your last thought on this, barbara boxer.s this going to be okay for the race for the cure, which we're watching a picture of right now? >> i think everyone is going to come together after this. it was a lesson for everyone, and we have to take politics and take it out of this. because, you know, republicans and democrats and independents, every one of us, whether we vote, we don't vote, whether we're pro-choice or not, we know someone who's been touched deeply by this. i sit here and i think about andrea and i think about the wife of my friend harry reid who is going through this now and i can say, we have to work together, period. and i think what happened with this apology was a recognition that we won't find a cure if we start fighting over things. let's just work together. let's get this done. >> great strong words from senator barbara boxer of california. thank you senator, and thank you, my friend, andrea mitchell, who knows of what she speaks. >>> up next, we're going to talk about "the game change, the movie. who doe

. >>> barbara boxer stepped into the contraceptive controversy.s david stevenson is live where the senator spoke today. >> reporter: barbara boxer's visit comes as 7 states today filed a lawsuit over a federal requirement that employers offer health insurance that includes contraceptives. who believes in birth control and if not why? >> reporter: the mention of birth control brought boos last night. after weeks of controversy. >> republicans -- it is having a ripple effect. >> reporter: barbara boxer came to san francisco to highlight the republican backed amendment. it is attached to highway legislation. >> every employer in america could say they have a objection, a moral objection and they don't have to provide any service that they deem morally unacceptable. >> gets out of the house, i can't see this becoming national law. >> reporter: he says it sacontroversy that so far hasn't hit home for his customers. >> overblown. the women will continuing using the birth control. >> reporter: he says birth control account for 10% of the total prescripti

. >> senators patty murray and barbara boxer joining us today, decision 2012 could a car crash lead to a brokered convention. and a loss, the death in syria of than though any shadid, for his reporting from iraq, survived a kidnappi inpin inpin he brought back stories that had to be told. >>> good day, i'm andrea mitchell. rick santorum's super pac is on the air in might be. but that is not what people are talking about. >> wait until you hear what his money man foster friess said this afternoon. >> foster friess. >> foster friess. >> foster friess. >> nbc's david gregory we have a fire storm here but there's a larger question, how santorum handled it and how foster friess handled it and what he said in the first place, david? >> i was there with you when he said it to you yesterday, sort of catching my breath. you know, i actually did not hear that formulation before. i guess i'm not old enough. it was a stupid thing to say, he has acknowledged that. i am not one that believes that santorum faces a huge amount of fall out over this. has tried to create distance and condemned it. there

joining me now is senator barbara boxer, an outspoken supporter of women health rights and morn healthhts in general. senator boxer, thanks for joining us. >> always great to be on your show. >> is this blunt amendment going to pass? >> no it will not pass. it will not pass because every day we keep getting more and more opposition. strong opposition. we just received a letter signed by many organizations. the cancer advocates are saying this is terrible. it could deny mammograms. it could deny colorectal screenings. this blunt amendment not only would deny women access to contraception, okay, it goes beyond that. and it would say that any essential service, any preventive service could be denied by any employer or insurance company. all they have to say is, i object. >> so if i'm an employer, so people understand this, this is not just about women's health care even though clearly you and i support that vehemently. but if i'm an employer and i say, well, i don't want to deal with this patient, this employer of mine that has diabetes and his coverage or her coverage because they did it

women talk live with senator barbara boxer next. >>> welcome back.ow did birth control become such a bad thing? republicans said they are fighting for religious freedom but they are really making it a political argument. missouri republican senator roy blunt introduced the blunt amendment. it allows any employer to deny coverage of contraception or any other health care service they find religiously or morally objectionable. okay. but this extreme idea is just for shock, right? think again. 20 senators are on board with it. mcconnell, rubio, mccain, the list goes on. and this is going on in the states, too. today, virginia house of delegates passed a controversial personhood bill that defines life at conception and outlaws any abortion and many kinds of birth control. okay. but this is just one state going extreme. nope. similar personhood laws are being pushed in a dozen states this year. and all four candidates are on board with it. the goal posts keep moving and we need to continue fighting it. joining me now, senator barbara boxer, democrat from

joining me now is barbara boxer, she has joined with our senators and objecting to the komen decisi decision yesterday. in looking at the wording from komen today, do you think it's a clear cut reversal or is it simply something to get past the immediate controversy? >> oh, i think it's a reversal and i'm very happy. and i think what happened today is that women's health triumphed over right-wing politics and the message here is very broad, it's not just about this huge issue, that by the way i thought you did such an interesting interview with the ambassador yesterday which helped bring this about, i must say. health care should never be politicized from any side. i have to tell you that once we get past this, and this has past, you cannot believe what is going on in the congress today. there's almost hand to hand combat over the issue of birth control going on and i thought that was resolved in the '60s, we have to make sure that the fact that women have access to birth control stands. the speaker of the house has gotten involved and marco rubio has gotten involved and would drive a loopho

dianne feinstein and barbara boxer are among 23 senators who signed a letter calling on, and to reconsider its decision. >>james: 40's and 30's, chilly to start. this afternoon we will look great. the fog in the north bay is pretty dance. this afternoon is looking great. we are a degree or to cooler than yesterday but we will more than make up for that this weekend. we will take a look at the extended forecast coming up in a little bit. >>george: we are continuing to monitor an easy ride. no hot spots delays or problems. a bit of a backup on the bay bridge for the westbound ride. for the san mateo bridge is an easy trip as you head westbound. in the upper right-hand corner of your screen the changeable message signed is activated but that is with an alert for the closure of the westbound bay bridge coming up on president's day weekend. >>mark: in the nfl is finally coming of the 200 million promised to help fund the construction. >>jackie: i am across the street from the 49ers headquarters next to great america parkway, this is the parking lot where that 68,000 $1 billion stadium is going

let's get this done. >> great strong words there from senator barbara boxer. thank you, senator.ea mitchell. >>> next is israel planning to attack iran as early as this spring? we'll get the latest report. and what role we might play. this is "hardball" on msnbc. juice drink too watery? ♪ feel the power my young friend. mmm! [ male announcer ] for excellent fruit and veggie nutrition... v8 v-fusion, also refreshing plus tea. could've had a v8. we asked him to be part of an experiment to prove that febreze air effects can eliminate tough cooking odors. [ moderator ] take a deep breath and then tell me what you smell. wow. it takes you kinda to like an island. like a paradise. [ sniffs ] vanilla. [ sniffs ] i smell caramel, like a caramel candy. [ moderator ] go ahead and take your blindfold off. ah man. ♪ [ laughs ] wow man! [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] eliminate tough odors with febreze air effects so you can breathe happy guaranteed. ♪ [ male announcer ] how could switchgrass in argentina, change engineering in dubai, aluminum production in south africa, and the aerospace indus

so barbara boxer won. >> bill: you are a a woman.m i wrong in not wanting my breast cancer donations to go to planned parenthood? am i wrong? >> no you are not. >> bill: okay. good. i really don't want them. because planned parenthood is responsible for about 400,000 abortions every year. >> will you now not give money to the komen foundation? >> bill: i'm going to have to talk to them. >> you are a powerful guy just give the head a ring. >> bill: i am. i'm going to talk to komen if i give you this amount of money how much is going to go to planned parenthood. the dopey new movie coming out called o zombie. zombies are everywhere. you may not know this but on the ride home i'm attacked by zombies on the long island expressway every night. it's out of control. how they get on the roadway i have no idea. there is a movie o zombie on obama, owe -- o zombie roll the tape. >> obama is back. we and a few others only things stand between people of afghanistan and apocalypse. >> someone is going to have to make a stand and someone is going t

but barbara boxer got it right it's going back to the dark ages, it's not just blunt, though, ed. look at the four candidates remaining in the republican primary, they, too are opposing no cost coverage for cancer screening, or domestic violence as a pre-existing condition. >> they are using women as a target to take down president obama. >> i mean they are putting a target on the back of women in order to take down a president they don't like and i think it's a losing strategy. women in this country across the political spectrum, particularly independent women, they want to have privacy rights, they want to have liberty, they want the protection of their rights with doctors, we saw an outpouring of grass roots activism, anger at the way planned planned parenthood was targeted by the komen foundation planned parenthood is in women's live. one in six women and their daughters have been helped. it is like apple pie. what we need to think about this could be the year of the woman in the year 1992 was electorally. we're seeing a war on women arouse women and we are looking at five wom

he got confused and thought he was hitting on barbara boxer. he was actually fondling my hand. he married a succession -- several miss south carolinas. the last one was miss south carolina 1993 or whatever. i felt like one of those. i love writing. strom thurmond is a gift to an obituary. i love writing obituaries. you have to have an affection for the character. if i am honest i would say that is the book of mine that i most enjoyed reading. is a miniature art, the obituary. i love to write about characters like strom thurmond. >> host: we have 50 minutes left with mark steyn on our live program and your calls continue in just a moment. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> here are the >> here are the best-selling nonfiction books as of jan. 29 to. topping the list is talk show host marc levin's new book me t meritopi meritopica. american military history. third on the list let walter isaacson's biography of steve jobs. bill o'reilly and martin dugard are fourth followed by nfl quarterback tim tebow's memoir, "through my eyes." number six is "unbroken" by laura hillen brand. then the influence of human t

. ♪ pnchlths -- senator barbara boxer is saying that 2012 is shaping up to the year of the woman.e other lady to panel, patricia let's bring you in here. if we look at what has happened in recent weeks. there's the susan g. komen flare up to put it mildly the white house stand to federal health care bill and the watered down version of the ultr sound being tack tackled, it's being voted on today by the state senate. in some ways, i think if you were -- we were discussing this three weeks ago, we would have said it's an unprecedentsed attack on women's health. and the tide seems to have switched in favor of democrats and women democrats if you look at barbara boxer speaking out and nancy pelosi holding hearings on the hill. >> they call it the year of the woman, so far it's been the year of the anti-woman. to see the images and hear the conversations that are going on, you literally feel like you've gone back to the 1950s and for young independent women they did not know these conversations could exist. it's a scary time for women. doesn't matter the party you are in. i think that

. >> senator barbara boxer says the benefits of the bill are too important not to pass. >> new insurance plans will include free preventive benefits, such as breast cancer screenings, h.i.v. screenings, cervical cancer screening and free contraception. >> on the hill, speaker john boehner took to the house floor. >> this attack by the federal government on religious freedom in our country must not stand and will not stand. >> shortly after boehner vowed to repeal the policy, senate republicans held a news conference. >> it violates our first amendment to the constitution and really, it's an affront to what we stand for as americans. >> they are echoing an argument about religious freedom that catholic leaders have been hammering home for more than two weeks. the goal, to chip away at the president's support from catholic allies while rallying the republican evangelical base. like followers of rick war en, who gave the invitation at the president's inauguration. he tweeted i would go to jail rather than cave-in to a government mandate that violates. however, a poll by the public relidge o

. >>> in san francisco this afternoon, barbara boxer discussed a need to tap into oil reserves to help the spike in gas prices. >> we must, must, must reduce our reliance on foreign oil. i believe that is a win-win. leave the dictators behind. >> prices at the pump are on the minds of many people. the cost of gas continues to surge. bay area drivers seeing prices jump by 8 cents in one day. in san francisco today a gallon is $4.19. the average in oakland $4.13. south bay, san jose, $4.14. >>> google, microsoft and yahoo agreed to create a do not tract button. the companies promised to work with web browsers to create that button. it will allow users to opt out of tracking with a click of your mouse. it should be available in 9 months. >>> beautiful day turned into a windy day and more changes appear to be on the way. let's find out what is happening, bill? >> the wind advisory remains for the next few hours. the fire in the napa area, the winds helping the fire long, giving the firefighter trouble. outside, the winds are still low blowing. wind gusts right here up to 27 miles per hour.

i teamed up with joe lieberman to make college more affordable for low income families, barbara boxerg open space. i'm working with hillary clinton to limit inappropriate material in children's video games. >> i want to pair that up with a statement with someone present at a meeting with you at cpac where you assured them that you would not move back to the center were you you to become president of the united states. so, where is the rick santorum that paired up with joe lieberman, barbara boxer and hillary clinton? just won't be there if he becomes president? >> well, a lot of the things i was just talking about, i mean protecting kid on the internet is a conversation thing to do. hillary clinton came on our side on that. and the things i worked with joe lieberman. the same thing. these are things that we worked on that we could find bipartisan accommodations, open space was a very, very important issue in suburban philadelphia, as it is out here in california. and this was an opportunity for to really work with local communities who wanted to preserve that space particularly in urb

the images were worth a thousand words, according to senator barbara boxer. >> because yesterday this is what americans saw. a republican house of representatives that is so hostile to women's health that they didn't even think about having a person on there who was a female, nor did they have anyone on there that agreed that it's important that women have access to birth control. >> it continues to be a political hot potato. it's sparked by a plan to require church related businesses, provide free coverage. >>> payroll taxes will not go up for 160 million americans for the rest of the year. it extends unemployment benefits for millions of others with no spending cuts or tax hikes on the wealthy. the bill, which provides the average worker an extra $1,000 a year now goes to president obama and he says he will sign this bill. >>> family and friends of whitney houston attended a private viewing on the eve of her funeral tomorrow. police provided escort as a long line of limousines and town cars pulled up to a newark, new jersey funeral home. media and fan interest has been intense from

. >> we should mention barbara boxer is on the energy committee. >> we heard him an edge the gop position and a back. the house legislation would allow construction to start immediately on one end of the pipeline, but give nebraska there 8 -- their 8 months to figure out a route. essentially they would do both. we would start building now but wait until they review. >> where is this house legislation? could it be attached to something moving out of that chamber. >> the transportation bill is coming up for a vote next week. >> could that pass out of the house? where is its destination in the sense -- in the senate. >> badging get up with a senate bill is quite different. -- matching its up with a senate bill is quite different. they will have to come up with the funding to pay for the transportation bill so that there are questions. >> keystone in the senate? >> there is a push from senator dick lugar and others and they're trying to move the bill through there. there were able to

. >> joining me now is democratic senator barbara boxer of california who was at the democratic newsy. senator, good afternoon. >> good afternoon, thomas. >> tell us all a little bit more about the impact of the blunt amendment, that it would have on women's health care in this country. >> the blunt amendment is a radical amendment. it would not only take away the ability of women to get contraception through their insurance, but it would threaten every single essential health care service, every single preventive health care service. if your employer or your insurance company had a moral objection. so let's say you work for someone who believes prayer is the answer to all diseases. you won't have any insurance. it is a radical departure from what we've always done in this country which is to give a conscience claus exemption to religious institutions and religious affiliated institutions. but not allow someone to say, for example, you know i think if somebody is overweight and they get a heart attack, that's their problem and i have a moral objection. therefore, to making sure that

your last thought on this, barbara boxer.e okay for the race for the cure which we're watching a picture of right now? >> i think everyone is going to come together after this. it was a lesson for everyone, and we have to take politics and take it out of this. because, you know, republicans and democrats and independents, every one of us, whether we vote, we don't vote, whether we're pro choice or not, we know someone who has been touched deeply by this. i sit here and i think about andrea and i think about the wife of my friend harry reid who is going through this now and i can say we have to work together, period. and i think what happened with this apology was a recognition that we won't find a cure if we start fighting over things. let's just work together. let's get this done. >> great strong words from senator barbara boxer of california. thank you senator, and thank you, my friend, andrea mitchell, who knows of what she speaks. >>> is israel planning to attack iran? now for something really frightening. we'll get the l

there were representatives from dianne feinstein and barbara boxer. it takes a village. we are going to make it happen. we have the job of raising money to make it happen. nothing will incentivize sponsors or donors more than seeing the visuals you are about to see when i shut up. we will move from a promise to a reality. thank you very much. >> thank you, mr. chairman. our last speaker is a very patient man, and a native son of san francisco, a graduate of balboa high school. he is a second-generation longshoremen. he has handled every type of cargo, including passengers. he is the newly elected president of the local union. please welcome him. [applause] >> hello. i just wanted to thank mayor lee, the port commission, for directors, and board of supervisors. it is an honor to stand here today with you to honor our second international president, jimmy herman. we thank you for your leadership and the hard work that has moved us at last to start the construction. i just wanted to thank you for that. we waited 20 years to get this going. i also wanted to think staff, and

last night on politics nation, california senator barbara boxer spoke about the blunt amendment to allowloyers or companies to opt out of covering something they object to on religious or moral grounds. >> this is so extreme, you know, they want to take us back to the medical dark ages. if you take the issue of contraception, we know that well over 90%, well over 95% of women some time in their life time used contraception including a huge percentage, well over 90% of all catholic women. so this is something that is mainstream, and we know that when we plan our families, reverend, we have way fewer abortions in this nation, we know that we have way fewer problems with our children when they are born because they get the pre-natal care, and it goes on and on. it's a win-win-win all around. when the american people tune in on this, they will scratch their head and say what has happened to my grandpa's republican party? they are gone. >> politics nation weeknights at 6:00 eastern here on msnbc the place for politics. >>> the lin-sanity continues. the red wings make history, rangers shutout

also weighing in here, senators barbara boxer and patty murray.vernor mitch daniels in his first interviews since delivering the republican response to the president's state of the union address. he's also, of course, hosting the super bowl. so we'll have a lot to talk about. about. go, giants, on at liberty mutual, we know how much you count on your car, and how much the people in your life count on you. that's why we offer accident forgiveness, where your price won't increase due to your first accident. we also offer a hassle-free lifetime repair guarantee, where the repairs made on your car are guaranteed for life, or they're on us. these are just two of the valuable features you can expect from liberty mutual. plus, when you insure both your home and car with us, it could save you time and money. at liberty mutual, we help you move on with your life, so get the insurance responsible drivers like you deserve. call us at... or visit your local liberty mutual office, where an agent can help you find the policy that's right for you. liberty mutual

komen for the ceo brinker, and barbara boxer and patty murray. is "andrea mitchell reports" only on msnbc. wait! it's morning in china! ♪ [ male announcer ] it's sweet, it's nutty... it's absolutely delicious. kellogg's crunchy nut. it's morning somewhere. ♪ it's nice to be here ♪ it's nice to see you in my bed ♪ ♪ ♪ there are diamonds... [ male announcer ] this is your moment. ♪ ♪ and they sparkle in the night ♪ [ male announcer ] this is zales, the diamond store. take an extra 10 percent off storewide now through sunday. >>> women and men across the country are expressing anger and outrage over the susan g. komen's foundation's decision to end funding to planned parenthood. that funding provided breast screening and other breast services for low-income men and women. and the backlash has been fierce online and on the streets. planned parenthood president cecile richards spoke earlier today. >> we were very shocked and really surprised. i really hope that they will rethink this decision and that we can become partners again. >> richards was on w

among them barbara boxer and dianne feinstein. >>> raiders fans may be encouraged by in news.issionered if goodell says the league would rather -- add is expansion team rather than have an existing team move there he says the nfl would likely add two new franchises bringing the total to 34 because an odd number of teams would cause scheduling problems. there's been speculation raiders might be interested in returning to l.a. if a new stadium is the raiders don't necessarily listen to the league on these things. >>> gorgeous out there if you can take a tv to the beach or your ipad or whatever means you have of watching the game. looking down on san francisco from sutro tower, look how clear it is. we have fog around fairfield and santa rosa. let's check out temperatures how should you dress when leaving the house? how about 30s up around santa rosa and in fairfield 30s in the east bay valleys. places like livermore will be coolest during the morning. we have 52 in oakland for the warm spot. monterey bay you can see 38 santa cruz 32 inland to gilroy. highlights, mostly sunny, mi

. >> reporter: california senator barbara boxer was one of two dozen democratic senators who sent a letter to komen today urging it to reconsider. >> it certainly is hurting the women across this country, and that's what's so sad, women who count on this screening. >> reporter: one of those women is nonique monique, in orange county, california, laid off and uninsured, she said planned parenthood was one of her only options when she needed a breast exam >> mammogram showed two spots, and then planned parenthood stepped up and said, here, go for an ultrasound. that eventually led to a needle biopsy which showed one was a cyst and i didn't have to worry about it and the other was a tumor. >> reporter: komen for the cure has long faced pressure from conservative groups to drop its funding of breast screenings at planned parenthood because it also performs abortions. one of those groups, life way christian resources released a statement today expressing its gratitude. but the decision reportedly led the charity's top health official to resign in protest after six years on the job. "i respect t