joining me now is msnbc contributor e.j. dionne, senior fellow at the brookings institution and columnist for "the washington post" and may i also say a professor and i've been in your classroom at georgetown and i know you care about education so i'm just going to throw this out to you, e.j. what would america be like if we cut all funding on a federal and state level to public education? >> first of all, let me say this chevy malibu driver is happy to be with you. >> good for you. i've got a silverado at home. >> when your booking producer called me and read me that quote, i couldn't believe it was what he said. i asked are you sure? she actually sent me the text of the quote. what's really amazing is it's not just that he's proposing cutting federal education aid which has been with us in some form since world war ii but has really been part of our life and helping schools especially poor kids since the '60s. but when he says get it out of the state government. i mean, my word. we use the state governments to try to arrange at l

e.j. dionne and joan walsh. >>> racism rears its head in a republican super bowl ad. the candidate behind the ad isn't backing down. >> the economy get very weak. ours get very good. we take your jobs, thank you debbie spend it now. >>> good to have you with us. thanks for watching, we come to you from minnesota where the caucus is tomorrow, this is the big story tonight. it basically is the ad the entire country is talking about, for a good reason. the chrysler commercial with clint eastwood i think speaks for itself. >> it's halftime. both teams are in their locker room discussing what they can do to win the game in the second half. it's halftime in america, too. people are out of work and they are hurting, and all wondering what they will do to make a comeback. we're all scared because this isn't the game. >> the first 30 seconds of that ad so powerful, i mean did you notice it was shock on film for effect? the voice, clint eastwood, mr. true grit, tough guy, dirt ysh harry, in the city talkin

joy-ann and e.j. dionne will be here to talk about rick santorum attacks on faith and education. >>> mitt romney has a new problem. his arizona co-chaired resigned amid a scandal. howard fineman is with me on that story. we're right back. >>> coming up, rick santorum is walking back ridiculous statement. he says the presidents that ha different theology. he wants us to believe he wasn't talking about religion. i'll ask joy-ann reid and e.j. dionne what they think. >>> you won't believe what is going on in virginia it's the new battlefield for the republican war on women. today in that state, women were fighting back. the president of the national organization for women is here to explain. >>> an espn anchor is suspended after racist remarks about jeremy lin, michael eric dyson joins me later. share your thoughts on twitter #edshow, we're right back. what makes the sleep number store different? you walk into a conventional mattress store, it's really not about you. they say, "well, if you want a firm bed you

joy-ann reid and e.j. dionnel discuss his extreme attacks against president obama's faith and public education. mitt romney has a brand new problem on his hands, his arizona co-chair has resigned amid a scandal. howard fineman with me on that story. stay with us we're right back. >>> coming up, rick santorum walking back yet another ridiculous statement, he said the president has a different t theology not bibily cal. now he wants us to believe he wasn't talking about religion. we'll ask joy-ann reid and e69 j. dionne what they think. >>> virginia is the new battlefield for the republican war on women. today in that state, women were fighting back. the president of the national organization for women is here to explain. >>> espn anchor is suspended after racist remarks about jeremy lin, michael eric dyson joins me later in the hour. share thoughts on twitter using #edshow, we're right back. >>> welcome back to "the ed show." rick santorum ramped up radicalism in addition to comparing the president to hitler he wa

joy-ann reid and e.j. dionnel discuss his extreme attacks against president obama's faith and public education. mitt romney has a brand new problem on his hands, his arizona co-chair has resigned amid a scandal. howard fineman with me on that story. stay with us we're right back. what makes the sleep number store different? you walk into a conventional mattress store, it's really not about you. they say, "well, if you want a firm bed you can lie on one of those." we provide the exact individualization that your body needs. wow. that feels really good. it's about support where you find it most comfortable. at the ultimate sleep number event, queen mattresses now start at just $599. and save 50% on the final closeout of our innovative limited edition bed. plus, enjoy special offers through monday only. only at the sleep number store. >>> coming up, rick santorum walking back yet another ridiculous statement, he said the president has a different t theology not bibily cal. now he wants us to believe he wasn't talkin

of course, that gifted man was e.j. dionne.michael, that some of this has gone over the top? >> no, i do. i do, reverend. and i think it's -- it imperils the overall effort that began in 2009 to re-establish the republican party and its message as one that resonates with people. and i really appreciated e.j.'s piece today because i thought it struck a number of chords. but your first point, this has been sort of the poison of politics, particularly in the last ten or so years, which i think is really coming to a head in this campaign, unfortunately. i think you have, and you'll probably talk more about jeb bush and others, who are beginning to say, okay. enough. we are losing sight of the policy discussion and debate and this is becoming much more personal to the point it's turn something people off, including some of our own. we have to be very careful about that. >> e.j., that is -- the reality is that most americans don't even understand what the candidates stand for. they are just caught up in these attacks and who can outa

. >> barry lynn and e.j. dionne have full analysis and the white house is responding. >>> today, women in virginia won a small victory to keep the government out of their bodies. but the fight continues. >> it's an invasive procedure and government entering into a woman's body. >> we talk to the democratic lawmaker on the front lines against a radical governor. >>> now's terry o'neill. lizs winstead and krystal ball on the republican war on women's health. >>> a week away from votes in michigan and arizona, the campaign vitriol is heating up. >> barack obama is the most dangerous president in modern history. >> jonathan alter and richard wolffe will break it down. >>> good to have you watching us tonight, folks, thank you for joining us here on "the ed show.." >>> you can make the case the religious right has taken control of the republican party. franklin graham became part of the smear machine to bring down the president and inject more questions in his past about christianity. he was on msnbc this morning speakin

. >>> joining us now is e.j. dionne, a good friend, thank you for being here. >> happy budget day, ezra, good to see you so cheerful. >> it's not been as happy a budget day for mitt romney. so here's my question for you is what we're seeing here is it rick santorum doing something right or is it mitt romney doing something wrong or both? >> both. i think is the answer. i think the worst number to come out today for mitt romney was in that pew poll, mitt romney's argument as you said in the intro is that he's electable and a lot of conservatives weren't sure what mitt romney believes, many of them would be willing to take a flyer on him if they thought he was the only guy who could beat president obama in the pew poll, obama has an 8 point lead over romney and 10 point lead over santorum. not even the margin of error, when you compare to gingrich and he was the main competitor, romney could make a strong case he was stronger than gingrich. i think what happened is on each side, the romney side, santorum side, romney has

joining me now is e.j. dionne, columnist for "the washington post" and msnbc contributor. anks for coming on the show tonight. >> good to be with you. >> e.j., you were critical of the president's initial decision but you write today, obama's move is a welcome step away from a religious battle that neither he nor the country needed. it's an important first step. e.j. is this plan what most catholics in the country wanted to hear? >> i never claimed to speak for most catholics given how complicated the church is, but i think an awful lot of the people who were critical of the president at the beginning are satisfied and happy that he acknowledged that there was a religious liberty issue here. i think what liberal catholics like me were concerned about is if you looked at the original rule, the only people who were defined as religious organizations were essentially churches and synagogues and mosques. yet when you look at organizations like catholic charities, like the catholic hospitals, like the inner city schools, people are doing this work because they see it as a religi

also e.j. dionne.] if you believe the mayan calendar, on december 21st, polar shifts will reverse the earth's gravitational pull and hurtle us all into space, which would render retirement planning unnecessary. but say the sun rises on december 22nd and you still need to retire, td ameritrade's investment consultants can help you build a plan that fits your life. we'll even throw in up to $600 when you open a new account or roll over an old 401(k). so who's in control now, mayans? >>> finally, senator, you know, i'm sure like me you get offended when people say that washington is not cool. and doesn't have a fashion sense because at this conservative gathering, look what i've found. if you've contributed nothing else to this campaign, you have brought back the sweater vest. and here is a rick santorum sweater vest that will certainly endure whatever the results of this campaign. true enough? >> well, i hope so. i mean, you know people have referred to me as the ritchie cunningham candidate. a little bi

the discussion is moderated by e.j. dionne.s is two hours. >> i am a co-director of the center along with peter and peggy. we are pleased to this evening to be hosting a three-way debate, what rules america, money, morals, or myth. joinedrateful you have us tonight. but me ask you to turn off yourself phones and other electronic devices. let me alert you that the cards and pencils are for your questions. please formulate them at any point tonight. then hold them up and one of our them up.nts will pick be certain to write legibly. so that we can make use of your questions. when you saw the format for tonight, perhaps you side and lamented that in this primary season, the staging of yet another debate. but i can assure you for coming here tonight you have chosen wisely. not only have our three debaters agreed to keep the name calling and personal attacks to a minimum, they have also agreed to marshal well-sourced arguments in exploring some of the most vital questions facing our republic in the year 2012. what is the place of mon

. >> a couple weeks ago e.j. dionne in "the washington post" said that the president through the people who supported him on the health care bill under the bus. >> yes, and to the credit of, among others, nancy deparle in the white house, the help honcho, made the case against the best wishes of planned parenthood and other great powers in the white house that look, these are people who stood up with you, were crucial, the bishops oppose the health care plan, the catholic held association did stand with you and you cannot disregard them and ignore them. the reality was the obama administration came up with this incredibly strict constructionist, narrow definition of religion. it can only be sectarian activity basically within the sanctuary. >> it's actually a legalistic definition, but it is illustrative of a greater obama problem, because they had the debate within the white house bid they did not go outside the white house. this is something the obama administration does over and over again. >> paranoid. >> they have

i'll introduce first my co-moderator for the day, e.j. dionne, "washington post" columnist who will make later some introductory remarks. then comment on the presentations after they've been made. then we'll hear from a couple of university of virginia professors. sid milkis, author of a wonderful book on progressive politics entitled "theodore roosevelt, progressive party and the transformation of american democracy." and jim ceaser, professor of politics at uva. next we'll hear from john halpin, senior fellow at the center for american progress. finally, matt spalding, vice president for american studies at heritage foundation. so, e.j. >> first, it's great to see so many people here. happy holidays. to those who celebrate them, merry christmas and happy hanukkah. i want to thank my friend bill schambra for putting together what is a genuinely fair and balanced event. which doesn't always happen in washington. bill and i have been agreeing for about a quarter a century on the importance of community and disagreeing about what progressives make

meanwhile, very liberal columnists in "the washington post," e.j. dionneaid the president had "utterly botched the issue through his progressive catholic allies under the bus with this ruling." >> the interesting thing is they can't be segregated out of it because there are people that can be exempt from this particular thing but because catholic universities, take, for example, notre dame, they employ so many other people who aren't necessarily affiliated with their religious side and that's why they cannot be exempt from it. and yet, they still operate as a catholic university and so it still violates what's being described as their conscience. so that's the interesting part of how it becomes more of a global thing than just within the church. in the meantime, let's get to the rest of the stories making headlines at this hour and speaking of birth control, we have a massive recall to tell you about this morning. pfizer says about one million packets of its pills may not have enough contraceptive to prevent pregnancy. this involves low tablets as well as

melissa harris-perry and e.j. dionne, thanks for joining me.'re all excited. >> good luck. >> we're really thrilled for your debut, your new show it premieres tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. here on msnbc. >>> still ahead, while republicans are talking about birth control, president obama is talking about jobs. >> we can restore an economy where everybody gets a fair shot and everybody does their fair share and everybody plays by the same set of rules from washington to wall street to main street. everybody is doing their part. >>> plus, you thought you heard it all. now republicans are blaming spam. yes, spam for a voting mess in maine. it reveals the truth about the gop effort to suppress the vote. stay with us. wheeeeeeeeeeeee! whee! whee! wheeeeeeeee! ah heads up. wheeeeeeeeeeee! everything you love about geico, now mobile. download the new geico app today. spark card from capital one. spark cash gives me the most rewards of any small business credit card. it's hard for my crew to keep up with 2% cash back on every purchase, every day. 2% ca

e.j. dionne also joins us for "the washington post" and has been covering it as a columnist. andrew, i guess that's the key question out there. you got to it in your essay. so did the president go in this siding with the women, like secretary sebelius and the people at the white house, the committed people, knowing he was going to go up against conservative catholics, did he want this fight? >> no, he didn't want this fight. who would want this fight? obama spent his entire administration trying to avoid this kind of fight. but he couldn't avoid the choice. he had to make a choice. and i think the get-out was he would have a year to figure it out. when push comes to shove, he decided to back the 98% of catholic women who used birth control and the vast majority of catholics who support birth control and take on the benedict control and take on the benedict xvi and the bishops for whom no issue seems to be more important than controlling the sex lives of other people. >> e.j., we may agree on this. but you pointed out at the front of this thing, basically taking what we might

. >> e.j. dionne is a washington post columnist and msnbc contributor. good morning to both of you. e.j., what does romney need to do right now? >> mitt romney needs to find any way possible to make sure he beats rick santorum in michigan. i think he has several problems. one is that he has lost the electability of the one guy that can beat obama. there's been a slew of polls that suggest he's no stronger than santorum against obama. so a lot of conservatives didn't really trust romney but wanted to beat the president, willing to vote for him. now that's gone. in the meantime, as you pointed out, santorum has money and a good deal of momentum. here's what romney i think has going for him in michigan. this is the first time that rick santorum is in a real fight one-on-one. he won iowa by visiting practically every voter in the state. he spent months at it. and then he won his other three victories in colorado, missouri, and minnesota because no one really contested those states hard. this is the first one-on-one fight. and a lot of republicans in michigan say, look, romney's behind no