thank you, steve schmidt, michael steele, howard fineman, eugene robinson. the trouble with mitt romney. you're watching "hardball" live coverage of the michigan and arizona primaries today only on msnbc. . [ male announcer ] you are a business pro. lord of the carry-on. sovereign of the security line. you never take an upgrade for granted. and you rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle. and go. you can even take a full-size or above. and still pay the mid-size price. i deserve this. [ male announcer ] you do, business pro. you do. go national. go like a pro. i knew it'd be tough on our retirement savings, especially in this economy. but with three kids, being home more really helped. man: so we went to fidelity. we talked about where we were and what we could do. we changed our plan and did something about our economy. now we know where to go for help if things change again. call or come in today to take control of your personal economy. get free one-on-one help from america's retirement leader. >>> let me finish toni

we have the proof and we'll talk about with it bob shrum and eugene robinson. >> americans deserve a straight deal right now they are not getting one from our tax system. >> the buffet rule gets its day in the senate. bernie sanders has the details. >>> the fight for workers rights is exploding in arizona. police, firefighters and teachers are under fire in the desert, and we're going there for the latest. >>> on capitol hill the arrest everyone is talking about. >> this is a public hearing. i'm within my first amendment rights. i'm being taken out. >> josh fox was arrested for filming a house committee hearing on fracking. because republicans didn't want him there. tonight, director josh fox joins me exclusively. >>> good to have you with us tonight folks, thanks for watching. >>> mitt romney won big in florida but still has a major problem connecting with regular folks. his problem got a lot worse today. >> i'm in this case because i care about americans. i'm not concerned about the very poor, we have a safety net there, if it needs repair i'll fix it. not concerned about the very

. >> eugene robinson is here with reaction. >> we have reached a landmark settlement with the nation's largest banks that will speed relieved to the hardest hit home owns -- owners. >> ezra klein on the policy of the big bank settlement. bob shrum on the politics. >>> debate over contraception is exploding in the faces of republicans. >> the constitution unambiguous attack on religious freedom in our country. >> national organization of women president terry o'neill joins us with the latest. >>> you can put that and work together and compromise. but we don't have shared goals with the democrats. >> it was day one of cpac in washington and it was ugly. >> before president obama was elected, no president had ever gone around apologizing to the world. >> we'll debunk the lies with joy ann reid and martin bashir. >>> sean hannity released his evidence that the president didn't want to kill bin laden. tonight i will embarrass him again with the facts. >>> good to have you with us, thanks for watching. republicans, they screamed bloody murder about class warfare, haven't they? americans, we

. >>> joining us is msnbc polite can analyst eugene robinson. gene, thank you for being here. >> great to be here, rachel. >> one of the big campaign issues of 2012 is birth control it turns out. >> who knew. >> do you think we're heading toward this, are we heading toward a november election that is the pro birth control party against anti-birth control party? >> i can't imagine, because that cannot be a good idea for the republicans to go into a november election as the anti-birth control party. that -- i've tried to figure this out from every sort of cynical smart politics angle i can figure it out from. it doesn't work for me. what is the figure something like 98% of american women use some form of birth control at some point during their lives, how can you be against that? >> why do you think we are seeing, everybody reads the same polls on this, everybody knows what americans believe and practice about birth control, but yet we are seeing this big push for the personhood legislation in virginia, failed in mississippi, failed twice in color

thank you eugene robinson and john feehery.ll they'll talk about next fall is the unemployment rate. >>> coming up, that fight between the obama administration and the catholic church over with control. well, we'll see where that goes. it's certainly changed directions. liberal catholics are now on board with the president. both sides, republicans and democrats, think it's a winner. it's a battle between the left and the right. the center seems to be going with the president. you're watching "hardball" on msnbc. ♪ home was an airport lounge and an ad ♪ ♪ made sure his credit score did not go bad ♪ ♪ with a free-credit-score-dot-com ♪ ♪ app that he had ♪ downloaded it in the himalayas ♪ ♪ while meditating like a true playa ♪ ♪ now when he's surfing down in chile'a ♪ ♪ he can see when his score is in danger ♪ ♪ if you're a mobile type on the go ♪ ♪ i suggest you take a tip from my bro ♪ ♪ and download the app that lets you know ♪ ♪ at free-credit-score-dot-com now let's go. ♪ vo: offer applies with enrollment in freecreditscore.c

eugene robinson and melissa harris-perry will join me on that one. >>> and more on the battle between planned parenthood and the susan g. komen foundation. >>> and the story behind this quote and why i can't stand it, when politicians think they have to deny they are liberals. >>> you know, expressions come and go. you never know when they'll start. but it's always clear when an expression has become old fashioned or out of date or just time to stop using it. this is something you call "death of an expression." >> newt gingrich in the house! when i grow up, i want to fix up old houses. ♪ [ woman ] when i grow up, i want to take him on his first flight. i want to run a marathon. i'm going to own my own restaurant. when i grow up, i'm going to start a band. [ female announcer ] at aarp we believe you're never done growing. thanks, mom. i just want to get my car back. [ female announcer ] discover what's next in your life. get this free travel bag when you join at aarp.org/jointoday. >>> at a time when we have enormous deficits, it's hard for me to ask seniors on a fixed income or young

eugene robinson and melissa harris-perry will join me on that one. >>> and more on the battle between planned parenthood and the susan g. komen foundation. >>> and the story behind this quote and why i can't stand it, when politicians think they have to deny they are liberals. [ male announcer ] a simple gesture can spark romance anytime. and when it does, men with erectile dysfunction can be more confident in their ability to be ready with cialis for daily use. cialis for daily use is a clinically proven low-dose tablet you take every day so you can be ready anytime the moment's right, even if it's not every day. [ man ] tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. don't take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. [ man ] do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours. if

. >>> joining me eugene robinson and associate professor of religious studies. and thea butler. thank you for joining me tonight. professor butler, i have to start with you. a lot of religion has been thrown around this morning on "morning joe" and tonight in the last few minutes. let's go to this thing that reverend graham brought up this morning that islam is something that you are born into. if your father and your grandfather were muslims then you don't have to check with anybody, you're a muslim. >> well, you know, what's so funny to me about this is franklin graham is in the business of being a missionary. part of what's going on with him is that he's trying to be an evangelist to do this. that's just not true. one of the things he said this morning that needs to be corrected is that president obama's grandfather's actually christian before turning muslim. okay? so he was a convert. so to make up this whole strain of because his dad was a muslim, he's a cryptomuslim or however you want to put it is hog wash. it was appalling this morning to see him selling the memory of hi

thank you eugene robinson and john feehery. all they'll talk about next fall is the unemployment rate. >>> coming up, that fight between the obama administration and the catholic church over with control. well, we'll see where that goes. it's certainly changed directions. liberal catholics are now on board with the president. both sides, republicans and democrats, think it's a winner. it's a battle between the left and the right. the center seems to be going with the president. you're watching "hardball" on msnbc. laces? really? slip-on's the way to go. more people do that, security would be like -- there's no charge for the bag. thanks. i know a quiet little place where we can get some work done. there's a three-prong plug. i have club passes. [ male announcer ] now there's a mileage card that offers special perks on united, like a free checked bag, united club passes, and priority boarding. thanks. ♪ okay. what's your secret? ♪ [ male announcer ] the new united mileageplus explorer card. get it and you're in. >>> in the repub

and "washington post" editor eugene robinson. >> snob. >> not just snob. >> i hear he went to collegegoodness, apparently that's a bad thing. >> i bet he encouraged his kids to go to school, too. >> i don't get it, he blames the recession on gas prices. he thinks the president is a snob for wanting kids to go to college. so we need to go down the list of why rick santorum is spinning out. >> jfk makes him throw up? where did he come from? >> jfk, him saying that makes him want to throw up. can you imagine a democrat -- the right wing blogosphere, can you imagine if a democrat, chuck todd, said ronald reagan makes me want to throw up? there would be such a hue and cry. this is just, this is just not how you appeal to voters that help you win presidential elections in the fall. >> especially because the reagan democrats, the kennedy catholics? this is the same voting group. it's the same group of older, of older, sometimes democratic voting catholics. >> i think this is what drives him. you see the, he gets animated this is, this is his passion. i think in the same way mitt romney would

eugene robinson, thank you, we can read your column at the washingtonpost.com. gregory and chuck todd join us as the republican race heads west. you're watching "morning joe" brewed by starbucks. ♪ it's nice to be here ♪ ♪ it's nice to see you... [ male announcer ] this is your moment. this is zales, the diamond store. take an extra 10 percent off storewide now through sunday. i want to fix up old houses. ♪ [ woman ] when i grow up, i want to take him on his first flight. i want to run a marathon. i'm going to own my own restaurant. when i grow up, i'm going to start a band. [ female announcer ] at aarp we believe you're never done growing. thanks, mom. i just want to get my car back. [ female announcer ] discover what's next in your life. get this free travel bag when you join at aarp.org/jointoday. but one is so clever that your skin looks better even after you take it off. neutrogena® healthy skin liquid makeup. 98% saw improved skin. does your makeup do that? neutrogena® cosmetics. ♪ >>> newt gingrich is clearly the underdog, which means he might be able to

times, the "new york times," the "washington post", columns and eugene robinson.are taking this left wing propaganda fed to them i assume by the white house and it runs as news. runs the whole nbc news organization. >> i got a lot of flack that members of the liberal media, they don't do the research. we're not surprised that the mainstream media is listening to them but fact they can be coordinate weigh the white house is really, that is unbelievable. >> sean: funny thing they fox news sets the agenda for the rest of the media. >> we have the most viewers. >> sean: they are little jealous out that. >> bigger picture they are targeting fox news not the broader conservative media. they are solely targeted on fox. >> sean: also conservative radio after me and rush. >> you see both sides of the story. you get fair and balanced but they don't like fair balanced. they have to silence any kind of opposing argument. >> sean: how does nbc get out of this from the point of view -- the next installment, the next installment they are going to show you examples. media matters

. >>> still ahead, eugene robinson, andrea mitchell and later the reverend franklin graham, the son oferend billy graham, up next, carmelo anthony returns to the new york knicks lineup. his first game back since linsanity swept the nation. but can melo and lin play together? ♪ we were skipping stones and letting go ♪ [ female announcer ] nature valley granola bars, rich dark chocolate, toasted oats. perfect combinations of nature's delicious ingredients, from nature valley. ♪ nature valley granola bars, nature at its most delicious. ♪ an accident doesn't have to slow you down. with better car replacement available only with liberty mutual auto insurance, if your car's totaled, we give you the money for a car one model year newer. to learn more, visit us today. responsibility. what's your policy? ♪ they hatin' ♪ patrolling and tryin' to catch me ridin' dirty ♪ ♪ tryin' to catch me ridin' dirty ♪ ♪ tryin' to catch me ridin' dirty ♪ ♪ tryin' to catch me ridin' dirty ♪ [ mom ] hi, there. why do we always have to take your mom's car? [ male announcer ] the security of a tiguan, one of nine

. >> the eugene robinson in th circles there's more of a wif of panic in the air, it's not that santorum would lose in september, it's that he could be a drag on house and senate candidates as well. >> let's stay with trump for a second, because to christmas witch list that the democrats have, he is near the top of it. a shame that he took himself off of this lift. how much self awareness does he have to know who is a good or bad candidate. but yet looks at himself and says i'm a good candidate. look, i don't any you can blame the candidates for what they are saying. actually the republican party itself has moved out of the main stream, look across the board, 20% of michigan thinks the auto bailouts were a bad thing compared to 50 percent of all voter s in michigan. it means that it's that much harder. a 30 point margin harder in michigan to go back to the main stream just on the auto bailouts which people in michigan should know about. the party is so much to the fringe of the mainstream now. >> you have president obama talking about the economy, the dow is close to 13,000 points and ne

nbc political analyst, eugene robinson.ements and the budget and discretionary, mandatory. this really does matter a great deal to how america moves forward over the next generation. >> absolutely. but the real issue -- >> do americans care? is there any way for a politician, other than ross perot in '92, to make americans focus on these issues? >> they want congress to do their squljob. and the fact is that the president's own party is not going to pass this budget. they're not going to pass any budget. the senate hasn't passed a budget in over three years, 1,000 days, and it labels with the good work of david walker, we've been pushing this idea of no budget, no pay if they don't pass a budget, they don't get paid. it's got a lot of traction, got a hearing coming up and the american people are demanding that congress do its job. >> on the issue, mark, if you had a republican or a democratic presidential candidate asking for your help, or an independent, i think, you know what they said, i want to talk about deficit spendi

eugene robinson, our good friend with david gregory. david, let's begin with you.itt romney is the most cynical presidential candidate we've ever had. i won't ask you to agree or disagree, but can you assess where we are in this race in michigan right now and how we got here? >> i talked to a republican this week who said the last thing that mitt romney wanted was to be in an ideological contest someone that conservatives view as a plausible commander in chief. you may believe about rick santorum those watching this that he is an ineffective candidate as a general election candidate. but i think a lot of conservatives who are showing up to primaries and caucuses and the evidence for this is how many he's actually won view him as, a, running a conservative primary campaign which romney appears to not be doing, and b, he is a plausible candidate. says what he believes, you know, does a lot of interviews, can take a punch, and is passionate about standing up for issues that he cares deeply about, even when they cause some anxiety within the republican party. you put a

eugene robinson is one of the main contributors for the -- you say he takes media matters stuff and justows it on out there? >> according to sources at media matters, he is one of the journalists who is receptive and has in the past taken information from media matters and reprohibitted it, yes,. >> another "the washington post" guy e.j. syndicated columnist. is he doing exactly what robinson is doing or is there a difference between the two men. >> that is correct. i would say both of them have been around. they are well-respected in washington as liberals. i don't think most people know when they read their stuff, however, that they have been talking to media matters. i think it's worth knowing that. >> the "l.a. times," another liberal newspaper columnist jim rainy. >> correct. >> you have been told that he, again, receives propaganda from media matters. turns it around, and puts it in his column as fact? >> cited as someone by someone who has given him information in the past, that's exactly right. >> all right. in the "new york times" there is brian steltzer who writes media for the