. >> later, we are going to bring out "morning joe's" willie geist and mike barnicle. they are going to give their two cents. that's going to be fine. some of you may be saying, isn't it a little premature to be doing a poll about the 21st century since we are only ten years into it. we say, lean forward. that's what we are going to do. we are going to find out who these influential americans in the 21st century are right now. >> willie, mike, joe, and i made our own personal picks of who we thought would be the ten most influential americans of the 21st century. we are going to show you how we did at the end of the show. we should point out, there are different things to different people. we asked some journalists, actors, and comedians to chime in on a variety of topics, and we're going to show you what they say throughout the show. but the first thing we asked them was, define the word "influence." >> let's talk about the word "influence." what does it mean? where does it come from? >> ask not what your country can do for you. >> "influence" is an interesting word.

also with white socks with shoes. >> if you've got legs like barnicle. >> it works well. are you kidding me? >> you wear them with your flip-flops, too? >> yeah. >>> time for sports now. the eagles trying to avoid losing their eighth straight game last night against the cowboys. let's pick it up with four minutes left in the game. cowboys up by four. bryce brown loses the ball. and morris claiborne scoops it up, and he's off to the proverbial races. 50 yards the other way for the touchdown. that would appear to seal the deal for the cowboys, but the eagles not done. check this out. i love these. less than a minute remaining. cowboys punting to johnson. fields the punt. yep, he's coming all the way back from the 2 yard line. a little weave, duck and move and he is gone as well. all the way down the sideline. outrunning everybody including the popcorn guy. untouched for 98-yard touchdown. gives the eagles a chance with 31 seconds left after missing the two-point conversion, down five. but they do not get the on-side kick, and the cowboys hang on to win, 38-33. they are stil

joining us on set are msnbc contributor, mike barnicle. hello, mike. >> hello, mika. >> yeah.d thing you're awake. national affairs editor for "new york" magazine and msnbc political analyst, john heilemann. >> hi! >> yeah. hi. and from cnbc headquarters, co-host of cnbc's "squawk box," andrew ross sorkin. >> do i need to make a joke about school being out? >> that's so yesterday. we're tired of that, actually. >> you like kind of grown. >> he went from being a little kid to adorable. >> he's a grizzled old vet. the grey hair is coming in. >> and from washington, nbc chief foreign affairs correspondent, host of "andrea mitchell reports", the lovely andrea mitchell. >> happy holidays. >> and "washington post" columnist, jonathan capehart. thank you all so much for being with us. and why don't we just start really quickly with the story of the year, mika. and that, of course, barack obama wins, the republicans lose. and in a way that perhaps is more telling than just what one election result might suggest. >> well, i think it certainly does. and it gives him a certain platform a

barnicle did it. and you can tell. >> he was a good guy. >> and john adams, barnicle wrote a couple columns about him back in the day. >> and his son. i knew his son when his son was in day care. >> john w. adams. yeah. but i think it's his renaissance question. and then i think also he representeds the best of us and the worst of us. and i think people, when we're being honest with ourselves, we all know we have our hypocrisies, and we have our contradictions. and the fact that someone who had such evident contradictions is still worth paying attention to i think resonates. >> and there's some contention over the weekend about how great a man thomas jefferson is. we're going to talk about that a little bit later. >>> but we've got big news this morning. four weeks from today is new year's eve when the fiscal cliff comes. lawmakers now have less than a month to compromise and to avoid a year-end deadline that would trigger massive spending cuts and tax hikes for just about everybody. behind-the-scenes

let them breathe. >> another barnicle -- another barnicle friend comes to mind. >> who is that?tled to our own opinions but not our own facts. if you can't talk about it then it's or well bean. >> it's stupid. some people still think on the far, far, far right. they few, though, i'm going to say, that it's still a week before the election. i've noticed a lot of the people on the far right, not the far, far right, willie, it's like they get the memo. our stupidity was not rewarded on election day. perhaps we're going to have a more fact-based view of the political scene not the entire world. >> bill kristol said it about turning down the conservative -- what did he call it? >> entertainment complex. >> time to tone that down, and then you see it from john boehner, you heard bob corker talk about it in these negotiations. they know their position has changed. they know they have to give a little bit. talking about raising revenue inside washington. >> mika, i'm going to look for the quote while you're doing what you do. >> on the sunday talk shows -- >> bill kristol's quote -- >>

is barnicle still in new york? yeah. >> he's asleep. >> wake up. >> what does "there" exactly mean. >> define that. we've been talking, dr. brzezinski, about the fiscal cliff. i'd love your take on it, what signal it sends to the rest of the world that we don't seem to be able to put our economic house in order. >> well, the way you put it, you give the answer. your answer is right. we look a little bit disorderly. indecisive, leaderless. that's a real problem. and that's a problem that concerns me particularly on foreign affairs. the presidency, not just president obama, but the presidency in recent years has lost some of the terrain that they used to dominate in the making of foreign policy. i think president obama has to make a serious effort to regain it because he lost some of it himself. >> lost terrain to congress or to whom? >> to congress and to the world. that is to say his capacity to take decisive actions has been limited by congressional intervention, by the influence of lobbies, by the sense that he gives g

barnicle, jump in here.ughts on the new orleans pelicans. >> first of all, tom benson should rethink the thing after that graphic. but the pelicans used to be a aaa baseball team in new orleans. >> i'm going to offer a real suggestion. how about new orleans take the name jazz back from utah, which makes no sense. because that's where they came from. and then utah changes its name to the rockies or the lakers or one of those giants. whatever's available. >> team swapping. >> that's what it is. name for naime spp speaking of trades, r.a. dicky stopped by the dicky show last night where jon stewart explained why his cy young win was bad news for the mets. >> this tremendous story, this tremendous success, i guess my question is how will the new york mets screw this up. i'm a long time mets fan and it does create a dilemma because when a player such as yourself comes along and has such grand success, there is in the back of your mind a feeling of like, no, no, dude, keep your head down, don't win the cy young, b

you like that, barnicle? >> i do. >> all right. wake up now. with us on set we have msnbc contributor, mick barnicle, former treasury official and "morning joe" economic analyst. steve brattner. >> he came with charts. willie, do you have a chart? >> no. >> he's disturbed. i don't know if you heard this. has he done this to you? >> we have two obesity stories we have to get to. we're not going to break. >> stalling right now. >> the filibuster reform should be passed but not passed yet. our executive producer, alex, comes up to me this morning. like the syndrome, you stay here long enough start walking with a strut. alex corson, hey, call me acc 47. >> he's getting bold. >> yes! >> is that like a phil cavens thing? >> yes! >> i'm like, seriously, karins? so phil cabins? >> the baseball announcer in high school called him phil cabins. that stuck with him. >> think of all the things you've been called. >> i'm called that everyday. apparently i said something yesterday. >> what did you do? >> something about -- >> did you get in trouble? i don't k

mike barnicle and john holliman rejoin the table as well.ood to have you on board this morning. >> good to be with you. >> we're talking about obviously lessons from the past year. tell us what steven spielberg's movie, inspired by your book, inspired by abraham lincoln teaches us in the aftermath of this election and in the middle of some pretty damn difficult debates over our financial future and how best protect our children. >> i think the most important thing it teaches us about presidential leadership and about what politics can do to make life better for people. we have such a cynical view right now of our politician bus what lincoln shows and what movie reveals is in the hands of people like abraham lincoln, who was a man, not an icon, it's possible to have deep convictions. he was willing to go to war to save the union, to screw his second term to get that 13th amendment passed but decide those convictions, he was willing to compromise to do whatever was necessary to reach the goals. he never lo his connection it that popular assemb

that is a nationwide project. >> mike barnicle?wer, it occurs to me, is not part of our problem here in the united states, to be rather parochial about it, is the definitions of things that we have about us, infrastructure, for instance, when we think about infrastructure with regard to politics, people think about bridges, highways, roads, but infrastructure, ought not it to mean to cope with these issues, infrastructure ought not to include the element of kindergarten, of day care, of early childhood education? i used to measure it, tom, when you were in beirut in '82 and '83, i used to measure a child's future, if you don't catch him by the third or fourth grade, you're going to lose him forever. now i think it's down to age 4 or 5, but we don't pay enough to infrastructure in this country. do you agree with that? >> i agree totally. we kind of speak in the language of k-12, but it's really now, you know, "b" through retirement, birth right through life. and the big change that is happening and needs to happen much more quickly,

. >> they stole second base, barnicle. it's still the barnicle screen saver all these years later.ry. >> what a great play. i'm right there with you. >> i'm the yankee fan here. >> i could tell there was something off about you. >> our thanks to ben affleck for coming by. >>> coming up next, though, the author of the best-selling book "running with scissors," augusten burroughs joins us for his new self-help book. we put that in quotes. on how to overcome just about everything in life. this is a self-help book like none others you will read this year. and an absolutely fascinating and funny segment. we'll see you on the other side with augusten burroughs. you're watching "morning joe." we're brewed by starbucks. ♪ [ male announcer ] it started long ago. the joy of giving something everything you've got. it takes passion. and it's not letting up anytime soon. at unitedhealthcare insurance company, we understand that commitment. and always have. so does aarp, an organization serving the needs of americans 50 and over for generations. so it's no surprise millions have chosen an aarp m

. >>> well now let's turn to sports and before i get to the patriots highlights, mike barnicle, i hopemorning you and all the new england fans wake up and thank tom brady. you've been going for a decade with this glory ride and it makes me sick. >> what a beating they gave them. >> you know how lucky you are, right? >> oh, absolutely, yeah. >> some day you will have mark sanchez. >> no, no, we're not going to have mark sanchez. >> yes, you will. >> that's not going to happen. >> let's get to sports in the nfl. patriots hosting the texans. no disrespect to the broncos. this could be an afc championship preview. interception pras, brady. brandon loi. who was covered him. there was almost 21-0 as they went to the half. third quarter, more from tom brady. this one -- i didn't know this guy was still in the nfl. donte' stallworth breaks away and gets into the end zone. that's 28-0 brady -- patriots. did i just call it brady? is that the name of the team? danny woodhead, used to be a jet. never should have let him go. followed by j.j. watson. into tend zone. touchdown recovered there. brando

i'm mike barnicle, and as we pull toward the end of the year, this is a special reprise edition of "way too early," one time only, the show that got another lump of coal in its stocking this christmas. you're not the only one keeping track, santa. thank you for being up with us this thursday, december 27th. there is a lot to talk about, including a new warning from treasury secretary tim geithner. he is now telling congress that the u.s. government will reach its borrowing limit by next monday, the 31st. remember how much fun the last debt ceiling fight was? well, that news comes as president obama rushes home to washington, cutting short his hawaiian vacation in order to resume talks on the fiscal cliff. there are just five days remaining to strike a deal. we'll get to all that in a moment, but first, we begin with a massive winter storm that made holiday travel miserable for millions of americans, including me! winter storm euclid -- what, are we naming snowstorms now? euclid. you can lid? well, euclid blanketed much of the eastern half of the country yesterday, dropping blizzard-like

willie geist, mike barnicle, thanks for watching our special, "the most." it was a lot of fun. >> yeah, it was. >> even if george bush was on the list. i thought you behaved yourself very well. all right. >> yeah. >> well, thank you so much for being with us. >>> merry cliffmas. let's play hardball. >>> good evening. i'm michael smerconish in for chris matthews. leading off tonight, fiscal cliff hanger, president obama calls on congress to act after christmas on a scale-down deal that would spare the middle class from tax hikes on the first of the year. the president met with harry reid and spoke with john boehner. is a grand bargain still possible when everyone is leaving town? >> a week from the shooting massacre that left 20 children and six educators dead, we have heard plenty of people calling for new gun control laws but very little from the national rifle association until now. in a bizarre news conference, the head of the nchl ra said the solution of gun violence in this country is simple, more guns. armed officers in every school. it is the same li

with us, we have mike barnicle, author of "thomas jefferson," willie, joe and me as well. >> that wassn't it? >> that was. that was dead serious. he was not feeling anything else at that point, i think. >> i tell you, yesterday really did touch americans in a way, this whole weekend, and the president's speech and people like joe manchin stepping

we have mike barnicle with us. you're not an exception. beautiful piece in "the daily news" today. we'll read that in must read. thank you very much. former treasury officials. mark ratner is with us as well. he has a must read. i'm serious. >> beautiful. >> also in washington, washington anchor for "bbc world news america" katty kay. >> no pieces, sorry. >> you'll write one next time. thank you. so we've got a lot to get to this morning. >> a lot to talk about today. >> those exceptions, what are you talking about? >> just in the conversation about everything you thought there were two exceptions. >> rick perry, governor of texas, and -- >> is it bob -- >> they said we need to -- we need to arm teachers. >> we have to think about it. >> somebody in the school with a gun. >> guns in school. that's great. you know what? this gelts me thinking, right? >> really? >> so that's what we're going to take care of last friday. so the shooting in the mall in oregon. >> yeah. >> i'm thinking maybe if we arm like the people that do the smoothies and whatever. >> or the sun glaglass hut thea or

that's the question. >> very good, mike barnicle. >> not to shock you, mika, i disagree.e, compromise. and if not willing to compromise -- >> yes, that's the difference. >> if they're not willing to compromise, don't cave. >> republicans that won in their districts, landslides, they can stare down the president and just wait. don't wait, but do compromise. and there's no sense this president wants to compromise. and right now, there's no sense that republican leaders actually want to put real cuts on the table. $2 trillion, i'm sorry, we -- the starting point is $4 trillion. and even if we cut $4 trillion over the next ten years, we're going to go even deeper in debt than that. but don't cave. >> that's an -- >> compromise. >> it's a really important distinction. >> would a compromise include ticking up the marginal rate on the top earners so it's not 39.6%, but it's 37%. the president has to get something. >> and by the way, we talk about the art of the deal, mike talks about the art of the deal. i could see and the numbers would add up if you said to the president you'r

joining us on set this hour, we have mike barnicle and john heilemann. gentlemen, thanks for joining the conversation this morning. we're taking it slow today. >> yeah, we are. >> easing into all the inevitable debates that will follow. but here they will stay a conversation. >> they will. there are several debates that we have to have. and i know all of you saw, as the news was breaking, the things that were saying online, both sides were saying online, even before we knew how these kids were. and it's so easy for ideologues on both sides to cling one thing and say, this is the cause of the problem. it's not that easy. mike, we've got the gun issue. it's just got to be addressed. the "new york post" is saying it. a lot of other conservatives are going to be saying it in the days and weeks to come. we've had a mental health crisis. how is it -- >> it's equally as grave. >> -- how is it -- well, of course, it is, yeah. and it is. and how is it that we know usually when something like this happens, what the profile of the shooter is going to be? and then y

barnicle, what gifts did you give?> i give a gift that you don't have to assemble to everyone in my family. i give myself. that's it. that's all you get. all right? and that is all you get right now. >> boo! >> this is harsh. this is harsh. all right. "morning joe" starts right now. >>> make no mistake about it, if we go over it, god forbid, and i still don't think we have to, the american people are going to blame the republican party, and they'll come right back and pass something. so i don't think the middle class is at risk. because if we go over the cliff, our republican colleagues are going to come back and say uh-oh and then pass the bill we passed in the senate already. >> i think $250,000 is too low a threshold. a lot of working people who are couples would exceed that, and i don't think we need that kind of shock to the system. however, i've talked to some of my democratic colleagues, and they are saying maybe in the $400,000 or $500,000 category, we could set a benchmark. i do think it is essential that we s

. >> i learned from barnicle that 40% of guns are sold online and was reminded by mika that these violent video games are far too often baby-sitters. >> i have a riddle. who is the most dapper, suave, well dressed and charming 25-year-old in new york city? >> joey scarborough! happy 25th birthday! joey scarborough. >> i tried. can't help you. >> try it again. >> happy 25th birthday, joey scarborough. love you very much. if it is way too early, what time is it? >> it is time for "morning joe." >>> but right now it is time for our old pal chuck todd. >>> all or nothing at all. this could be it, the day where we will know if a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff is truly within reach or totally lost. we have never been closer and yet boehner is looking for votes, only for a plan b. >>> vice president biden gets tapped to lead an administration wide effort to figure out what the government can do to prevent another tragedy like the shooting in connecticut. is washington ready for a fight over guns that no one thought would happen? >>> blast from the past. find out what michael dukakis has to say a

people like the mike barnicles of the boston globe.d.c., but there are other places as well. we tried to keep an eye out for maybe people we hadn't heard of. >> like the los angeles times. >> wonderful, wonderful writer, pete dexter, and there are lot of people like andy rooney, who everybody thinks of as a tv guy, who wrote a column three days a week. >> in this volume, which is "scandals, tragedies and triumphs." read that brief excerpt. >> he's writing about a lot of the confusion and he's cutting through the confusion around the wmds and why we went to war in iraq. he says here, when i raised the mystery of the missing wmds recently, they fired a barrage of reproachable e-mails to me. but there are indications that the u.s. government souped up intelligence and leaned on spooks to change their conclusions and conceal contrary information to deceive people at home. >> the date? >> may 6, 2003. early and right. it doesn't get any better. >> do you think the first volume "deadline artist" and this is the second volume, as you go throu

. >> barnicles and bubble gum. >> suppose it's not just the patent law. whole system is a collection of band-aids and ad hoc drugs that interact with one another. so we are having good conversations of intelligent people trying to figure out where they are substituting another band-aid or adding another wrinkle when you're saying, stop. maybe we have to rethink from the basis of what's going on. maybe part of our problem is not this or that law or this or that regulation but the way we have a system that responds to regulation. >> can i weigh in on the side of ba band-aids and bubble gum which is that ad hoc solutions and kind of keeping things together -- >> unless you want to start from the beginning. >> on software patents. >> one area that i do disagree with you is the ability to think about public infrastructure which could include commodity banking and it includes internet access, includes, you know, working electricity grid. it's weeks after sandy and two-thirds of the building in lower manhattan still don't have phone service. that's because we ha

with us, we have mike barnicle, author of "thomas jefferson," willie, joe and me as well. >> that was fascinating, wasn't it? >> that was. that was dead serious. he was not feeling anything else at that point, i think. >> i tell you, yesterday really did touch americans in a way, this whole weekend, and the president's speech and people like joe manchin stepping forward, really, i think -- i think it's got americans talking, for the first time, on this issue, in a really surprising way. i was -- i was struck not by how many democrats or liberals called after the show and said, boy, we really liked what you guys did and the conversation was needed. i was struck by how many friends of mine from first baptist church in pensacola, florida, that are lifetime members of the nra, who went out hunting across northwest florida and alabama and georgia and mississippi, from the time they were 9, 10. jon meacham, you were raised in a similar culture. although you were wearing white gloves during your formative years. i'm sorry. i was struck that the most passionate people that said what you alway

mustache to epilepsy, 50,000 people a year lose their lives, people like our daughter, lauren, mike barnicle'st so much because of epilepsy and have fought through some very difficult times. so we're trying to raise some money for research, and we have. we made a challenge a month ago, if we could raise a million dollars in a month, i would shave my mustache off on this show. >> we did it. >> and we did it. >> willie, what do you think? >> i don't know how to use this. >> i don't think i would trust mika. >> does this hurt? >> did you practice? >> no, i've never done this before. >> is there a professional in the house? >> it's a concept. >> should i let a professional do it? >> leave it to the professional. >> steve, take it away. >> here's the man. >> i don't think i want to see this. >> i am, yeah. i'm grateful for a professional. >> okay. so while that mustache goes away, i'm not sure we want to see this. >> no shrieking. >> four years ago i had a scar under my mustache. >> joe, i thought you were going to step in with a straight razor in this operation. what happened there? >> mika was wi