last month, nugent endorsed romney for president. but today, willard'she comments calling it devicive language. i'm glad the romney camp came out against this. but this isn't the first time nugent crossed the line. here he is in 2007 going after president obama, then senator obama and hillary clinton. >> hey obama, you might want it suck on one of these, you punk! . obama, he's a piece of [ bleep ]. i told him -- you might want it ride one of these into fhe sunset you worthless [ bleep ]. >> there's no place for that kind of talk. i hope this is not a forecast of things to come in this campaign. we all have to watch closely what we all say. i have twins, 21 years old. each kid has their own path. they grow up, and they're out having their life. i really started to talk to them about the things that are important that they have to take ownership over. my name's colleen stiles, and my kids and i did our wills on legalzoom. [ shapiro ] we created legalzoom to help you take care of the ones you love. go to legalzoom.com today and complete your will in minute

the los angeles times is reporting that willard romney released his taxes from the last 12 years. ngton post" says, "only romney has been willing to talk about his financial affairs" they also said that governor george romney put all presidential contenders on the spot. wait, that's the wrong romney. those articles are from 1967 with mitt's father, george, became the first presidential candidate. he only released one full year's returns showing he made $21.6 million, but he paid a tax rate of just 13.9%. that's far blow what many middle class people pay. people that make a lot less money are paying more in taxes. president obama wants to change that. he wants the rich to pay more, and romney wants him to pay less. the vice president was on the road thursday talking about it. >> the romney rule says let's double down on tax cuts for the wealthy. that's another trillion dollars in tax cuts going to the top 1% of american taxpayers. i don't blame her for crying, she is going to inherit it. >> joining me now is jared bernsteen, and maria kumar, thanks for coming on the show. >> thank y

bush, you will love it under willard romney.ecretary describing the economic platform for 2012. >> it's less government spending, lowering taxes so small businesses can grow and employ more people. we understand that the private sector is the engine of the economy. not the government. >> now, how different is that concept from what was -- what were the policy ls of the bush administration. >> i think it's just updated. >> the bush policies updated, what could go wrong? we all know the answer. under bush, debt exploded, the stock index collapsed 40%, and 4.4 million jobs were lost in bush's last year in office alone. check out this chart showing the bleeding jobs and the turn around under president obama. the red bars show job loss under bush. the blue bars show job growth. the republican plan just wants to update those plans, mr. president, what's your take? >> here is the news, we tried this for eight years before i took office. at the beginning of the last decade, the wealthiest americans got tax cuts. they were able to find t

this isn't right, and this is the kind of unfair policy that the republicans and willard romney want the american public to accept. joining me now is emanuel creed, and david corn, washington bureau chief and his new book is "showdown." thank you both for joining me. >> good to be with you. >> congressman, let me start to you, what do you make of canter's small business plan for oprah, trump, and paris? >> i voted against it because it is not a mom and pop proposal. it is a small business bamboozle. and what we are seeing, is in one year, if this proposal makes it to the president's desk, and if he signs it, it would be $46 billion added to the deficit in one year. on top of that, most of the money will go to the wealthist people. the president has already said that he was going to veto the plan. this was something to put out there as a talking point. >> now, the fact is that when you look at the plan, david, it's talking about employees -- companies with employees under 500? >> yeah, their definition of small business is rather large, and there is a policy argument that this plan, b

romney 63-45. latino voters, 67-27. women voters, 53-40. i mean, he has challenges. he being willarditt romney, in very key demographics if he is competitive in this race. >> right. what you are seeing there, in a numbers, especially like latino voters, that's about consistent with what we saw in 2008. in 2008, there was more of an overall buffer for barack obama when you looked at the election results. 53% nationally and most popular votes highs, sharing the popular vote for any votes since lbj. when the tide turned against republicans and obama was in a lot of groups. obama lost ground in groups. the one that comes to mind most are white men without college education. blue collar -- >> and the economy. >> right. i think the economy is driving that. his numbers are way down with that group. that becomes that much more important for obama that the groups he performed with well in 2008, he performed just as well in 2012. if romney can make inroad without winning groups but cut the margin, that can go a long way given the other advantages. >> so strategically, if you're if the obama ca

you bob, when you look at the economicssues though, that the one area that president obama and willard romneyto head. if you deal with the polls that have just kul out, with favorbility, but economic issues, creating jobs. handing him taxes, 45-42. handling the economy, romney actually comes out ahead, 47-43. and handling the deficit, romney has a wider margin thereof 51-38. how does the president deal with convincing the american people during these tough times, he can handle the economy better than romney and break ahead as he is in other areas in the polling? >> well, it depends to some extent on events. he is in the process of doing it. all of the numbers that you site are significant improvements for him. it he is markable for a republican to be better on tax policy. people understand exactly what he is saying. what congresswoman edwards just say, which is that accident want to raise taxes on the middle class, he just wants the top 2% to pay their fair share. event will matter but we have also seen a primary season in which mitt romney convinced people he doesn't understand their problem

. >>> we're back with tonight's edition of why willard romney is funny for all the wrong reasons. 2008, he wrote this infamous article in the "new york times." nearly four years later, we know the story. president obama bails gm out, the loan is paid back, and 1.5 million jobs are saved. here is the hilarious willard part. in february right before the michigan primary, back when the trees were the right height, he wrote in an op-ed that would president obama's intervention, things there would be better. if you thought that was funny, now he wants to take credit for the auto bailout success. i'm serious, here is his top campaign advisor this weekend. >> his position is what obama followed. the only success president obama had was because he followed mitt romney's advice. how is letting detroit go bankrupt the same as not letting detroit go bankrupt. in november, here is what willard said. >> my view with regards to the bailout by president bush or president obama, it was the wrong way to go. do you think we wouldn't catch the lemon you're trying to sell us? nice try willard, but we

willard romney saying we should save talk about inequality in quiet rooms.e has been talking in quiet rooms. rooms like the fundraiser he was having last night. he was feeling right at home with fellow 1%ers. he went right into the world of being candid. he didn't know that we we could hear him talking about expanding the inequality. he said i will consolidate it with another agency, or make it a heck of a lot smaller. housing and urban development "might not be around later" that means 4.5 million of the nation's poorest families will lose subsidies. >> this won't be popular and he knows it. in a campaign call today, his people said "romney was just discussing ideas that came up on the campaign trail." i guess it's time to find a more quiet room, willard. . i have erin mcpike here, a reporter for real clear politics, thank you for joining and coming on the show tonight. steve, let me start with you. what do you make of these comments? >> this really plays tight for romney. he is particularly vulnerable for how politicians go, he is unusually driven by calcu

he did not have to pivot towards this message, but willard romney, he sure has. >> this america is fundamentally fair. we will stop the unfairness of urban children being denied access to the good schools of their choice. for grandparents who can't afford the gas to visit their grandchildren anymore. for the mom and dad who never thought they would be on food stamps. to all of you, i have a simple message. hold on a little longer, a better america begins tonight. >> you'll stop unfairness? you'll help urban children? grandparents? people on food stamps? willard, you and i must use a different dictionary, because you don't stop unfairness by giving handouts to the rich. you don't help urban children by making cuts to the department of education. you don't help grandparents by ending medicare as we know it, and you don't help people on food stamps by taking them away. why the change in rhetoric? maybe you have seen the new nbc poll too. 71% of people are more likely to vote for someone that says this country is better off when everyone gets a fair shot. it's a powerful message, all the more powerf

our primary focus unlike those of carl rosen and willard romney's which are negative tv ads ours is organizingempower one-on-one conversations with family and friends and neighbors and co-workers. unlike the other pacs that will go dormant right after the election this one is going to stay in effect so that we can talk to workers, all workers, union and nonunion. >> which you could not do before. with this money are you going to get involved in the presidential race or any political race? >> we'll be involved in a bunch of political races with those people who are going to support us in this thing. >> thank you so much for your time today. afl-cio president. now to live pictures. we are still watching the space shuttle discovery do a couple of victory laps at the moment before it lands in dulles. everybody enjoying the shots here. up next we have thomas roberts. stick with au us. "highest in customer satisfaction in the united states." call or go to quickenloans.com to discover for yourself why we're engineered to amaze. whose non-stop day starts with back pain... and a choice. take advil now

. >> i would love to see -- i mean, wouldn't it be a cultural phenomenon to see mitt willard romney ande that. that would be fantastic. i would love it. i'd do it. i like that president obama actually goes down and talks to people. he goes on shows. he goes on "the view," he goes on -- he's on twitter, he's on facebook. he's like a social media president. >> well, we're in a social media age. you know, people say to me, well, why is he doing things that no other president did? we have things that no other president had. >> jimmy: exactly. >> fdr didn't have twitter. we didn't have facebook with eisenhower. i mean, it's a new world. >> jimmy: yeah. >> so there are more than three stations, folks, that exist now. so maybe he does more because there is more. >> jimmy: exactly. i agree with you there. >> so, i mean, i think that is the wise thing to do and if we're going to have a dialogue in the country, we don't have to agree. everybody all the time. i don't obviously agree with romney but romney should be heard and i think young people ought to hear him and then they will know he has not

we have a packed show ahead including bad news for willard romney, the right wing trying to make voter fraud into a real issue, and the passing of mike wallace, a great journalist who profiled me. he was tough but fair. we'll get to all of that but we start tonight with a major development in the trayvon martin case. angela cory says he will not bring the case before a grand jury. the grand jury is supposed to meet for the first time tomorrow. corey's office said that from the moment she was assigned she knew she may not need a grand jury. folks. this is big news. let's be very clear. there's now just one person in the world with the power to arrest george zimmerman and that's angela corey. the world is watching and waiting. since this news broke, the questions have been swirling. what does it mean? will there be an arrest? what if there is no arrest. joining me now, one of the attorneys for the martin family. attorney natalie jackson. thank you for your time tonight. >> thank you, sir. >> let me ask you first, what is your response to today's announcement from the special prosecutor?

. >> willard romney and glen beck are both manifestation, of our flaws. [ applause ] >> thank you. >>u have ever had, pleased to be shutting the pie hole now. [ laughter ] >> you know i joined caribou barbie, i have to concede the crown do you. >> meet the press wants a piece of her too. >> yeah. >> you don't have to. find me a poll that says she is any kind of leader even in the republican party. >> yeah. >> she has a hard core of about 20% that will follow her anywhere. and that's it. >> you say will her personal war clock never run down? you say oh please there is something that would engage princess dumb ass of the north woods. >> yeah, you know, this -- this is -- this is a woman saying the president didn't paying enough attention to his work. this is a woman who couldn't finish out one term as governor of alaska. >> and we are going to wonder why all of a sudden we all started eating paint chips. >> it's going to be -- i don't envy historians in the next 200 years, because they won't be able to figure this out at all. >> yeah, sarah palin -- do we have to know this? >> you said

that's right, folks, willard mittç romney and george w. bus are one in the same.the whole campaign is built on returning us to the same broken down policies of the bush presidency. he just is betting on american people to have short-term memory. but vice president biden was out reminding us today -- >> governor romney, i think, is counting on collective amnesia of the american people. americans know, americans know, that we can't go back to the future. back to a foreign policy that would have america go it alone. shout to the world you're with us or against us. lash out first and ask questions later. >> lash out first, ask the hard questions later? that was the basis of the bush foreign policy. wage and entire war based on weapons of mass destruction, ask questions later. today, niep years later, willard is trying to take america back to those days. 17 of romney's foreign policy advisors are from the bush administration. 17. and today, he proudly touted the endorsement of another. security advisor steven hadley. that's what we have to watch. it's not just foreign

is pressure on him right now. >> joe madison, do you think that the press will stay behind willard mitt romneyatement or do you think they'll let it go? >> i think i will. i think you will. i think we better. because let's remember, four years ago go, there was a candidate, barack obama, who was forced to, what, leave his church, kick reverend wright under the bus, and give a major address in philadelphia on race relations. so where is the other side demanding the exact same thing from mitt romney? he should not soft pedal this. he should denounce. and i think give a complete and full speech on hostile rhetoric that cannot be tolerated particularly in this election. so he should have his sister souljah moment and his reverend wright moment like barack obama had. >> mike huckabee said he didn't hear anything threatening there. you're smart and well, well, well versed in politics. what could somebody mean when they say i'll either be in jail or dead? >> well, i suppose about if you just left it at that and he didn't go on about chopping off their heads, he might have had a better case there. sus

trying to actively do it, and they are going to put his wife up front to try and reintroduce willard mitt romney to the american people. he has to quit saying ann tells me what ladies want -- they have to be serious about how they do it, but she will introduce herself as a breast cancer survivor, raising children with him, and it will be about putting a woman's voice -- and my bet is the there will be a republican woman vice presidential candidate. >> thanks to both of you. you can catch both of my excellent guests again this week. first up from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 is up with chris, and then catch melissa harris-perry 10:00 a.m. to noon. >> up with chris, down with melissa. >> a quick note, eric holder was also at today's white house forum on women and the economy. i'm happy to announce he will be joining us next week on the national action network's convention in washington dc where he will give one of the main addresses when we standard in washington next wednesday. we're honored and exciting to have him. and there were two others at the forum and meccum weighed in on an event, and the presiden

willard m. romney has a religion problem and he knows it. that's why he's saying things like this -- >> well, i think there is in this country a war on religion. i think there is a desire to establish a religion in america known as secularism. i know that based upon reports the obama administration gave this a lot of thought. a lot of discussion. >> there is mitt romney who has as bad a religion problem as anyone who's ever run for president trying to create a religion problem for president obama. a political religion problem. that's what we're talking about here. romney has a political religion problem. this is romney's attempt to swift vote the president on religion. this is a much used page of the republican playbook. we saw it used against john kerry, who is a decorated war hero and combat veteran of the vietnam war. george bush had taken the more practiced route for the sons of privilege at the time by avoiding service in vietnam while being coddled in a national guard unit in texas. compared to john kerry, george w. bush had a war prob

you were talking earlier about willard romney and his wife anne and everything, and i was trying to thinky him robbing pension funds from these companies that went bankrupt. >> yep. >> and his company right now -- he still gets a redid wall from bain company. >> yeah. >> and it is in the mix in the american airlines bankruptcy right now. and they are the ones trying to indisrate the pension funds and everything else. i think people should see he has taken this off of the sweat of somebody else's brow -- >> yeah. >> his firm -- just to give you an idea, his firm is getting $600,000 a month by american airlines. they -- paying 900 to $1,500 an hour to go after these pension funds. >> yeah, it's vulture capitalism. caroline says it's romneyism. [ applause ] >> gene in cleveland. welcome. >> hi, stephanie. >> hi. >> i have been trying to figure out who romney reminds me of and every time that republicans get offended by the truth they always come back with, we know we did but so did you. >> pee wee. yes. >> i'm trying to use the phone! >> yeah. >> it's sort of like pee wee romney's big electi

romney's sons also hold their mbas from harvard. those elite snobs. i cannot get past the fact that willard, mitt romney, is calling the president out of touch. >> i know what it is like to worry whether you'll get fired. there were a couple of times whether i wondered whether i would get a pink slim. >> how much money do you have? >> between $150 and $200 some middle. >> i get speakers fees but not very much. >> i'm also unemployed. >> i mean, really? multimillionaire mitt. does he not hear the echo of irony from inside his car elevator? i have to tell you, it appears that voters aren't buying it either. to look at the poll numbers, this president is starting his reelection bid with a bang. opening up the first significant lead in this campaign in the nation's top 12 swing states. president obama leading mitt romney 51-42% among registered voters in those states. the president opening up his widest lead yet with independent states, 48-39%. and a new campaign video suggests why, telling a story about a little lady who started a chant that started a fire. >> ready to go. >> it shows what you

. >> the working guys out on long island, in new york's third, how excited are they about willard mitt romney? >> so far they're not. there's not that excitement level, it not what you see with bill clinton or george bush, for that matter who are able to identify with people. governor romney's not shown that. >> how do you get more enthusiasm within the republican caucus? what do you tell your members about mitt romney that can persuade them to enthusiastically look at him at the top of the picket? >> well, mitt romney's a wonderful person. the more they get to know him, the more they'll fall in love with his family and understand his policies. the election will be a referendum. mitt romney turned thing around, he did it in the olympics, the private sector, in ma m. once they get to know mitt romney over the course of time as they get to know him, we focus on differences between barack obama and mitt romney, the difference is so clear. and the fact of the matter is, that's what's going to happen this summer, that's what's going to happen this fall and i think mitt romney will be the next pres

romney is honest or trustworthy or likeable or admirable. i could go on and on. i think i will. >> morning, y'all. good to be with you. >> how excited are they about willard mitt romney? >> so far they're not. >> we know that romney has his own problems. >> mitt. >> chiefly likability. >> they're just not that into you. >> romney's favorable rating is 35%. his unfavorable rating is 47%. >> for all intents and purposes, everyone sees mitt romney as the nominee. >> for all intents and purposes. >> are you ready to endorse him? >> why hasn't rick santorum endorsed mitt romney yet? >> i'm not making official endorsements. >> i can't find anybody that's excited about romney. >> could it be he's out of touch? >> are you too rich to relate? >> corporations are people, my friend. >> he's a 1% if there ever was one. >> right now people would vote for romney if they think he's competent. >> mittsewing up the rock 'n' roll vote. >> mitt romney becomes president in november, i will either be dead or in jail. >> he's got kid rock, ted nuj e nugent, all he needs is insane clown posse. >> i believe it's time. >> shamus. >> just loved being up there on the roof of that c

willard mitt romney. in new york's third, how excited are they about willard mitt romney? can tell you that. there is a lot of dissatisfaction and people are waiting on governor romney. if he can show he can get the job done, he has a good chance of winning with. there is not that excitement level and for that matter, they are able to identify with people. however the guy who is extremely honest and capable. a recent poll on long island where president obama's favorable numbers were much higher than mitt romney's. governor romney was winning because president obama's approval rating was there. people would vote for romney if they think he is comp at the present time. >> there is no amount of republicans on long island that can possibly win the state of new york for mitt romney. all of the electoral votes will be going to president obama. >> exactly, but for a republican district on long island. long island, you have working class americans like in my district in northwest florida. i can't find anybody who is excited about romney. >> the buffett rule, 72% of american presid

up next, we will examine the grass root and the board room stylings of one willard mitt romney and askre is a home field advantage for rick santorum. are republicans and democrats wired differently? the author of a book who has gone where few tread. following the trial at guantanamo bay we're going to discuss the white house position on civil liberties versus national security all that when "now" starts in 180 seconds. [ male announcer ] lately, there's been a seismic shift in what passes for common sense. used to be we socked money away and expected it to grow. then the world changed... and the common sense of retirement planning became anything but common. fortunately, td ameritrade's investment consultants can help you build a plan that fits your life. take control by opening a new account or rolling over an old 401(k) today, and we'll throw in up to $600. how's that for common sense? ♪ you make me happy when skies are gray ♪ [ female announcer ] you know exactly what it takes to make them feel better. ♪ you make me happy [ female announcer ] that's why you choose children's tylenol

romney. >> you can tell i didn't write it, it's only willard for me. >> only willard for you. an entirely different sort of campai campaign. >> isn't that interesting, how they say that about the spouse. they said that about elizabeth edward, a number of debates. >> let's have a spousal debate. ann against michelle. >> michelle -- >> every single political race, willard "mitt" romney has run, lost women by double digits. if won't married. >> do you think women have some sort of sympathy, because people feel sorry because they are with whoever? and they get the sympathy vote. >> i love that. >> we like ann. so sorry you have to be married to mitt. minnesota proposed voter i.d. amendment to the state substitution. >> this is the end runaround a governor who vetoed the voter i.d. law, and now an amendment to the constitution. >> this is a big, big story. i think this governor should be given credit. voter i.d. laws have been proven to be something that is absolutely regressive. and they are trying to do an end run. not gotten the kind of attention it should get. other states will

mitt romney spent much of the week saying the president was out of touch but edged it with new questions about when or if he will release more of his own tax returns. why wouldn't willardof the people romney come in, clean house and release the lot. what is the problem? >> well, there is a small issue about how little tax he's paid. you know, they say that he's done everything that is required of him and it's true. what is required of a presidential candidate is almost nothing. he could actually follow his father's model here. his father did set the standard in terms of releasing previous years. and it is interesting, watching this first engagement between the two campaigns. head to head here. because the romney campaign's effort is to say this is all a side show. it is really not a side show when you have been so difficult to pries this information out before. taxes are not a small issue. not personally, not in term of the budget or the deficit. they have to come one a better excuse than to say the other side is worse somehow. >> this is clearly part of a strategy that they've had all along. willard, the recently converted conservative now transforming into mitt the e