i agree with what al franken said., thank you for making me a part of this broadcast. it's been my home at nbc for several years now. it's an honor. i am proud to have worked with you and i wish you tremendous luck. my pitch, stand-up comedy. you are a funny cat, my friend. good luck. >> listen to who is talking. mike murphy who actually has the chops to go on tour should he wish to. al franken, by the way, is currently touring and performing stand-up. part of the tour he calls, wait for it, the only former senator currentoy on tour, tour. he is in ithaca on friday at what i hope they're calling the lake effect tour and a town hall in new york on saturday night. gentlemen, i couldn't do this without smart guys like you. yes, al? >> i was going to say something also, but you look embarrassed when peter baker brought it up. and what mike said was really sufficient. so -- whoa! there, i didn't mean to -- that wasn't timed that way. >> wow, that's a rare instance of cable news kismet right there. >> i tell you one thing. i

joining me now, former democratic senator al franken, the host of the al franken podcast. >> good to considering what's happening. >> i wore the mask until here. >> did you see me? i had the mask -- >> you had to remind me to take it off. >> people who got the vaccine, right, people who got the vaccine are doing the right thing, but you have so many people who are not doing the right thing. do you think it's time to start treating people differently when, you know, if you have the vaccine, you can go certain places. if you don't, you can't. what do you think we do? >> yeah, i don't think you should be able to get on a plane unless you've been vaccinated. i think these workplace mandates are absolutely essential. this is life or death, and these people who are making political hay out of this, they're -- it's irresponsible, and they do this elsewhere, and it works. and it's just -- also, the virus wouldn't don't mutate if we didn't let it by people getting sick. now that would be the entire world. >> you still pay attention to what's happening in washington? >> absolutely. every day.

senator al franken.o you believe that this is the biggest threat to our democracy, and what's the deal? why won't they do a carveout for the filibuster like they did with the infrastructure? >> believe me, i've been involved in discussions about -- joe won't do a -- get rid of the filibuster, but he will do a modification, at least he has said that, joe manchin. and norm ornstein and i have a proposal which would do a number of things. one, right now you need 60 to end the filibuster, right? well, we have 50, they filibuster anything, and it's over. part of what we're saying is you need 41 on the floor to sustain a filibuster. so at least they got to show up. but then they have to stay on the floor, and it has to be what's called a talking filibuster. >> i've heard that. how does that change anything? >> well -- >> except to just hold things up for longer because it seems like these people are just -- >> i'll tell you because i've been there, and you know how hard it is to get people to stay there. they

still with us al franken and mike murphy. senator, i want to play for you one of your former colleagues on the remaining big piece of the biden agenda. here is elizabeth warren's comments, we will discuss on the other side. >> we need to get build back better done. we have talked, and talked, and talked, and talked. it is not as if we need to talk to more to figure out what this bill is about and what it does. we don't need more delay. >> so, i, will you know a thing or two because you seen a thing or two. can the democrats move this, will they move this? >> well, elizabeth is right. but then again, she may be wrong. because i don't know what leverage they have over joe manchin, and i don't know if it's worse to take a vote and not line, or -- joe i think once to a child tax credit. he indicated he wanted to wait till they had to renew that. i think that affects a lot of people in west virginia. but i don't see the leverage that the caucus has over joe. and so i wouldn't think that chuck schumer will want to bring it to the f

i'm joined by al franken of minnesota host of the al franken podcast and west virginia native founderesident of the national wildlife federation. thank you for being here. as he was fighting against president biden's agenda was sucking in money from verizon, union pacific, wells fargo, pacts tied to the coal industries and mining and koch brothers were lobbying him. billionaires cheering him on. he has a long history of fighting climate measures. why is anyone surprised he's killing build back better? >> i was on the call last night. joe biden said when asked about how this would get done, he said joe and i will get it done. that's what it will have to be. joe and joe will have to do this. and he's not against the climate piece in build back better now. it has transitioned, money for transitioning people who work in coal to other kinds of jobs, they like that. i think the united mine workers urged him to sign on. look, this has been a sloppy and long, long, negotiation and been hard to pin joe down many times but there are very good things in this. universal prek is huge. we're not go

al franken is the host of the al franken podcast. that voice mail is repugnant.we now know made these clearly anti-muslim bigoted jokes about ilhan omar. so you now see the consequences of this. and you see consequences of kevin mccarthy taking no public stand here. >> it's amazing he didn't take any action against gosar who did, what's it called -- >> fantasy anime murder video. . >> yeah. and, you know, any workplace in america, you know, it would be like, bob, did you put out a video of you killing one of your employees here? yes, i did. you can't do that. really? it was kind of meant to be a joke. and mccarthy won't discipline them at all. but will discipline the 13 republicans if they get the majority, take away their chairmanships, the ones who voted for infrastructure. which the republicans tried to do and didn't achieve during trump. they are for infrastructure until they are against it because biden is the president. it is so dysfunctional. it is so cynical. it's really a sad -- i can't believe how dysfunctional that place is. >> there are some republica

joining me is al franken who served alongside senator reid and the host of the al franken podcast we'll talk about in a minute and ceo of the nevada independent. thank you both for being here this evening to celebrate the life and legacy of senator harry reid. senator franken, i want to start with you. you recently a couple years ago traveled to nevada to interview senator harry reid. i've been listening to your podcast all day that you did with him. >> yeah, oh, good. >> you had such a warm relationship and such a wonderful exchange because of your relationship, i'm curious your thoughts. what's his legacy? >> his legacy is the affordable care act. that's one of the big legacies. you'll talk to john about his role in the democratic party, building the democratic party in nevada. one of the things i think you heard in the piece is the podcast helped what great sense of humor harry had. we were walking back to the senate chamber through statutory hall and there is press on either side and just a dim and no one can hear what harry and i are saying. i turned to harry and said talk to me li

i mean, we do have a couple celebrities like al franken, the late john glenn, the great astronaut, et much as republicans do. i think the answer is really two-fold. the first is, democrats are really uncomfortable with the idea of being the party of hollywood. something that democrats really don't admit, i mean, we do use celebrities to fund-raise. we use them to give ourselves more attention, to crowd build for rallies. et cetera. but there is a lot of grumbling off and on to "the washington post" about how the democratic party is too associated with celebrities. that we should be a party of labor unions, not of hollywood celebrities. the recent example was that at aoc at the met gala, and how much criticism she received not just from conservatives but by democrats and liberals. and celebrities have a lower barrier of entry into the gop because they don't need to know anything. the gop is a post-policy party, that's very much true. there's only four core things in the gop you have to believe. tax cuts for the rich, conservative, pro-life judges, anti-immigration. anti-gun control. th

now most knowledgeable people, as you might imagine, hoped it would be me, al franken. >> well, thereread that stuff. is "saturday night live" "saturday night dead"? >> oh, man, come on. >> my favorite is "vile from new york." >> please, come on. >> that's funny, that's funny. >> they were having a hard time. and then came the man that saved the show, eddie murphy. there was buzz about him, so you tuned in. and there was this kind of explosion of talent in front of your eyes. ♪ >> it really kind of rejuvenated the show. >> i am gumby, dammit! you don't talk to me that way! >> after awhile, the show regained its status and its clout and became even more of an institution than it had been. >> hey, bob. >> hey, peters. looks great today. >> listen, if you're unhappy with my work, tell me now! >> you're through, you hear me, through! you'll never work in this town again! >> don't leave me hanging by a thread. let me know where i stand! >> we were a little worried at first because we had a new cast. but everyone loves us. >> you guys have been so nice to us during our stay. >> isn't that s

you go back to 2008, al franken won minnesota.n california. '98, jesse ventura. tprefpl thompson, '94. and ronald reagan started off with the tpwaoub that toral race in 1966. there are plenty celebrities who have made that jump from being a celebrity or entertainer to winning major statewide political office. will dr. oz be one of those, we >> tony:. but certainly there is a road map here. it has worked from. . >> most of the people were involved in the political role much more so than dr. oz. but we'll see. . >> we will see. but this is a unique time in our politics. as i pointed out earlier on, when you essentially have 78% of the field that's undecided, that is something you can jump into, get name recognition, which dr. oz is planning on doing >> that is a very high number. thank you. . >> thank you, sir. >>> a new sign that climate change is accelerating. rain felt last august in green land. may not sound like a big deal. it sounds like a huge teal. we'll explain much more about why >>> mark medicine toes finally cooperating

some of them are, you know, former politicians like al franken, but more recently i did an actress who supports henry winkler, actors and directors. scientists, other people who are doing really interesting things and that had interesting experiences. i am one of those people who believe that just because you get a little older doesn't mean you should be put out to pasture like some old goat. somegoats, greatest of all time in their fields and others are just use the accomplished people. host: jonathanalter.com is the website that viewers can go to. jimmy carter, plenty of callers to talk about the former president. durham, north carolina, democrat. good morning. caller: good morning. i would like to know if you spoke with jimmy carter while you researched for his book, but my main question is did you discuss the signing of the panama canal to go back to panama and the reversal efforts by george w. bush senior targeting panama, having the target of noriega as a direction for people to look at as opposed to understanding that that was an important thing to reverse for george w. bush, an

so some of them are -- are former politicians like al franken. but more recently i did an actress, suzy kurtz, henry winkler, the fonz, actors and directors and scientists and other people who are doing really interesting things and i've had interesting experiences. i'm one of those people who believes that just because you get a little older doesn't mean you should be put out to pasture like some old goat so some of these are g-o-a-t's, greatest of all time in their field and others are accomplished people who have a lot to say. john: today's focus is on jimmy carter, about that biography, "his very best: jimmy carter life" and plenty of callers to talk about the former president. don is up next -- dawn is next. a democrat. caller: i would like to know if you spoke with jimmy carter about your research for the book but my main question is, did you discuss the signing of the panama canal, to go back to panama and the reversal efforts by george h.w. bush, targeting panama, having the target of noriega as a subversive -- for people to look at under

senator and host of the al franken podcast. senator, thank you so much for being with us.oe manchin and i are going to get something done. how right is he? >>. >> i hope he's right. this has been back and forth and up and down. it looked really bad a couple of days ago. he was on the caucus call. there are things joe is very much for, like universal pre-k, which is great stuff. joe has some good points. he doesn't want thing to stop after five years and pay another five years. that's not such a terrible concept. so i think there's some there there. and people i talk to, those who are in the call the, think there is some reason for some optimism. >> what's your advice? if they were going to listen to you, what deal would you tell the more progressive democrats at this point given how manchin feels? >> what joe was saying is what the democrats tried to do is, okay, let's put every program we want in but only pay for four years. and then we will keep paying more. but those programs will work so well that everyone will want to keep them. joe is saying let's do a few programs r

convincing both of them the kind of reform jeff merckly and others put together that includes the idea al frankeng time moving from 60 to 41 to continue it combined with the talking filibuster but giving a lot of role for the minority both to speak and offer amendments actually is something that senator manchin's predecessor robert bird would support and that given the gravity of the situation, our democracy moves to code blue if we don't get this done really requires something substantial. the other thing they talked about, lawrence, is having this supply once a year so it doesn't become the regular format. you're doing a very careful balaning act here and i can't for the life of me see why given what we know about the situation in the country as the next january 6th approaches that they won't think that there is a way to get to yes on this. >> norm, in the manchin interview this weekend where he said no to the current version of the build back better bill, he also made the point that senate rules have changed many times over the centuries. he didn't say exactly what he'd be willing to do but he

i was on al franken's podcast the other day, and i brought this up, and he said, well, you know, ourhnston, thank you very much. cheers. >>> tonight's absolute worst is next. you don't want to miss it. stay right there. why don't you♪ ♪didn't even notice,♪ ♪no punches left to roll with♪ ♪you got to keep me focused♪ ♪ ♪ ♪well would you look at that?♪ ♪ ♪ jerry, you've got to see this. seen it. trust me, after 15 walks ...it gets a little old. ugh. i really should be retired by now. wish i'd invested when i had the chance... to the moon! [thud] [clunk] ugh... unbelievable. unbelievable. [ding] - oh...oh. - what's going on? - oh, darn! - let me help. lift and push and push! there... it's up there. hey joshie... wrinkles send the wrong message. help prevent them with downy wrinkleguard. feel the difference with downy. as a professional bull-rider i'm used to taking chances. but when it comes to my insurance i don't. i use liberty mutual, they customize your car insurance, so you only pay for what you need. wooo, yeaa, woooooo and, by switching you could even save 665 dollars. hey tex, ca

some of them are, you know, former politicians like al franken, but more recently i did an actress whoports henry winkler, actors and directors. scientists, other people who are doing really interesting things and that had interesting experiences. i am one of those people who believe that just because you get a little older doesn't mean you should be put out to pasture like some old goat. somegoats, greatest of all time in their fields and others are just use the accomplished people. host: jonathanalter.com is the website that viewers can go to. jimmy carter, plenty of callers to talk about the former president. durham, north carolina, democrat. good morning. caller: good morning. i would like to know if you spoke with jimmy carter while you researched for his book, but my main question is did you discuss the signing of the panama canal to go back to panama and the reversal efforts by george w. bush senior targeting panama, having the target of noriega as a direction for people to look at as opposed to understanding that that was an important thing to reverse for george w. bush, and th

some of them are, you know, former politicians like al franken, but more recently i did an actress whoports henry winkler, actors and directors. scientists, other people who are doing really interesting things and that had interesting experiences. i am one of those people who believe that just because you get a little older doesn't mean you should be put out to pasture like some old goat. somegoats, greatest of all time in their fields and others are just use the accomplished people. host: jonathanalter.com is the website that viewers can go to. jimmy carter, plenty of callers to talk about the former president. durham, north carolina, democrat. good morning. caller: good morning. i would like to know if you spoke with jimmy carter while you researched for his book, but my main question is did you discuss the signing of the panama canal to go back to panama and the reversal efforts by george w. bush senior targeting panama, having the target of noriega as a direction for people to look at as opposed to understanding that that was an important thing to reverse for george w. bush, and th