joining us is jeff merkley of oregon.ou for being here tonight. >> great to be with you. >> is part of the challenge of getting something like this passed, getting support for something like this that you have to convince people that it is legal in most states in the country to fire somebody just for being gay? people don't believe discrimination is legal? >> that's absolutely true. of course we understand when our children say, really, it was illegal or is illegal -- i know my own daughter couldn't believe it an adults couldn't believe it either. a rental contract on a house, yes, it is. it is true in the majority of states in the country and not okay. it is time to end discrimination in a comprehensive fashion and put the lgbt community on the same foundation as ethnicity as race and gender. >> i am one of the people who, as a member of the gay community always felt like the nondiscrimination fight should have come first before marriage and it didn't. the marriage fight not only happened but it won and succeeded beyond

what's known as the enda law, e-n-d-a which was a great cause of senator edward kennedy, senator jeff merkley taken it over. it's almost passed the senate, it has no chance in the house under republican leadership. but those two issues really are at the center of the civil rights agenda for gay rights supporters at the moment. >> and the employer non-discrimination act. some people loogs add thk at th and say the lgbt community should be a protected class, much the way that people are protected because they are a minority. where does the argument stand on that and do you think that we could see the courts or other areas of government making moves in this direction? >> they could. one of the curious things about justice kennedy's opinion in the same-sex marriage case and in the defense of marriage act case is that he never precisely addressed the question of whether gay people are a protected class, he simply said "this law, doma and the laws banning same-sex marriage" were discriminatory. but i think the real action will be in the states and in the state legislatures on these question questio

people like elizabeth warren, senator jeff merkley, tammy baldwin. these people share his views. but i think the media in this country too often does the horse race to the detriment of giving people the issues. bernie sanders is running a serious campaign with serious ideas and solutions for the problems he sees in this country at a very serious time. in fact a crisis moment for democracy and our economy. i think he has caught the wave. is he more surprised about how it is all catching on? perhaps. but he himself has been a very sharp critic of a media which hasn't permitted the full range of views. he says he goes on and talks with reporters. at the end of those interviews people say what do you think of hillary clinton, instead of pushing him on his issues. he is not there to criticize hillary clinton or raise millions of dollars to create warped opposition ads. he is there to have a serious debate. is our country ready for such a campaign? i think we are seeing elements of such readiness. but we haven't seen it. the other excitement, the day after he announced he raised $1.5 m

equality act of 2015 is sponsored by rhode island senator rather congressman david and organ senator jeff merkley and lesbian and transgendered people in the workplace and all areas covered by civil rights act of 1964. supporter says t vital that it will added to the list of protected classes just like race and religion. senator tammy baldwin is a democrat and just took part in the announcement and joins me live from capitol hill. senator baldwin, glad to have you here. my first question is what are the chances it getting passed by republican controlled house and senate? >> well, i would tell you that this is the beginning of a movement. and it's very exciting. if you look at the american opinion on this, americans want their family members, their friends, their neighbors who are gay or lesbian bisexual or transgendered to be treated with the same rights as every other american citizen. and so the american public kind of way out ahead of congress on this. many are surprised to learn there are so many jurisdictions in this country that lack those protections, that actually permit discrimination in

people like elizabeth warren, senator jeff merkley, tammy baldwin. these people share his views.ut i think the media in this country too often does the horse race to the detriment of giving people the issues. bernie sanders is running a serious campaign with serious ideas and solutions for the problems he sees in this country at a very serious time. in fact a crisis moment for democracy and our economy. i think he has caught the wave. is he more surprised about how it is all catching on? perhaps. but he himself has been a very sharp critic of a media which hasn't permitted the full range of views. he says he goes on and talks with reporters. at the end of those interviews people say what do you think of hillary clinton, instead of pushing him on his issues. he is not there to criticize hillary clinton or raise millions of dollars to create warped opposition ads. he is there to have a serious debate. is our country ready for such a campaign? i think we are seeing elements of such readiness. but we haven't seen it. the other excitement, the day after he announced he raised $1.5 mil

you have a cohort in the senate by the way people like elizabeth warren sherrod brown jeff merkley white house can tammy baldwin from wisconsin. these are people who shared bernie sanders views but if you think the media in this country too often does the horse race to the detriment of giving people the issues. bernie sanders is one a serious campaign with serious ideas and solutions for the problems he sees in this country bigger issue is time. a crisis moment. i think he's caught the way. he's caught the wave. is he more surprised about how it's all catching on? perhaps, but he himself has been a very sharp critic of a a needy which hasn't permitted the full range of views. he says he goes on in talks with reporters, does interviews and many times at the end of the envious people say so what do you think of hillary clinton? instead of pushing on his issues. he's not in it to criticize hillary clinton is not in it to raise billions of dollars. he wants to a series of debate. is our country ready for such a campaign i think witnessing elements of such readiness, but we haven't seen it. t

people like elizabeth warren, senator jeff merkley, tammy baldwin. these people share his views. but i think the media in this country too often does the horse race to the detriment of giving people the issues. bernie sanders is running a serious campaign with serious ideas and solutions for the problems he sees in this country at a very serious time. in fact a crisis moment for democracy and our economy. i think he has caught the wave. is he more surprised about how it is all catching on? perhaps. but he himself has been a very sharp critic of a media which hasn't permitted the full range of views. he says he goes on and talks with reporters. at the end of those interviews people say what do you think of hillary clinton, instead of pushing him on his issues. he is not there to criticize hillary clinton or raise millions of dollars to create warped opposition ads. he is there to have a serious debate. is our country ready for such a campaign? i think we are seeing elements of such readiness. but we haven't seen it. the other excitement, the day after he announced he raised $1.5 m