>> new remarks from mitt romney surrogate john sununu. >> john sununu -- >> the former new hampshire governor -- >> talking about the president not being america. >> i wish this president would learn how to be an american. >> that's an odd thing to say. >> it's all a bunch of crap. >> he has no idea how the american system functions. >> "has no idea how the american system functions." >> no idea how the american system functions. >> yeah, except he's in charge of of it. >>> today was the single worst day of the general election campaign for mitt romney. some more politically important friends of his turned on him and that bastion of american conservatism, the "national review," gave him an order in an editorial entitled "release the returns." the editorial said, "the romney campaign says he has released as many returns as candidate john kerry did in 2004 and cites teresa heinz kerry's refusal to release any of her tax returns. neither is an apt comparison. john kerry actually released returns from 1999 through 2003 and also released tax returns during his senate runs. as for teresa h

sununu left his turn on the national stage in disgrace.hite house chief of staff for the first president bush. he was caught using military jets for personal travel, including skiing trips, and was pushed out of the white house, having failed in every recognizable job performance measurement of a white house chief of staff. with friends like john sununu, mitt romney is headed for a life of leisure beginning the day after the presidential election. joining me now are joy reid, thegrio.com managing editor and msnbc contributor and charles blow, "new york times" columnist. thank you both for joining me. joy, you were here last night and rush limbaugh today picked up what we were talking about. and actually, let's listen to the way he characterized the way we talked about his hateful, racist stereotyping that you just heard in that crazy rant of yesterday. let's listen to what he said. >> now, last night on msnbc, i'm told, ah, limbaugh's racist. you start talking about a black guys doing drugs, that's racist. oh, no, he wrote about it in his

i think it's a poor choice of words by john sununu. what i'm more interested is the role of john sununu, this former white house chief of staff, he's been romney's biggest attack dog in this campaign. he's giving romney an edge in a week when he needs an edge, a change in the topic. have sununu out there trying to push that obama's dishonest. that obama's a liar. he's throwing around these phrases. i think it is a play by the romney campaign to get something else on the radar beside romney's tax returns. >> stop there. assume i i said to you, learn how to be an american. >> it's a poor phrase. >> what does it mean? why don't you learn how to be an american, costa. >> i think it means you made a mistake in that phrase. >> what do you mean? i considered it a serious slur against somebody, a fellow american to say they're not really an american. >> if you meant that in a direct way, it would be a mistake. >> want me to play it again? >> i'm not disagreeing with you that it was a bad phrase. it was obviously a poor choice of words and mist

deondre says sununu is a comedian. where can i buy a ticket to his show?alker was the president and the first lady's kiss cam moment. jamie says they looked sweet. just like ordinary people. carlos says it is great to see a couple who loves, this is real family values. we want to hear what you think, too. head over to facebook and search "politics nation" and like us to join the conversation that keeps going long after the show ends. ♪ atmix of energies.ve the world needs a broader that's why we're supplying natural gas to generate cleaner electricity... that has around 50% fewer co2 emissions than coal. and it's also why, with our partner in brazil, shell is producing ethanol - a biofuel made from renewable sugarcane. >>a minute, mom! let's broaden the world's energy mix. let's go. why? i thought jill was your soul mate. no, no it's her dad. the general's your soul mate? dude what? no, no, no. he's, he's on my back about providing for his little girl. hey don't worry. e-trade's got a killer investing dashboard. everything is on one page, your investments,

and now, john sununu at the direction of mitt romney. i keep coming back to that.u out there spewing hate. >> that's all they've got. talk about un-american. jesus. >> this is the bill press show. been. at the local level, among the ranks of teachers. as dennis told us yesterday, again, sununu is dead wrong. it doesn't mean there are fewer students. it doesn't mean there are fewer classrooms. it doesn't mean there are fewer schools. what it means is there are m0 vanguard: the documentary series that redefined tv journalism. >>we're going to places where few others are going. >>it doesn't get anymore real than this. >>occupy! >>the award winning series "vanguard" only on current tv. [ ♪ theme music ♪ ] taking your e-mails on any topic at any time, this is the bill press show live on your radio and current tv. >> lynn sweet from the chicago sun times in as a friend of bill for the next hour. how about this? michael rivera in queens in new york, very happy he got a signed copy of my book "the obama hate machine" for his birthday. he says he and his wife put on three t

i would say on sununu's specific statement.ad he couple e called the pres liar and a felon the white house would have been okay with it because that's what stephanie cutter called romney last week. >> we'll leave it there. >>> there's new violence in syria. reports of the regime randomly shelling in damascus. syrian tv tells a much different version of the story. no surprise there. plus, one of the most troubling questions so far. is the ashasad regime planning use chemical weapons? i'm speak with bob bare about that next. i'm barack obama and i approve this message. [romney singing]: oh beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountains majesty, above the fruited plain, america, america, god shed his grace on thee, and crowned thy good, with brotherhood... >>> the fight for syria seems to be nearing a battle for the capital city of damascus. all under the specter of of an ominous question. would bashar al assad, the dictator of syria, be willing to use chemical weapons on his own people? first, the l

i would say on sununu's specific statement.resident a liar and a felon the white house would have been okay with it because that's what stephanie cutter called romney last week. >> we'll leave it there. >>> there's new violence in syria. reports of the regime randomly shelling in damascus. syrian tv tells a much different version of the story. no surprise there. plus, one of the most troubling questions so far. is the assad regime planning to use chemical weapons? i'm speak with bob bare about that next. ve how great the fit s ve how great the fit s even under a fantastic dress. the best protection now looks, fits and feels just like underwear. we invite you to get a free sample and try one on too. are choosing advil®. here's one story. i'm keith baraka and i'm a fire fighter. it's an honor to be a fire fighter. my job involves life or death situations and it's very physically demanding. if i'm sore, i have a headache, i'm not at my best. advil® is my go to. it's my number one pain reliever. advil® just works for me. [ male ann

john sununu should be saying that.should be talking about his palestinian american father and should be talking about his international roots. but he can't because they have double downed on the hatred and doubled down on demonizing this president that most of us recognize as one of us who was raised by his white grandparents,s who grandfather was a world war ii veteran, who has -- a different background and then a very, very, very american background. >> at love us are proud of the fact where he came from and how far he has gone. as he said in the way that always grabbed me, and i -- think of this as -- something only could have happened in this country. today in the senate floor john mccain snowed himself at his best and showed courage and decency. look at what he did here. defended the longtime clinton aide huma abedin who has been on many trips with he and secretary clinton when she was in the zmath. here he is going after republicans including michele bachmann for this trash talk. let's listen. >> on june 13, five

i would say on sununu's specific statement. had he called the president a liar and a felon the white house would have been okay with it because that's what stephanie cutter called romney last week. >> we'll leave it there. >>> there's new violence in syria. reports of the regime randomly shelling in damascus. syrian tv tells a much different version of the story. no surprise there. plus, one of the most troubling questions so far. is the assad regime planning to use chemical weapons? i'm speak with bob bare about that next. see life in the best light. outdoors, or in. transitions® lenses automatically filter just the right amount of light. so you see everything the way it's meant to be seen. maybe even a little better. experience life well lit, ask for transitions adaptive lenses. visit your local walmart vision center today to discover how authentic transitions brand lenses enhance your vision. walmart. save money. live better. >>> the fight for syria seems to >>> the fight for syria seems to be nearing a battle for the capita

governor sununu was asked to clear fi seconds later. here's how he tried to clarify the remarks. >> what i thought i said but what i didn't say is that the president has to learn the american formula for creating business, the american formula for creating business is not to have government create business, the american formula for creating business that i wish he would get comfortable with is to create a client in which entrepreneurs can thrive. if i didn't give all that detail i apologize. >> jimmy, is that enough? >> i think it is. it was a faux pas just like the president made a faux pas with entrepreneurs, but we have spent so much time talking about grammatical errors and so forth. what we really need to talk about is the important issues, the fact that we're borrowing $3 billion a day to keep this government going. we have got to talk about jobs and the economy, not just as democrats and republicans but as americans to find -- the more time we spend on these side issues, i think that's more of a distraction and frankly the obama

more of this passionate debate on "hannity" with governor sununu and juan williams.ims that mitt romney was trying to get boo'd in order to impress southern conservatives. and joe biden told the group today that the g.o.p. want to make it harder for african-americans to vote. those outrageous charges and more as "hannity" continues. ♪ [ female announcer ] life is full of little tests, but bounty basic can handle them. in this lab demo, bounty basic is stronger than the leading bargain brand. everyday life. bring it with affordably priced bounty basic. according to ford, the works fuel saver package could literally pay for itself. jim twitchel is this true? yes it's true. how is this possible? proper tire inflation, by using proper grades of oil, your car runs more efficiently, saves gas. you could be doing this right now? yes i could, mike. i'm slowing you down? yes you are. my bad. the works fuel saver package. just $29.95 or less after rebate. only at your ford dealer. so, to sum up, you take care of that, you take care of these, you save a bunch of this. that work

so sununu has gone from the white house to the doghouse.president campaign. you can forget about any dog strapped to the roof of the car joke. no, sir. this dog is fully unleashed. on tuesday, just like he did 20 years ago to president bush, sununu embarrassed his boss. by saying president obama isn't a real american, this attack dog made the subtext of romney's message a little too plain. and mitt can hardly change the subject away from his taxes when his top surrogate is spending the whole day on tv apologizing for his own idiotic remarks. the smart thing for mitt romney would be to send the dog to the yard again. we know his canine fills on. >> i who let the dogs out? >> bow wow wow. thanks for watching. chris matthews picks up right now. >>> under the boardwalk with chris christie. let's play "hardball." >>> good evening. i'm chris math news is an plan. let me start tonight with the brazen decision by mitt romney to have chris christie open the republican convention. bring in the nastiest weapon of the boardwalk to blast at the presiden

. >> reporter: but the harshest counterpunch came from john sununu. on a campaign conference call referred to team obama for "a bunch of liars" and then criticized the economy this way. >> i wish this parent would learn how to be an american. >> reporter: he later clarified saying he hoped the president would establish what he said was an american formula for creating businesses creating an environment where entrepreneurs could thrive. he said he wished he could have better explained that the first time around and could apologize. nonetheless the obama campaign was quick to react saying the romney campaign has "officially gone off the deep end" a." >> thanks very much, john sununu will be here live this hour in "the situation room." give him a chance to explain precisely what he said he now acknowledges he misspoke in that conference call. let's bring in our cnn chief political analyst gloria borger in "the situation room" as well. the ad we just saw in dan's piece, part of a broader picture that the obama administration, the obama campaign is trying

. >> i wanted to ask you about former governor john sununu.his was an interview he did on fox yesterday. i think even before that conference call where he questioned whether or not the president understands what it is to be an american. this was sununu, who took this particular shot at president obama. >> he has no idea how the american system functions and we shouldn't be surprised about that, because he spent his early years in hawaii smoking something, spent the next set of years in indonesia, another set of years in indonesia. >> do you agree that that was an appropriate comment? >> well, i think governor sununu is his own man but as far as the campaign's concerned, with president obama's comments on friday, it's true that president obama doesn't understand the free enterprise system in this country. >> governor sununu was a surrogate speaking for the campaign so in this instance, yesterday he was not his own man. >> he clarified that he was talking about how president obama is not a supporter of the free enterprise system in this country.

you drive a sununu.morning, steph. i wanted to piggyback on what hal was talking about earlier with mitt and his money in the blind trust. i saw yesterday on another program where he was quoted in 1984 in a nice videotape of him saying that blind trusts are a ruse. you get to tell them how to -- the rules to set for them. >> you're absolutely right. that was when he was going up against ted kennedy and he was saying that -- because ted kennedy had some of his investments in the blind trust and mitt romney hit him on those investments saying everyone knows that's just a dodge. you can fix a blind trust. >> stephanie: what? that was then, this is now? did he change his mind on something? >> no! i did not say that. i allowed for the inference thereof. >> stephanie: elaine in nebraska. hi elaine. >> caller: hi. first-time caller. love you guys. >> stephanie: thank you. >> caller: wanted to check and see if you heard that republican strategist on another station that should be nameless yesterday that said tha

sununu tried to backpedal later in the day but he really just made it worse.congratulations john sununu. you have earned the office of the mayor of crazytown today. as we press mitt romney to reveal his financial secrets it does seem that ann romney is about to reveal far more intimate secrets of life and love in the romney household or at least that's what brett ehrlich claims. "the war room" is in no way responsible for claims made by brett ehrlich so shh brett's talking now. >> my sources tell me that the romney family is getting into the publishing business. piggybacking on the latest craze and erotic fiction ann romney has penned a book about her private sex with her husband mitt in a new book called fifty shades of grey sideburns i shall now read the scintillating highlights. >> fifty shades of grey sideburns. >> what i love about mitt is he loves to take charge only on paper though. our official position is he hasn't taken charge of anything since 1999. >> steamy. >> mrs. romney, he whispered, i would like to try multiple position. >> what kind of posit

so sununu has gone from the white house to the doghouse.ent campaign. you can forget about any dog strapped to the roof of the car joke. no, sir. this dog is fully unleashed. on tuesday, just like he did 20 years ago to president bush, sununu embarrassed his boss. by saying president obama isn't a real american, this attack dog made the subtext of romney's message a little too plain. and mitt can hardly change the subject away from his taxes when his top surrogate is spending the whole day on tv

let me play again governor romney's surrogates and former new hampshire governor john sununu what he said on fox news yesterday and then listen to limbaugh. >> he has no idea how the american system functions and we shouldn't be surprised about that because he spent his early years in hawaii smoking something, spent the next set of years in indonesia, and another set of years in indonesia, and frankly, when he came to the u.s., he worked as a community organizer which is a socialized structure and then got into politics in chicago. >> i think sununu has been appointed with the task of going out and performing the duties that i am suggesting need to happen. because that's smoking something in hawaii, he's doing it. never had a paycheck, chicago politics. the only thing he left out was that obama's been mentored, educated by a bunch of communists. >> let me bring in our "news nation" political panel. strategist margie amero, politics reporter abby philip and tv show host steve daste. what do you take out of this rush limbaugh claiming that the romney campaign is following the path he's

we have sununu and williams. we aren't breaking up this team ever. >> it's my biggest nightmare. >> he's afraid -- he's ticklish, that's the problem. >> all right, guys. we have 112 days to go of this. >> take care. >> and coming up, how would obama's proposal to raise taxes on america's jobs with the economy? we will break a story and sound off. and a sneak-peek into a brand new film that takes a in-depth look at the president's past, including an interview with his own brother and what it could minor your future. straight ahead on hannity. [ male announcer ] at scottrade, you won't just find us online, you'll also find us in person, with dedicated support teams at over 500 branches nationwide. so when you call or visit, you can ask for a name you know. because personal service starts with a real person. [ rodger ] at scottrade, seven dollar trades are just the start. our support teams are nearby, ready to help. it's no wonder so many investors are saying... [ all ] i'm with scottrade. ♪ i want to go ♪ i want to

we have sununu and williams. we aren't breaking up this team ever. >> it's my biggest nightmare. >> he's afraid -- he's ticklish, that's the problem. >> all right, guys. we have 112 days to go of this. >> take care. >> and coming up, how would obama's proposal to raise taxes on america's jobs with the economy? we will break a story and sound off. and a sneak-peek into a brand new film that takes a in-depth look at the president's past, including an interview with his own brother and what it could minor your future. straight ahead on hannity. ♪ ♪ i want to go ♪ i want to win [ breathes deeply ] ♪ this is where the dream begins ♪ ♪ i want to grow ♪ i want to try ♪ i can almost touch the sky [ male announcer ] even the planet has an olympic dream. dow is proud to support that dream by helping provide greener, more sustainable solutions from the olympic village to the stadium. solutionism. the new optimism.™ ♪ this dream solutionism. the new optimism.™ thank you, nana send money to anyone's checking account with chas

seems to be tripped up there by john sununu. calls now from right for mitt romney to release his tax returns, we saw there rick perry. founded by the late william f. buckley, conservative legend perhaps there's not a publication that personifies the gop establishment, the wing of the party that mitt romney is part of. they said this, quote, release the returns. john kerry actually released returns from 1999 through 2003 and also released tax returns during his senate runs. as for teresa heinz, romney isn't the wealthy spouse of a candidate, but the candidate himself n 2008 john mccain released two years of returns, but he has been filing out financial disclosure forms for decades as a senator. what does mitt romney do on this issue where he's getting this much flack from the people that are closest to him? >> i think a lot of people thought they would try to ride this out. he has this trip internationally with -- themed around the olympics, then maybe make the vp pick. this story might go away. that might be something that they'

mitt romney has heavily relied -- again, just now governor sununu, the kinder, gentler governor sununuay. >> today. relied about upon that business experience saying look, this is what uniquely qualifies me. i have run large enterprise and know how to create jobs. this is what qualifies me to be president. we haven't had a -- >> that's your version of what he is running on. what he is running on -- >> you don't think he is running on bain? >> to -- >> he is running on having been in the private sector and having been able to manage a state like massachusetts instead of coming out of being a community organizer to that had absolutely no idea in the handling and managing the process. >> governor, that frames the way both sides want the choice to be. what the president is saying is look at the background and look at what we have done in our life and whose side is he trying to make a whose side are you on argument that's not just about the background and ultimately does tie into the agenda. mitt romney and president obama would both argue that their agendas flow out of their life's experie

do you agree with governor sununu -- president obama can't run on $5 trillion in debt.s fewer americans working. we have the highest percentage of debt, deficit and spending since world war. two we have the lowest homeownership rate since 1965. so the question is, it seems to me -- i don't care if it's the cayman island this is week or outsourcing bain, isn't this because obama can't say, i saved the country, i created jobs, the economy's better, i cut the deficit in half like i said. >> the president has created jobs for 28 months. what he is trying to say and people sometimes don't want to hear it, the economy is not recovering at the rate that most americans would be pleased with. -- this economy was in a deeper problem, a deeper ditch -- [overlapping dialogue] >> sean: he said it was the worst imphee since the great depression. >> apparently, it was worse. >> sean: how could it be worse? >> the reason we are having this discussion and the governor and i are going at each other, guess what -- outsourcing, bain had become critical to this campaign-- >>> it's become cr

we'll talk about sununu in a second. in terms of the veep-stakes, as the proverbial whatever it is hitting the fan, i'm not going to say, because what we're seeing here is some version of an offensive strategy, right? >> no answer interestingly enough. >> no answers on any of the things we were talking about before, but the question of sununu did clarify it's the president who has to learn the american formula for creating business. i don't know if that counts as a walk-back. >> this goes to something we were just talking about in terms of romney doesn't have a narrative or an answer to explain that form of business. that's how he sees the american business climate. remember that we're talking about the time when we learn that tyco and a lot of companies were offshoring their money, reducing their effective tax rates, and for a lot of americans, inherent in that comment is this idea that he doesn't understand, sununu, that there's a different set of rules. that's how most americans feel. americans in the heartland who se

sununu created this buzz yesterday when he made the comment about the president. remind you what he had to say. he clarified later on. take a listen. >> the president clearly demonstrated that he has absolutely no idea how the american economy functions. the men and women all over america who have worked hard to build these businesses, their businesses from the ground up, is how our economy became the envy of the world. it is the american way and i wish this president would learn how to be an american. >> i probably was a little bit too harsh there. that's not the best choice of words. you know, sometimes you say something and you wish you could pull it back. the message is clear. this president doesn't understand the american free enterprise system. >> playing clean up there. rush limbaugh took credit for the statements after he said earlier in the week that the president hates america. should americans condemn this language that continues to question the president's americanness? basically the dog whistle to birthers? >> it is the dog whistle to birthers. sununu