so mike barnicle, you called this when we made our picks last week. so did a lot of people. ' third baseman miguel cabrera beat out mike trout for american league mvp. it wasn't as close as some thought it might be. the first triple crown winner in 35 years. 22 first place votes. trout got six. this decision not going to sit well with the moneyball crowd. cabrera had the advantage in batting average, rbis, home runs. trout had the wins in w.a.r.s that measures a player's contribution to a team's record. 10.7 to 6.9. >> i'll tell what you it means, the internals of those statistics means that trout gets on base. he steals second. if miggy got on second, he'd never score. trout would score eight out of times from second base. even though the tigers went to the world series. so there was a big push for trout to get the mvp. >> i was surprised that the number -- the gap was that big. >> cabrera's a better -- trout's a better baseball player, but you win the triple crown -- >> it's automatic. >> -- you finish in first, you've got to give him the award. >> by the way, trout will be

with us on set, though, msnbc contributor mike barnicle. also national affairs editor for "new york" magazine and msnbc legal analyst, john heilemann. as always, tv's own willie geist. willie, your new york giants, man, they had a rough month. you know, they had a great game last night. i've got to say, though, there's a disturbing trend going on. i think -- i know how parents at the time in the 1960s when they started finding bong pipes -- >> bong pipes? did you just say bong pipes? >> in their children's rooms. so anyway, those big old -- anyway. these quarterbacks, willie -- >> pass the bong. >> and aaron rodgers, just like the fsu quarterback, just like 1,000 quarterbacks this weekend that i saw. they were all wearing these mustaches, and they're repulsive. >> i know. i know. >> they are repulsive. >> what's that about? >> they look like they're from, you know, it's like why don't you just bring the sudafed on the sidelines and a bunsen burner, you know? come on, man. >> it's -- >> what's wrong with them? >> it's the age of the ironic m

we'll get mike barnicle's opinion just ahead on "morning joe."ounds like a team he could gm. >> exactly right. >> now to the nba, the knicks, last undefeated team in basketball putting their perfect record on the line against the orlando magic. first quarter, knicks on the break, carmelo anthony gets ahead of the defense and throws down the one-handed jam and led with 25 points, 8 rebounds on the night. jump ahead to the fourth quarter, raymond felton, tyson chandler team up for the alley-oop. watch it. they beat the magic, 99-89 and improve to 5-0 on the year. jeremy lin who? this is just the third 5-0 start yore your new york knickerbockers. >>> the scandal that ended the career of david petraeus, now threatens the reputation of america's top general in afghanistan. we're going to speak about the implications for the u.s. military with barnacle and the rest of the "morning joe" crew. >>> when we come back we'll huddle around the water cooler where stephen colbert has choice words for those who just can't wait to start talking about the next pre

we have with us mike barnicle, senior political analyst, mark halperin, willie's just walked in. i don't know why you're laughing. >> me? >> no, mike. >> this lighting is disturbing. i don't know who did it. i don't like it. i'm just going to say that right up front. but i'm happy this weekend -- today because this weekend there was a huge sporting event that all the world tuned to. and i can tell you i've never been more proud of the vanderbilt commodores, dudley stadium. >> no, they went on the road and did that. they went to kentucky, to commonwealth stadium. sure. 40-0, 5-4. mika, one more win and vandy's bowl eligible. look how excited mika is. >> that's amazing. >> midas. >> laugh it up. laugh it up. >> we are. >> when we're in the music city bowl, we'll see. and by the way, alabama, what a game. >> did they win? >> ha. that was an incredible game. >> that was a great game. and we just want to say, all the great people of the state of alabama, my heart is with you and i love you and i'm one of you, the entire state of alabama just wants to extend our arms and put a big old b

i think it was a joke. >> i learned why mike barnicle is growing his hair because i understand that theyis and then of course over in japan for a couple more years. barnicle will be the next chanel model. >> i'm out of here. >> i'm so glad they didn't see that. it's way too early, what time is it? >> well, it's time for "morning joe." >> but right now chucked to and "the daily rundown. "chuck? >>> thank you, boys. number crunching. both sides of the fiscal cliff fight have numbers they like to highlight and they're ready to sell it to the public. a campaign-style road show help drive a deal behind closed doors? and president obama gets set to meet with mexico's incoming president, a deep dive into a fight that's killed nearly ten times as many people as the wars in iraq and afghanistan combined. it's that drug war south of the border in mexico. >>> and governor chris christie makes it official. he's running for governor of new jersey in 2013 for re-election. but that doesn't mean 2016 speculation doesn't cran

i believe that. >> mike barnicle. >> senator-elect warren -- >> oh, say that again, barnicle. >> isn't it's been many months since i encountered you in washington when you were just leaving the consumer bureau. and we talked about you running for the united states senate. >> i think you talked about it. yeah. mm-hmm. >> but you know, i think you'd be the first to admit, you know harvard law school you led a rather sheltered life in a sense within academia. what have you learned about yourself during the course of one of the greatest processes a person can go through, a campaign -- >> and grueling. >> going through places like fit fitchburg, massachusetts, and gardner, massachusetts, far from cambridge, the life you've led the past ten years. what have you learned about yourself that you think will be helpful for you in the senate? >> you know, i think it's about the heart and about the connection. i always know who i am. i'm the daughter of somebody who sold fencing and ended up as a maintenance man. my mom worked the phones at sears. i knew every single day at harvard exactly who i wa

mike barnicle will help explain why. sports is next. years ago, the people of bp made a commitment to the gulf. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help those affected and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open, and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. and bp's also committed to america. we support nearly 250,000 jobs and invest more here than anywhere else. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. our commitment has never been stronger. [ male announcer ] it's that time of year again. medicare open enrollment. time to compare plans and costs. you don't have to make changes. but it never hurts to see if you can find better coverage, save money, or both. and check out the preventive benefits you get after the health care law. ♪ open enrollment ends december 7th. so now's the time. visit medicare.gov or call 1-800-medicare. is what drives us to broadcast the world's biggest events in 3d, or live to your seat high above the atlantic ocean. it's what drives us to crea

also msnbc contributor mike barnicle and pulitzer prize-winning historian, jon meacham. he's the author of "the art of power." it's no longer forthcoming, it is here. and in washington, nbc chief foreign affairs correspondent and host of "andrea mitchell reports," andrea mitchell. good morning, andrea. >> hi there. >> john heilemann, it's been such a long, long road since you guys started reporting on president barack obama -- then-senator barack obama's first election campaign in 2007. here we are five years later, a very emotional moment for the president who has endured five years of the highest highs and the lowest lows in politics. this has to be one of the most special moments for the man. >> undoubtedly. you know, it will be -- you think about the significance of him winning the first time, obviously, an historic moment. but in a lot of ways, you know, if he had lost on tuesday night, there would have been a lot of people who kind of consigned that victory to an accident. >> he would have been an aberration of history. >> almost re-election means as much and maybe

mike barnicle. richard haass and donny deutsch. israelis were killed in rocket strike it's in southern part of the country. this comes as the israelis have launched an aggressive campaign. as many as 50 they say, launched from gaza into southern israel. last night, president obama spoke on the phone by prime minister benjamin netanyahu urging netanyahu to anoid casualties. they posted this video to youtube showing the killing of ahmed al jabari. the israeli military says it will broaden in the coming day. this morning, the israeli defense forces dropped leaflets over gaza, warning residents to tsai away from hamas operatives. on twitter, quote, we recommend that no hamas operatives whether low level or senior leaders show their faces aboveground in the days ahead." president obama spokes with egypt's president mohamed morsi to work together with the region. tensions has increased since the attacks with egypt recalling its ambassador to israel in protests. richard haass also in an emergency meeting of the u.n. security council last

. >> mike barnicle. >> are you looking at anything?ook at a key senate race in massachusetts. you obviously has elizabeth warren and scott brown. that has been a nail biter all of the way to the end. >> yea, the way that's going to turn is depending on the amount that the percentage of the governor romney beats governor romney's home state, if it's above 15% or 16% it will be a tough hill for scott brown to climb, but just one reference, i wish the speaker had been able to stay with it a little longer. i don't know where he was headed in trying to equate the level of historic incompetence after katrina in new orleans to what's taking place in metropolitan new york today. we have the united states marine corps in staten island and all sorts of ships with gasoline being filtered in to new york harbor. there are still a lot of people suffering, but the response from the state of new jersey, governor christie and from the federal government is far outdistanced the response of katrina. >> i think that's fair. >> governor christie has saidas

back with us on set, mike barnicle and john heilemann.ew normal. across the northeast in connecticut last year we had a hurricane first, and then we had a snowstorm at the end of october. the same thing's happened again. the fact that people on long island, people on staten island, people across new jersey have no power right now and are having to deal with another nor'easter. they're shivering in their homes instead of what we always did in florida which was sweat in our homes. >> in some places there's no place for people to go. it is a pretty devastating situation along the new jersey shorelines and parts of new york. >>> we begin this morning with hundreds of thousands of americans remaining without power during an unseasonably cold spell in the east adding to the damage left by hurricane sandy. a nor'easter blew through the east coast yesterday dumping snow and rain on a region that's barely begun to dig out from sandy. several inches of wet snow are threatening to topple already weakened trees. power was knocked out to some 60,000 h

i'm mike barnicle in for joe, mika and willie.oining us on set nbc news peter alexander off the road covering the romney campaign. >> you forgot to shave. >> i know, i did, i woke up late and forgot. national affairs editor and political analyst john heilemann, "time" senior political analyst mark halperin and assistant editor and columnist for "the financial times," jillian tet. the contest for viewers to figure out whose career will implode on the set because of something said or done. it won't be yours because you're much too cautious. it won't be yours. my candidate is john heilemann. >> i'm the front-runner, although they made it -- supposedly donny deutsch was supposed to be here today, and whatever, he's drunk or, you know, wherever he is, rehab. >> 9-5 odds. >> if donny had been here, you know, the career demolition thing would have been close to 100% likely, both of us going down in a flaming heap of muck. >> donny didn't want to be here because he didn't want to get adored sitting in a coffee shop on madison avenue which

and mike barnicle back at the table.>> just the look on his us and off color is off that shirt and he's going to have the baby >> you i serious. >> here's the deal. elizabeth warren isuld you please be quiet? morning. chastised any guest? none. reverence, respect, abus >> deserved. >> boy, you didn't see her interviewing r you? so let's talk about the republican brand. you're all about branding. republican process, we weekend on "meet the press," it hurt the republican anid not go at this party right is as been in years. >> i was talking to steve backstage. the brand is over as we know it if it ever wants to succeed. all you have to do is look at the demogragoing. it's them. people want progressiveness. people want compassion.y who i never like stablishment is now the minority. they have to self-correct. they can't just say we're not your fatherthey have to be a in will nevertenor, ifchange. v from them. reinvention. the republican party as we know ever win another election has to beletely reinvented at this pohm>> and s

. >> speaking of timekeepers, mike barnicle just e-mailed and he says hello. >> yes, where is mike, myhere. >> very nice things to say about the book. >> the new book "the timekeeper. "mitch albom. so great to have you on the show finally. >>> up next, business before the bell with brian shactman. twins. i didn't see them coming. i have obligations. cute obligations, but obligations. i need to rethink the core of my portfolio. what i really need is sleep. introducing the ishares core, building blocks for the heart of your portfolio. find out why 9 out of 10 large professional investors choose ishares for their etfs. ishares by blackrock. call 1-800-ishares for a prospectus which includes investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. read and consider it carefully before investing. risk includes possible loss of principal. no, no, no, stop! humans -- one day, we're coming up with the theory of relativity, the next... stop, stop, stop! my car! not so much. but that's okay. you're covered with great ideas like optional better car replacement from liberty mutual insurance. total your

i want to thank mike barnicle as well as susan and david axelrod and larry and stacy lieu chino. how quickly i can grow a mustache. i'm actually a natural redhead. we also learned that steve rattner, you're going to help us out by contributing and being part of the process of shaving david's mustache. >> i would, but i would contribute a lot more if you would grow a mustache. how much does that cost me? >> you know what, we can make that deal after you give him $100,000 to shave his mustache. >> i think it's a package. i think i should get two-for-one. >> maybe some michael steele, what have you learned today? >> i learn i can probably grow my mustache