you're monitoring what the nra's reaction is to all of these kinds of things. have they yet announced their tribute of dinner for antoinette tuff? >> they are completely ignore ing what happened in decatur, georgia, like it didn't exist. both the official at nra as well as the twitter feed.

instead they're factored on issues like the colorado recall election on september tenth, with senator morse and also senator heron. but this is a situation that the nra and its supporters cannot process. they don't want to deal with it. they cannot touch it. they just want it to go away. it denies the mantra that a man like wayne lapierre says that only the good guy with the gun, it is simply not the case, there are other ways to deal with gun violence. >> well, my new mantra, we all go through something in life. the antoinette tuff line. thank you both for joining me. >> thank you. coming up, colin powell versus bill o'reilly, over voter suppression. and the clip i showed you last night. and marijuana is legal in some form in 20 states. but the federal government still considers it illegal.

so imagine what kind of a mess marijuana businesses get into when they have to file their federal tax returns. in the rewrite.

as reported here last week, terry dunlap sr., a former ohio police chief accidentally shot a student last week during a gun safety class. the student was only slightly injured and he told the columbus dispatch, up until he shot me accidentally, it was a very informative and i learned a lot. and you know the hunting trip with dick cheney was great until he shot the guy beside him. and you know it turns out this was not the first time terry dunlap accidentally shot somebody. the report showed he fired a .38 caliber handgun into the air during a hay ride as a scary stunt for his daughter and

friend. a bullet ricochetted and hit a 14-year-old girl in the leg. when she heard about the latest shooting, she said, oh, no, he has done it again. >> you object to showing an identification card when you vote? [ female announcer ] made just a little sweeter... because all these whole grains aren't healthy unless you actually eat them ♪ multigrain cheerios. also available in delicious peanut butter. healthy never tasted so sweet.

also available in delicious peanut butter. do you guys ride? well... no. sometimes, yeah. yes. well, if you know anybody else who also rides, send them here -- we got great coverage. it's not like bikers love their bikes more than life itself. i doubt anyone will even notice. leading the pack in motorcycle insurance. now, that's progressive. call or click today. aarrggh! still running in the morning? yeah. getting your vegetables every day? when i can. [ bop ] [ male announcer ] could've had a v8. two full servings of vegetables for only 50 delicious calories. >> you object to showing an identification card when you vote? >> no. >> well, that is all the republican party wants -- that is all they want is a voter id. >> i object to putting in place

additional levels of voter id that -- disenfranchise those of our fellow citizens. i want to see a republican party that rather than trying to make it more difficult to vote and restricting the number of days and hours you can vote. a republican party that says we want everybody to vote and we're going to give you a reason to vote for us. >> today, general colin powell took over another republican over voter id laws. this time it was republican governor pat mccrory who just signed a bill regarding the right to vote. now, mccrory was in the audience at a ceo forum in raleigh, north carolina, when the former secretary of state said this, i want to see policies that encourage every american to vote, not make it more difficult to vote. it immediately turns off the voting block that the republican party needs. this doesn't build on the base but turns people away. what it really says to the minority voters is we really are sort of punishing you. you can say what you like, but there is no voter fraud.

how can it be widespread and undetected. the justice department said today it will file another lawsuit to block the photo id law arguing that it violates section two of the voting rights act, which prevents any kind of discriminatory laws. last year, the supreme court ruled in favor of the justice department but blocked the texas law. but that decision was reversed after section four was struck down of the voting rights act. in a statement today, u.s. attorney general eric holder said we will not allow that interpretation to be open for state that is pursue measures to protect voting rights. this represents the department's latest action to protect voting rights. but it will not be our last. eugene robinson, this action

by the justice department reminds people that the voting rights act was not repealed. there was a section taken out that required certain states to get prior approval for the changes. but everything is still there. >> everything is out there. >> to go after them when they do pass such legislation. >> it is still illegal to deny people the right to vote because of racism or for partisan reasons or you know, for reasons that are not legitimate. and the justice department has a lot of tools in the voting rights act to go after it. now, you know, it is inconvenient. they have to let these things pretty much be passed. and then they can attack them. but eric holder has indicated that he is going to pile in, as soon as possible, and do what he can to uphold the part of the law that stands. >> and there is every reason to think that he can be successful with this, because the supreme court deliberately left these procedures in place. this court, this conservative

court, said yes, these kinds of cases should continue. >> exactly. the court said specifically that. and the only thing the court struck down was essentially the mass of states that were required to do pre-clearance, it didn't even do that. it said you need a new map, there were good arguments on the other side of that question. but the bottom line is the voting rights act, minus that one provision is intact and obviously will be important. >> we unfortunately, do not have an isolated camera view of mccrory's face when colin powell -- he was using their words against them. because they said about voter fraud in north carolina that it is widespread. and undetected. >> and that makes absolutely zero sense, right? if there were widespread impersonator voter fraud, the republicans would be able to

point to more than like maybe one case or two cases in the past many years. it doesn't happen. it simply is not a problem. so all of these solutions, which are voter suppression, are solutions still in search of a problem. they still have not found the problem. >> and it is as you put it perspective, who is that person who is so civic-minded he or she wants to vote a lot. >> right, and is going to go up to a neighbor or somebody and say you know, i'm going to go down, can i go vote in your name today? it just makes no sense. >> yeah, and the -- the republican party not listening to voices like colin powell is clearly the biggest conceivable mistake they could be making right now, just in terms of the demography of american politics. >> there you have it, of the country. this is going to be a majority nation in 2045, whatever. that is a while. but major states are already

majority/minority. and others will fall in years to come. the republican party, if it wants to be a national party, cannot afford to keep not just ignoring, but actively alienating african-americans, if it wants to survive as one of two major parties that operate in the presidency. >> and then what he says, you are adding after you do this, the intellectual sense to us, that this is not aimed at us. and we know it is. >> at least be honest, and that is an insult. and frankly, i think there is plenty of evidence that in last year's presidential election, the voter suppression effort

ticked off african-american voters so much that they came out in droves. and i predict that this will continue. i mean, you just -- you know, you keep doing this to people and they have recourses. they can go vote and vote you out. >> eugene robinson, thank you for joining us. >> great to be here, lawrence. coming up, there is an industry that is begging to be taxed, legally taxed. and that is the legal marijuana business. it is legal in 20 states. and they are eager to pay their federal taxes. but they would like to have a few deductions on their federal tax returns just like every other business. that is coming up. and my next guest is the american journalist who appeared on russian tv to talk about the manning case. and then refused to talk about anything about russia's oppressive anti-gay laws. he is joining me next and can say whatever he wants.

nds to st. while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and it's t a narcotic. you and your doctor should balance the benefits with t risks. all prescriptn nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, like celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions,

or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. don't take celebrex if you have bleeding in the stomach or intestine, or had an asthma attack, hives, other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history. and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. like carpools... polly wants to know if we can pick her up. yeah, we can make room. yeah. [ male announcer ] ...office space. yes, we're loving this communal seating. it's great. [ male announcer ] the best thing to share? a data plan. at&t mobile share for business. one bucket of data for everyone on the plan, unlimited talk and text on smart phones. now, everyone's in the spirit of sharing. hey, can i borrow your boat this weekend? no. [ male announcer ] share more. save more. at&t mobile share for business.

♪

bradley manning released a statement today in which he changed his name and his gender. the statement says, i want to thank everybody who has supported me in the last three years, throughout this ordeal your letters and encouragement have kept me strong as i enter the next phase of my life. i want everyone to know the real me, i am chelsea manning, a female. given the way i have felt as a child i want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible. i hope you support me in this

transition, and i also request that starting today you refer to me by my new name and use the feminine pronoun, except in the official mail capacity. i look forward to hearing from supporters and having the opportunity to write back. up next, the american journalist who was invited to discuss the manning case but kept talking about russia's anti-gay laws. james kirchick is next. rebecca: whe renewal notice. by about $110 a month. roll the dice. care act was passed, company to go down by about $60 a month. little guy

reb[ male announcer ]s. frequent heartburn? the choice is yours. chalky... not chalky. temporary... 24 hour. lots of tablets... one pill. you decide. prevent acid with prevacid 24hr.

bob will retire when he's 153, which would be fine if bob were a vampire. but he's not. ♪ he's an architect with two kids and a mortgage. luckily, he found someone who gave him a fresh perspective on his portfolio. and with some planning and effort, hopefully bob can retire at a more appropriate age. it's not rocket science. it's just common sense. from td ameritrade. [ female announcer ] pop in a whole new kind of clean with tide pods. three chambers. three times the stain removal power. pop in. stand out. otherworldly things.

but there are some things i've never seen before. this ge jet engine can understand 5,000 data samples per second. which is good for business. because planes use less fuel, spend less time on the ground and more time in the air. suddenly, faraway places don't seem so...far away. ♪ in the spotlight tonight, protesting russia's anti-gay laws, the best protest i have seen so far of those laws occurred yesterday on russian tv. and the man who launched that protest will join me in just a moment. you know, i showed you this last night. but it is worth another look. here is james kirchick, on russian tv, having been invited to discuss the case of bradley manning, now known as chelsea manning. james kirchick changed the subject. >> the state of violent attacks on gay people in russia, the

state of violent -- >> what about bradley manning -- >> i am not really interested in talking about bradley manning, i'm interested in talking about the horrific environment of homophobia in russia right now, and to let the russian people know they have friends in solidarity all over, and we will not be silenced, by your pay masters, by vladimir putin, that is what i'm here to talk about. and i don't even know how as a journalist you can sleep at night for what happens in russia, the people who are repeatedly harassed. how you can call yourself a journalist and how you can go to sleep at night. you should be ashamed of yourself. >> joining me now, james kirchick, we showed the full version of that last night and will keep it available on the website because this is a perfect piece of video. so what happened when you finished the segment, and you left? were you in a studio there? or where were you?

>> i was in the studio in sweden, at the swedish television, the national broadcaster, and i went into the car, which had been hired to take me to the airport. i had a flight to where i am now. at about half way to the airport on the highway, the call came saying they cancelled the taxi and i was to be put on the side of the road. i told the driver that i would pay for the rest of the ride to the airport. he drove me to the airport and then miraculously, the taxi company just decided to give me a free ride. so there are some freedom-lovers in sweden. >> all right, well, we will never cancel your car, james, no matter what you say. >> okay, thanks. >> on this or any other segment, we guarantee the car up front. now, i want to read you -- >> good. >> a bit of an exchange here that occurred today with the

russian deputy prime minister writing a letter to the international olympic committee about this. and it is -- i'm just going to go through a couple of the lines. it is breathtakingly absurd. he said these legislations, meaning the anti-gay laws, apply equally to all persons irrespective of their race, gender and cannot be regarded as discrimination, based on sexual orientation. so in his head, because it is illegal to say anything positive about gay or straight people, then that is not discrimination, no one can say it. >> it is utterly preposterous. and the excuses they are giving are ridiculous. and they should not be listened to. and i really don't know what else to say. they're just laughing at us, this is going on -- >> sorry, james, because of the delay, there is a little

crossback, but let me just add for you what the ioc's president's response was, which was absolutely disgusting. upon receipt of this meaningless russian letter that is full of stupidity of all of this, they say it should be available to all regardless of race or sexual orientation. the games themselves should be open to all, free of discrimination, that applies to spectators, media, and of course athletes. we would oppose in the strongest terms any move that would jeopardize this principle. that is of course, a lie, because they are not opposing the anti-gay laws which do indeed, jeopardize that principle. >> i think you're right. and it is hardly surprising. i mean, the ioc has to be one of the most corrupt organizations in the world. and it has been for many, many years. so it does not at all surprise me that they would be very craven in the face of vladimir putin. >> how do you anticipate russian tv? you mentioned on the show they had been running pretty much non-stop coverage of the manning

case, now known as chelsea manning and snowden, and reveling in that. and they have done maybe one segment, which we were able to find, they had done only one segment regarding the anti-gay laws, showing people beating up the gay activist who was on the show. so the coverage is wildly lopsided in terms of let's do the stories that we love. you know, the manning story. how do you think the change to chelsea manning is going to affect their coverage of what is now the chelsea manning story? >> interesting question, i don't think it will affect it much at all. because remember today, russia is not broadcast in russia. it is broadcast in english overseas. so they can touch this in a very different way.

they can continue to uphold chelsea manning as a hero. and they can just ignore the hold gender issue. because russians are not hearing it. so they can continue to promote bradley manning/chelsea manning as a hero, because that is a very anti-american cause, because it makes him look like a hero, makes the united states look bad, which is ultimately what the agenda is about. and they can sort of waive away the whole transgender issue, and how it will affect the russian government, and the transgender people. because the people are not actually seeing today what russia is broadcasting. >> now, james, if you had been successful in changing the subject of the show and those other people were actually willing to engage in a discussion of the anti-gay laws, i assume you would have been

willing to do that, too? >> of course. yeah, absolutely. but that is not what they wanted to talk about. the only discussion that they have had of the anti-gay laws on russia today have been completely one-sided. completely staged. utterly cynical conversation, apparently they had to have an openly gay guy working for them, who is apparently british, like most of the western journalists who work for russia today. these people are complete failures in their own countries. and so that is why they get a job there, because they can't get a job at msnbc or cnn or any respectable news outlet. so he was sort of the kind of gay step and fetch it that they had. saying you know, britain had a law similar to this one, which was not true. section 22 in the uk was nowhere near as draconian as what has been passed in russia. their conversations of this law have been completely and utter lie one-sided.

so of course i would have loved to have debated it with them. that was not in the cards. >> james kirchick, you did a heroic job, and the car is waiting, wherever you want to go. >> thank you very much. >> coming up, taxing marijuana. ] from the last day of school, back to the first. they're gonna write a lot. so make sure they've got somewhere to write it. this week only get composition books for a dime. staples has it. staples. that was easy.

♪ now you can give yourself a kick in the rear! v8 v-fusion plus energy. natural energy from green tea plus fruits and veggies. need a little kick? ooh! could've had a v8. in the juice aisle. it guides you to a number that will change your it guides you to a number life: your sleep number setting. it will give you the soundest sleep you've ever had. it's a bed so intuitive it even knows you by name. now it's easier than ever to experience deep, restful sleep with the sleep number bed's dualair technology. at the simple touch of a button, the sleep number mattress adjusts to your ideal level of comfort and support, with exceptional pressure relief on each side. experience the newest innovation from sleep number: the only bed that knows you. and there's only one place in the world you'll find the sleep number bed: at one of our 425 stores nationwide.

where at our biggest sale of the year, every sleep number bed is on sale. queen mattresses now start at just $599 . and save an incredible 40% on the sleep number limited edition memory foam mattress sets. sleep number. comfort individualized. thto fight chronic. osteoarthritis pain. to fight chronic low back pain. to take action. to take the next step. today, you will know you did something for your pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a pain reliever fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one non-narcotic pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. anti-depressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not for children under 18. people taking maois, linezolid or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin,

or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing skin or eyes. tell your doctor about all your medicines, including those for migraine and while on cymbalta, call right away if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. take the next step. talk to your doctor. cymbalta can help. in the rewrite tonight, the small business tax equity act. now, i know it sounds boring, but it is really all about marijuana and how to tax marijuana. now one proposal would be to tax the law and regulate it as a normal business. two democratic members of congress have introduced the

bill to do exactly that. that simple solution. they would tax marijuana at $50 an ounce, if that is okay with you. which could raise about $20 billion a year. legalizing pot does not seem to have majority support in either the house or the senate. and as we heard from the white house today, president obama does not support changing the marijuana law, at this point, end quote. >> i can tell you the administration's position on this has been clear and consistent for sometime now. that while the prosecution of drug traffickers remains an important priority, the president and the administration believe that targeting individual marijuana users, especially those with serious illnesses and their caregivers is not the best allocation of federal law enforcement resources. but at this time, the president

does not advocate a change in the law. >> that little phrase, at this point, has given much hope to people on the internet, hoping that the president evolves much the same way he evolved on gay marriage. the tax equity act is a more targeted and undeniable fair bill, it provides the right to use standard business tax deductions for marijuana businesses in those states where those businesses are legal. california's legal medical marijuana dispensaries, for example, file tax returns just like all other businesses. but on their federal tax returns, the irs does not allow

them any business deductions on the grounds that they are drug trafficking organizations. the small business tax equity act would simply allow medical marijuana dispensaries and other legal marijuana businesses to deduct normal business expenses, rent, things like that, on their federal tax returns, just like every other small businesses in america. if republican rhetoric about fair taxation for small businesses means anything, every republican should be lining up to support this bill. >> and that is why we've insisted to the president, when we say that raising tax rates on small business people is not going to help solve the number one issue, which is jobs, for working people in this country. >> but of course, republican rhetoric on the taxes for small businesses does not mean anything. it is just the language republicans have chosen to mask their opposition to taxes on the high income earners. republicans are just as happy to see a small business targeted by the irs, as directed by congress, to deny that business

the same tax deductions and treatments that other small businesses enjoy. and we don't hear a peep out of republicans about that extreme tax unfairness to that small business. and so the march to legalization of marijuana continues in the state. while the federal government continues its war against progress. a war that it will lose as decisively as it has already lost the war on drugs. republicans are abandoning a bad idea in favor of a truly hero: if you had a chance to go anywhere in the world,

but you had to leave right now, would you go? man: 'oh i can't go tonight' woman: 'i can't.' hero : that's what expedia asked me. host: book the flight but you have to go right now. hero: (laughs) and i just go? this is for real right? this is for real? i always said one day i'd go to china, just never thought it'd be today. anncr: we're giving away a trip every day. download the expedia app and your next trip could be on us. expedia, find yours.

republicans are abandoning a bad idea in favor of a truly crazy idea. governor howard dean joins me

next. chances are, you're not made of money, so don't overpay for boat insurance. geico, see how much you could save.

president obama set off on a two-day bus tour today with stops in buffalo and syracuse. and said this about the republican efforts to shut down the government over the affordable care act. >> rather than keeping focus on a growing economy that creates good middle class jobs, you know, we've seen a faction of republicans in congress suggest that maybe america shouldn't pay its bills that have already been run up. that we should shut down

government if they can't shut down obama care. you know, that won't grow our economy. >> as more republicans realize that shutting down the government to de-fund obama care will not work, some republicans are coming up with a new plan. >> i actually don't think if there is a smart strategy on the obama care, they want to do it on the -- don't do it on the shutdown, because our economy is so precarious right now. and shutting down the government won't stop obama care one bit. >> eric cantor said this idea is "a good leverage point." obama care is one of the many things we can pursue. joining me now, dr. howard dean. it seems when the republicans realize they have a bad idea that won't work, they jump to a truly crazy idea that would do

much more damage than their other bad idea that won't work. >> you know, it is just astonishing to watch the self-destruction of the republican party. i think -- i don't know what they're doing. i mean, it just lurks from one idea to offend everybody to another. they have already offended hispanics, women and gay people. and now they're going to the business community. can you imagine on wall street if -- what is going to happen if we don't pay our bills? i think they're doing everything they can. it is amazing to me. >> i love coburn's line there when he says that congress is much too precarious right now to risk shutting down the government. so let's risk not raising the debt ceiling and putting the government into default in this precarious economy. >> you know, the interesting thing, lawrence, when you actually think about it, both

will shut down the government. because what a responsible president, and president obama is certainly a responsible president will do, is they're going to pay the debt. and they need to stop spending the money on the government. it is the same thing, this is silliness, i am really surprised that tom coburn, who is no dope, would say such a thing. because the president is going to pay the bondholders, because he is not going to allow us to go into default, which means he is not going to allow us to pay social security and all of those other things. >> when you listen to guys like that, you wonder if he is just saying this because he wants to sound tough about something, he will hang his hat on the debt ceiling, betting he will never have to deliver on it? you wonder if how much of this rhetoric is these republicans needing to sound tough in front of certain audiences. >> i don't get this, the smart people in the republican party

know this is just -- this is just nothing but turning off the american people. the voters are so tired of this. i just don't understand why they keep pursuing this. i understand they have to play to their own base. their own base is getting smaller every single day. >> governor dean, quickly, before you go, you made a trip to iowa recently, which provoked a lot of questions about is howard dean running for president? and so this is as good a time as any to announce, we can make some real news here tonight. >> well, no, lawrence, i'm not going to announce anything. it is much too early to think about that. for the time being, i'm going to support hillary clinton. i am making a lot of trips throughout because i want to take back state legislatures. i was in utah, in iowa, i'm going to new hampshire and virginia and a few other states. but i'm not allowed to do that list thing anymore. >> well, given the tape i studied. as for now, i'm putting howard dean down as a "maybe."