and then he got back in the game and said she and other people are using this lunatic fringe. they are playing to it the most dirty, disgusting elements of american politics for their own reason because they are trying to de la jit mize the president. i don't know what it's working but lately with lou dobbs, with liz cheney, with the crazy at the mike rally. >> and they certainly went through a road to damascus the other night. he finally got around saying he believes the president is in fact one of us. he is an american. >> he did better than liz cheney. in response to my blog post, politico got ahold of liz cheney and said today, not last night in front of a large national audience, i think he has the right to be president. mighty of you, liz. i think it's terrible the pandering going on. >> i thought the new low was trying to deamericanize michael dukakis. they are almost declaring this guy undocumented alien. >> that's what they are doing, chris. i have got to tell you, the republican party is in shambles. quality people among the republicans should really step up to the p

the lunatic fringe is getting louder. what in the heck is going on here? have copd which makes it hard to breathe. but now that i'm breathing better with advair... i can enjoy the zoo with my grandkids. (announcer) for people with copd including chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both, great news. advair helps significantly improve lung function. while nothing can reverse copd, advair is different from most other medications because it contains both an anti-inflammatory and a long-acting bronchodilator working together to help yobreathe better. advair won't replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms and should not be use more than twice a day. people with copd taking advair may have a higher chance of pneumonia. advair may increase your risk of osteoporosis and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking advair. we had a great day, grandpa! we sure did. ask your doctor how advair helps improve lung function for better breathing. (announcer) find out how to get your first full prescription free

>> i'd like to see the documents. >> so you're kind of afraid of the lunatic fringe base. what do you personally believe though? do you think there's a question here? >> i think there are questions. we'll have to see. >> i think there are questions. i just don't know what the republicans hope to gain from peddling this nonsense. more on this so-called birther movement later in "hardball." >>> plus, senator jim bunning, that great phillies pitcher, but also a detroit tigers pitcher, he was certainly in the hall of fame. he threw no-hitters in both leagues. he's not going to run for another term. we'll have more on that in "the politics fix." >>> what are sarah palin's post" asked republicans on capitol hill whether they personally believe barack obama is an american. >> what do you believe personally? >> i'd like to see the documents. >> so you're kind of afraid of the lunatic fringe base. what do you personally believe though? do you think there's a question here? >> i think there are questions. we'll have to see. she talked about hollywood starlets, those anti-second amen

. >> so you're kind of afraid of the lunatic fringe base. what do you personally live though? do you think there's a question here? >> i think there are questions. we'll have to see. >> i think there are questions. i just don't know what the republican hope to gain from peddling this nonsense. more on this so-called birther movement later in "hardball." >>> plus, senator jim bunting, that great phillies pitcher, but also a detroit tigers pitcher, he was certainly in the hall of fame. he threw no-haitters in both leagues. he's not going to run for another term. we'll have more on that in "the politics fix." >>> what are sarah palin's chances of actually winning the republican presidential nomination come 2012? well, the oddsmakers are speaking on that. we'll have those numbers for you in a the haul "sideshow." >>> we begin with sarah palin's first day as alaska's ex governor. norah, it seems like if you go through this reading it, she's picked out three enemies, and they're all cities, new york, washington, the government, and l.a., hollywood. it seems like a nasty attack plan

that was not, you know, some lunatic talking. he meant it? >> he meant error it. >> he collected the art work of his most memorable trials and published it in a book called all rise. sure, these illustrations are necessarily quick arts, but bill hennesey argues they are art and hopes to get a wider audience through the book. >> not to blow my own horn, that is pretty good. he hopes his book sells. meanwhile, he will continue to scurry from courthouse to courthouse to show the world what american justice looks like. john henrehan, fox 5 news. >> been around a long time. we know him on tv. we always shoot his picture. >> he's talented. >> yeah. >>> chugging along with the summer? nice, anoth beautiful day in paradise. we might have to interrupt it tomorrow for a couple of showers around and you will notice a kick in the humidity. temperaturewise, at the capitol. we got up to 88 degrees and the humidity is an incredible bargain. we'rep cred louse we have gotten search this july. here are the official high temperatures and 88 degrees, normal this

he's talking about the lunatic, the lover, and the poet, and they're all alike in their different madnesses incredibly inspired by literature. >> reporter: and she wants to share her love of reading with her fans. when they come to her concerts, she invites them to join her book club. >> throughout the whole tour, we've been giving out bookmarks for the book club. it's basically just a way of opening up a place for people that can talk about books they like and make reading a little less overwhelming. >> reporter: just like her musical influences, a fine frenzy's book selections are all over the map. from jane austen to modern titles like "harry potter." >> i think when you read you can live so many more lives than just your own.@+i ♪ >> reporter: and she could be changing a lot of lives by getting her fans to read books. for "teen kids news," i'm siena. >>> that's a wrap for this edition of "teen kids news." >> thanks for watching, and have edition of "teen kids news." >> thanks for watching, and have a great week!ú www.vitac.com narrator: every day is a brand-new journey of discovery for

. >> i'm like a lunatic. my boy has been found! >> always stayed positive. always knew i would see him again. he's very stubborn. >> jamie stumbled upon walkers who brought him back after 12 days. he survived the freezing conditions by eating seeds and weeds and sleeping under a log. >> it is their winter season down there. it's chilly. >>> we're anything but. we have temperatures in the low 70s. a little hint of humidity and mugginess. we're looking at partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies. there's our view from umbc in catonsville. no rain now but showers and thunderstorms possible, late morning through early afternoon. our two-degree guaranteed upper level limit of 89. 88, more storms tomorrow. low 80s with more showers on saturday. >>> i'm getting reports that the left lane, eastbound span of the bay bridge blocked because of debris in the road. left lane remains blocked westbound through whitemarsh boulevard approaching i-95 exit there because of that earlier accident. >>> coming up on "good morning maryland" at 9:00 -- we're talking about babies. specif

keep this thing going to make regular republicans and regular conservatives look like a bunch of lunatics. don't put that past the guys in the white house. bill: i didn't think of it, and it is a good possibility. but i have got to tell you, from dealing with these people, -- and the bush people were like this at times, too. unbelievably arrogant. we're not going to do what you say. we're not going to do what you say. you're just some pimp on a cable news show or on talk radio and you want it, tough. we don't care. there is no down side for us. our people still like us. that's that. all right. but i want to get back to cnn, because an interesting business story here. cnn is not doing well, and i don't say that with any rancor. ok. we respect cnn most of the time. they have a couple of nuts over there, but not bad. not like some of the other competition, all right? but now they are in a position where they have a renegade, a renegade on the air. lou, lou is a renegade. now, they can't fire him. he does ok. he is not knocking the lights out in the numbers, but he's doing ok. and he's a big

elected in 98, 2000, 98, 2000, 2004, 2002, 2004, we were called radicals they called right-wing lunatics by the mainstream media. that is the message that can win again but i go back, ronald reagan understanding love that americans are going to follow not because of my ideology but because of my temperament. because they know i believe what i am saying. and they trust me. do you think or does anybody else really believe that america has started far left in the age of obama's? look at the polls. in 200030 percent of americans say they're conservative, 19 percent said they are liberal. in 2009 you know, how radical those numbers have shifted? one percentage point*. 30 percent of americans, 37% now. they say they are conservative and 19% only 19% still tell people they are liberals. this is not about ideology. a small government conservative who believes like reagan and buckley the greatness of america with individuals and not the ever expanding centralized states is that the message that can win and will win but republicans are not conservatives 1/2 to figure of how to deliver that message

. >> like a lunatic. my boy's been found. my boy's been found. he said he went out to the castle.ere's a sign there, "experienced p walkers only" which he ignored. i've seen mistake after mistake he's made, you know, i could kill him, obviously that would spoil the fun of him coming back. >> dad laid it on him there. he was surviving by eating seeds and leaves and sleeping under logs. paul mccartney back to where it began for the beatles in the u.s. they played a surprise concert atop the ed sullivan theater. let's get a listen. ♪ ♪ back in the ussr ♪ don't no how lucky you are ♪ back in the ussr >>> campbell. performed quite a number of songs there "band on the run." "get back," "back in the ussr." pretty funny. you flip on our air conditioner and paul mccartney is waving to folks. >> nobody knew this was happening. can you imagine driving down the street, walking down the street? >> paul mccartney waving to you. >> a lot of people excited. mike galanos, see you a bit later. >> thanks, campbell. >> tonight never before seen video of michael jackson literally on fire. this is the

that wasn't some lunatic talking. >> he meant it. >> he meant it. >> reporter: bill hennessey has collected artwork from some of the more memorable trials and published it in a book called all rise. he argues tat they are art even though they are quick art. he hopes through i book they will get a wider audience. >> stop and look at the artwork i have here. not to blow my own horn, i think it is pretty good. >> he will continue to scurry from courthouse to courthouse to show the world what american justice looks like. john henrehan, fox 5 news. >> i have a seen bill in a number of courtrooms p i ask him how hegets it done that quickly. he says you just got to do it. >> i agree with him. it is pretty darned good. >>> straight ahead, a traffic stop turns into a serious scene on capitol hill. >> i heard the gunshot and it just sounded like firecrackers. >> reporter: this more than, the scene is still blocked off and one man is dead. up next, hear how it all unfolded in front of a june of tourists. i'm sarah simmons with a live report. >>> sonia sotomayor facing more questions on capitol hill. >

. >> so you're kind of a part of the lunatic fringe base? >> it's being looked at. >> what do you personally believe? do you think there's a question there? >> i think there are questions. we have to see. >> you do believe there are questions. thanks very much. >> on the hill asking republicans if they believe barack obama was born in the united states. >> doesn't matter. >> it doesn't matter to you? but you swore to uphold the constitution. >> that's a question he needs to answer. not me. if he says he is -- >> you can tell me what you think. do you think he was? >> he said he was, so i believe him. >> i don't know who this congressman is. it looks like he's absolutely running away from answering any questions about where barack obama was born and whether or not it's constitutionally authorized to serve as president of the united states. >> he's pretending to look at pens. >> mike talk joins us live from capitol hill. that video says it is. we have educated republican u.s. congressmen who would not say one, congressman franks, he is a u.s.

there is a sense in which we may be spending a little bit too much time talking about this lunatic fringebut the problem is that it goes from top to bottom, as i said. if you have half a dozen, now a dozen or more united states congressmen jumping on to this bill that's really the thinly veiled forum, the stuff you see on the streets, and in all of congress you see this veiled thing, and it's not that they don't know how to dismiss people like this. they dismiss crazy nuts and people they just don't like who really do have ideas that have some mirror it merit bus thet disagree with strongly. town hall meetings, they're dismissed every day. try talking to one of these days about the fact the previous administration tortured people for political gain. you won't get far. they find a way to distance themselves from you when they want to. >> good point. and blog congress methods, thanks for joining us. >> thank you very much. >>> and a clarification to last night's "countdown." a conversation about the financial industry, our guest arianna huffington says citigroup is basically insolvent. citi

>> i got to tell you, i am an absolute lunatic and get turned on by portfolios.rned on with what pete has put together. this is a portfolio that doesn't come to mind. i kind of like it. you have an interesting biotech game. del monte. my friend writes the stocks newsletter thinks del monte is good. i won't go against him. nokia, i happen to think will have a very strong second half. comfort systems was a company i recommended, unfortunately went much higher and wells is a bank i like. i always want to welcome anybody from wells on this show, including the eastfield realty people. i think it's a great thing. food, tech, biotech, perfect diver diversification and a really neat portfolio, if i don't say so myself. stay with cramer. you have questions. who can give you the financial advice you need? where will you find the stability and resources to keep you ahead of this rapidly evolving world? these are tough questions. that's why we brought together two of the most powerful names in the industry. introducing morgan stanley smith barney. here to rethink wealth mana

when we heard generation or two ago now adolf hitler making similar kinds of seemingly lunatic statements kamp on the stump, people thought he's a mad man, he doesn't mean it and it won't come to pass. these people are deadly serious. they mean it and believe it as god's will. they're doctrine coming from the texts of the authoritative islam, the traditions, the interpretations that have been practiced for many centuries. drive them to believe that they must destroy all who stand in the way of the try yuc try -- t tryiumph of islam. we trivialize them at our peril. >> eric: they deny they're terrorists and say they're non-violent. interesting to see what they say in the seminar at the hilton hotel in oaklawn. joining us, talking with frank gaffney of center for security policy. he does a lot of work on these type of groups and others at the center for security policy. frank, what is the website for your group? >> sorry? >> eric: website? >> securefreedom.org. >> eric: securefreedom.org. if you want more information on all this. frank gaffney. >> my pleasure. thank you. >> eric: thank you

of course, the home run for conspiracyists of any strife is when their ideas can leave the lunatic fringenter the mainstream. enter cnn anchor lou dobbs over on our competing network, that anchor campbell brown says is the only one still doing journalism. mr. dobbs is using the platform of his cnn show to advance the birther conspiracy. >> a lot of questions remaining, and seemingly, the questions won't go away, because they haven't been dealt, it seems possible, to straightforwardly, and quickly. >> mr. dobbs then went even further than that on his radio show. >> guess what, folks? there are issues here that should be really resolved. what is crazy about this is all the president of the united states has to do is produce a birth certificate. we have a document issue. you suppose he's undocumented? no. it wouldn't be right. >> get it? he's undocumented. the president is an undocumented. journalism. joining us is a reporter that has done a lot of national leg work on this story, the phenomenon of the birthers, dave wagall. >> thank you for having me. >> the claim here is producing the birt

that wasn't, you know, some lunatic talking. >> reporter: he meant it?> reporter: bill hennessey has now collected the artwork from some of his more memorable trials and published it in a book called "all rise." these illustrations are necessarily quick art but bill hennessey argues they are art and he hopes through the book they will get wider audience. >> stop and look at the artwork that i have here. i mean, not to blow my own

. >> so you're kind of afraid of the lunatic fringe base?rtainly being looked at. >> what do you personally believe? do you think there's a question here? >> i think there are questions. we'll have to see. >> you do believe there are questions. that's good enough. thank you very much. >> i'm on the hill asking republicans if they believe barack obama was born on the united states. it doesn't matter to you? you swore an oath to uphold the constitution. >> that's a question he needs to answer, not me. if he says he is -- >> you can tell me what you think. you can tell me what you think. do you think he was? >> he said he was so i believe he was. >>> congressman andrews, you know, they used to say reporters -- they always say when you get somebody into the grand jury, you get somebody testifying in court, when it's on the record they have a different view than when they're just talking. it sounds like when you're republican colleagues were just talking, they were able to play the game of well maybe he's not really one ever us, not really an ame

briefing yesterday, the question about whether the president was really born in america, well, today the lunatic fringe one-up that weirdness by forcing not just the white house press secretary but the president himself, to have to answer a question from maybe even further out in right field. it was during a town hall meeting on health care today that was hosted by aarp. check out this question. >> i have heard lots of rumors going around about this new plan, and i hope that the people that are going to vote on this is going to read every single page there. i have been told there is a solve in there that everyone of medicare age will be visited and told how to decide how they which to die. that a great deal bothers me and i want you to promise me that this is not in this bill. >> you know, i guarantee you, first of all, we just don't have enough government workers to send -- to talk to everybody. to find out how they want to die. i think that the only thing that may have been proposed in some of the bills -- and i actually think this is a good thing, is that it makes it easier for people to fill

keep this thing going to make regular republicans and regular conservatives look like a bunch of lunatics. don't put that past the guys in the white house. bill: i didn't think of it, and it is a good possibility. but i have got to tell you, from dealing with these people, -- and the bush people were like this at times, too. unbelievably arrogant. we're not going to do what you say. we're not going to do what you say. you're just some pimp on a cable news show or on talk radio and you want it, tough. we don't care. there is no down side for us. our people still like us. that's that. all right. but i want to get back to cnn, because an interesting business story here. cnn is not doing well, and i don't say that with any rancor. ok. we respect cnn most of the time. they have a couple of nuts over there, but not bad. not like some of the other competition, all right? but now they are in a position where they have a renegade, a renegade on the air. lou, lou is a renegade. now, they can't fire him. he does ok. he is not knocking the lights out in the numbers, but he's doing ok. and he's a big

how big a problem does the republican party have with its lunatic fringe. you're watching "hardball" only on msnbc. (announcer) roundup extended control does two jobs... at once. one: kills weeds to the root. two: forms a barrier, preventing new ones for up to four months. roundup extended control. coming up, another look at the so-called birther movement. the people who don't believe president obama is a u.s. citizen. is this a problem for the republicans? the chevy open ho. where getting a new vehicle is easy. because the price on the tag is the price you pay on remaining '08 and '09 models. you'll find low, straightforward pricing. it's simple. now get an '09 silverado xfe with an epa estimated 21 mpg highway for under 28 thousand after all offers. go to chevy.com/openhouse for more details. has the fastest serve in the history of professional tennis. so i've come to this court to challenge his speed. ...on the internet. i'll be using the 3g at&t laptopconnect card. he won't. so i can book travel plans faster, check my account balances faster. all on the

. >> so you're kind of a fray of the lunatic fringe base? >> it's being looked at. >> what do you personally believe, though? do you think there's a question here? >> i think there are questions. we'll have to see. >> you do believe there are questions. that's good enough. thanks very much. >> let's bring in the washington editor of "the nation" chris hayes. good evening, chris. >> good evening, governor. >> that house vote, first when pressed, looks like no house republicans could bring themselves to question that president obama was born in hawaii. >> yeah, i mean, look, these aren't -- these people aren't idiots. i don't think anyone actually believes that he wasn't born in hawaii, or i will at least charitably interpret their actions as being cynical as opposed to insane and this is essentially a ploy to kind of stoke the base and that they don't want to be caught looking like idiots. that's why you see the discomfort in members when mike stark, who is a great blogger and writer, who is the man in that video and doing some great work for

. >>> coming up, those lunatics on the very far right who insist despite all the documentation we've been able to gather that president obama was born in kenya. well, not everyone on the right is aboard this. we'll hear from a very prominent conservative who says these birthers out there are hurting the cause when "hardball" returns. >>> the fact that it has garnered so much attention i think is a testimony to the fact that these are issues that are still very sensitive here in america, and, you know, so to the extent that my choice of words didn't illuminate but rather contributed to more media frenzy, i think that was unfortunate. >>> welcome back to "hardball." the reverend eugene rivers is with the christian community surch in boston and charles flow is a columnist with "the new york times." thank you for joining us. i'm sure you have thoughts. i won't get in your way. take it away, reverend rivers, about this whole thing from a boston perspective. >> i think the president today engaged in perfect political choreography. he made a mistake. he put the word stupid in the same sente

>> i got to tell you, i am an absolute lunatic and get turned on by portfolios.ed on with what pete has put together. this is a portfolio that doesn't come to mind. i kind of like it. you have an interesting biotech game. del monte. my friend writes the stocks newsletter thinks del monte is good. i won't go against him. nokia, i happen to think will have a very strong second half. comfort systems was a company i recommended, unfortunately went much higher and wells is a bank i like. i always want to welcome anybody from wells on this show, including the eastfield realty people. i think it's a great thing. food, tech, biotech, perfect diversification and a really neat portfolio, if i don't say so myself. stay with cramer. (announcer) it is the most advanced automobile we have ever created. a car that can help awaken its driver if he begins to doze... keep him in his lane if he starts to wander... even stop itself if he becomes distracted. if you want to see the future of the automobile, just look at the new e-class... today. this is the 9th generation e-class. thi

. >> so you're kind of afraid of the lunatic fringe base? >> it's being looked at. >> what do you personally believe? do you think there is a question here? >> i think there are questions. we'll have to see. >> hey, congressman. how are you? i'm with the huffington post and fire dog lake. what's your name? well, you were able to say you're out of breath. you can tell me your name. are you democrat or republican? i'll race you. >> in addition to the sponsor and cosponsors of the birther legislation in congress then we can now add these names to the list of republican legislators who do not believe or at least will not say out loud that the president is a citizen. incredible. meanwhile, down the street at the white house briefing room today white house press secretary robert gibbs got a break from questions about the cambridge police department, health care reform, iraq, iran, afghanistan, and every other matter of actual importance thanks today to the birthers. >> is there anything you can say that will make the birthers go away? >> no. i mea

especially as the words and crazy theories of militias and other elements of the lunatic fringe are givenven a shred of credibility by their repetition in the conspicuous conservative media. god only knows the price we pay when we turn political opponents to be debated, into mortal enemies to be eliminated. now, when some of those who shout through the megaphone of right wing radio hear a critique like this, they immediately throw a fit. they claim that people like me are calling for a return to the fairness doctrine. some of you remember the fairness doctrine, adopted 60 years ago by the federal communications commission. it said that opposing points of view had to be presented on radio or tv in a way that was honest, equitable and balanced. if not, said the f.c.c., a station could lose its license. ronald reagan abolished the doctrine in 1987, but mention it today and the rush limbaugh's of the world still scream like martyrs being stretched on the rack. these people earn millions inciting riots in the public mind. if they were required to be fair, they would soon be penniless, out on t

. >>> lunatic fringe. let's play "hardball." >>> leading off tonight, well, good evening, i'm chris matthews in washington. leading off tonight lunar watch a republican leader in congress put out word today that i am responsible for the weird word that president obama is from another country. actually, and we need to use that word more often these days, actually a new poll shows that a majority of republicans, nearly 6 in 10 now, either believe the president was born elsewhere than in the united states or are, quote, not sure about this. yes, this is a problem for the republicans. it's also a problem that while only 1 in 10 americans give any real creedence to this strange claim, the main source of this barack is a foreigner notion can be traced to one part of the country, the south. the rest of the country, north, west, midwest, thinks it's beneath any at the consideration. what does this say? why the south? why do so many southerners polled say they're not sure or say barack obama was definitely born out

98, in 2000, 2004, 2001, 2004, again, what we are being called radicals, being called right-wing lunatics by the mainstream media. that is a message that can win again, but again i go back to temperance. ronald reagan understanding americans are going to follow me not because of my ideology, but because of my temperament, because they know i believe what i'm saying before i get before them and they trust me. do you think or does anyone else really believe america has started far left in this age of obama? look up the pupils. and 2000, 38% of americans said they were conservative. 19% said they were liberal. in 2009 you know how radically those numbers have shifted? one percentage point within the margin of error. 38% of americans think, no, it's 37%. 30% think they are conservative, 19%, only 19% still tell pew they are liberals. this is not about ideology, a small government conservative who believes like reagan and buckley that the greatness of america's with individuals and not with this ever expanding centralized state that is the message that can win and will win but again republican

we'll be right back with the lunatic fringe. you're watching "hardball" only on machines. free credit repor! tell your friends, tell your dad, tell your mom! never mind, they've been singing our songs since we first showed up with our pirate hats on! if you're not into fake sword fights pointy slippers and green wool tights take a tip from a knight who knows free credit report dot com, let's go! vo: offer applies with enrollment in triple advantage. does two jobs... at once. one: kills weeds to the root. two: forms a barrier, preventing new ones for up to four months. roundup extended control. >>> coming up, why was a prominent harvard professor arrested in his own house? the charges have been dropped, but the arrest of henry louis gates, who is an african-american, has raised that old question of racial profiling. we'll get to that later in the show on "hardball." so i've come to this ring to see who's faster... on the internet. i'll be using the 3g at&t laptopconnect card. he won't. so i can browse the web faster, email business plans faster. all on the go. i'm bill kurt

lunatics here tonight. welcome to "late night with jimmy fallon," you crazy people. yeah, right there. happy earth day. [ cheers and applause ] yes! so excited, earth day. i mean, every earth day, i mean, as a kid, i used to wake up on earth day, and run down the stairs in my footie pajamas, see what al gore brought us. it was just so fun. [ laughter ] "look sis, it'sne of those dark brown seventh generation paper towels. yeah, i love those." we're doing our part here at "late night." half the staff is planting trees. the other half is smoking them. [ laughter and applause ] lot of laughing on the staff right now. we're not the only show going green. today, "the price is right" had a green show. nothing plastic or artificial. which means all the showcase models had the day off. [ laughter ] they just took it right off. yeah. general motors -- general motors is joining in. gm is helping out the environment by doing everything they can to not sell cars. it's working. it's really good. [ laughter ] i love those guys. hey, new study in germany shows that break dancers su

. >>> coming up, how big a problem does the republican party have with its lunatic fringe? >>> coming up, president obama will talk health care at the top of the hour. can he convince congress and the american people to seal the deal? (announcer) regular kool-aid. goes almost three times further than soda. kool aid. delivering more smiles per gallon. >>> president obama is holding a press conference tonight. but some don't believe he's president. some conspiracy theorists are saying he's not an american because he doesn't have a birth certificate. that's baloney, but that doesn't stop misomeone at mike castle's town hall meeting. watch. >> i want to go back to january 20th and i want to know why were you people ignoring his birth certificate? he is not an american citizen. he is a citizen of kenya. >> loony tunes. and this craziness has spread to capitol hill for real where a group of congressional republicans is pushing for a bill requiring presidential candidates to provide their birth certificates. we know where that's coming from. dee dee myers was press secretary to bi

of crimal law cases, a lot o immigration cases d on none of tho can y show that she's some so of a lunatic liberal. >> rose: from a media coverage, at stories are getng played for example, heah care. clearly the president isworried about tting a billbefore augustnd what it'sgoing to look ke. clearly senator keedy is not here. >> huge voice. >> rose: huge voice. >> the thingthat people don't reale, to some peopleted kennedy is the gre liber li, which he has been for sure. he ao was the greatest legislator in the senate. >> ros because he couldind common ground th anybody? >> he could find commonground. he knewe had a wonderf way of dealing with his colleagues. right wing republicanss well aseft wing democrats. he upd the issues,he had the best staff on the history of capitol hill always. >> and timing. rose: and he could putll sorts of deals together there's no one that can do that rht now, charlie. that's why think white hous, whicis ually quite a joy at these thin, have made a mistake. th have been too a abovehe fray. they're in danger of letting this thing get away. they can probably rec

we'll be right back with the lunatic fringe. you're watching "hardball" only on machines. -- on msnbc. if you're taking 8 extra-strength tylenol... a day on the days that you have arthritis pain, you could end up taking 4 times the number... of pills compared to aleve. choose aleve and you could start taking fewer pills. just 2 aleve have the strength... to relieve arthris pain all day. does two jobs... at once. one: kills weeds to the root. two: forms a barrier, preventing new ones for up to four months. roundup extended control. >>> coming up, why was a prominent harvard professor arrested in his own house? the charges have been dropped, but the arrest of henry louis gates, who is an african-american, has raised that old question of racial profiling. we'll get to that later in the show on "hardball." second announcer: looks like he needs to go urgently. true. and there's casey, about to drive... also to the men's room. he has been going over and over. they ought to see their doctors. could be male urinary symptoms due to bph,

. >>> coming up, those lunatics on the very far right who insist despite all the documentation we've been able to gather that president obama was born in kenya. well, not everyone on the right is aboard this. we'll hear from a very prominent conservative who says these birthers out there are hurting the cause when "hardball" returns. at 155 miles per hour, andy roddick has the fastest serve in the history of professional tennis. so i've come to this court to challenge his speed. ...on the internet. i'll be using the 3g at&t laptopconnect card. he won't. so i can book travel plans faster, check my account balances faster. all on the go. i'm bill kurtis and i'm faster than andy roddick. (announcer) "switch to the nations fastest 3g network" "and get the at&t laptopconnect card for free". >>> the fact that it has garnered so much attention i think is a testimony to the fact that these are issues that are still very sensitive here in america, and, you know, so to the extent that my choice of words didn't illuminate but rather contributed to more media frenzy, i think that was unfortunate

and we will take another look at the lunatic fringe of the republican party that doesn't believe that. that he's actually american. but we begin tonight with health care, of course. nbc white house correspondent savannah guthrie joins us now from the white house. nbc's kelly o'donnell is at the u.s. capitol. in new york, dr. nancy snyderman is with us. she's the most of msnbc "dr. nancy." i want to to to savannah guthrie, is there a sense from you all watching this at the white house that the president laid out a compelling chase why we need to change the health care system. >> it's clear that's what the president felt his mission was is, to explain to ordinary americans why health care reform is a good thing. i think they rise here is part of the messaging is a little bit off. it could be a little sharper on that other. expectly when you have new

republican leadership should come out and say to these fringe lunatics, enough is enough. come on, mcconnell. come on, boehner. you're better than that. how about you, can ener? don't tell them you're afraid to stand up to the whack jobs. all that, "psycho talk," a great panel coming up tonight. "daily show" creator and former talk show host liz winstead will give her take on sarah palin's radio dreams. get your cell phones out. we've got a text vote coming up for you tonight. want you to be involved in that. >>> first, tonight's "op ed." the middle class is coming back. president obama was handed the worst recession in 80 years courtesy of the bush administration and the republicans. after six months in office the economy is starting to show some signs of life here thanks to president obama's recovery plan. the big success story so far, the cash for clunkers program, which the president highlighted today. >> not more than a few weeks ago there were skeptics who weren't sure that this cash for clunkers program would work. i'm happy to report it has succeeded well beyond ou