the rachel maddow show, transcript 12/01/14

MSNBC host rachel maddow: Thank you for staying with us during this hour.
How was Thanksgiving?
How was Thanksgiving weekend?
I am going to tell you that I am not only irresponsible and unconstructive, but I am also very cold-I have to wear it like this.
Even in the middle of the day. It`s noon.
If you count it, it\'s two hats, and then two hats on the two hats.
But you know what?
Even in the cold weather, it\'s worth it when you can go out, especially when you look at it and it works. It never works.
I fish badly.
But this time it was useful to me even in the snow.
Yes, the little guy came back right after kindly posing for this photo.
So, I really appreciate his visit to me this weekend.
I appreciate a few days off before and after Thanksgiving. Very thankful.
If you have a day off, I hope you will be grateful as well.
If you did take a few days off, part of what you did was exit the news cycle, and I should have said there was a big story that you might think ended before Thanksgiving, but didn\'t actually.
It\'s not over last week.
It has been going on for the long weekend until today and now it looks like no one knows when it will end or if it will end soon. This is the St.
Louis Galeria shopping center in Richmond Heights, Missouri.
This is the day after Thanksgiving, last Friday, the most important shopping day of the year, the way the mall looks.
On Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, hundreds of protesters crossed the mall, came to the third floor and lay down.
They staged a death.
In 1/2 minutes.
Lying on the ground refuses to move or talk for 4 1/2 minutes, symbolizing 18-1/2 hoursyear-
On August, after Michael Brown was shot by Ferguson police, the body of old Michael Brown lay on the streets of Ferguson.
The demonstrators crossed the mall while they watched, and some raised their hands.
Others held slogans and chanted slogans urging protesters to boycott the busiest shopping day of the year.
Protesters eventually closed the mall for about an hour on Friday.
Again, that\'s St.
Louis Square Mall in Richmond Heights, Missouri.
Eventually, the National Guard was called to the protest center.
A dozen people were eventually arrested.
Protesters then traveled to the West County Center, where traffic was blocked by about 150 to 200 people.
Then they marched around the building.
Then they entered the mall.
That\'s the center of West County.
As soon as they arrived at the center of West County, they shouted \"injustice and peace \".
Some protesters have called on customers to stop shopping.
Enter the doors of the mall, enter the West County Center of Missouri, and when shoppers stay in the mall with protesters, the doors are locked for a while.
Later, the mall opened the door again, allowing people to go out as well as others to come in.
Later in the afternoon, in the same area, about 100 protesters traveled to the third shopping center at Chesterfield Mall, which is about 13 minutes from West County Center.
They put on another death.
Next to the escalator in the mall
People lay on the ground, holding signs.
Others marched in the mall, chanting \"Turn It Off\" and \"black life is important \".
The mall closed for more than an hour and closed between 7: 00. m. and 9:00 p. m.
Some shops in Chesterfield Mall are closed all night.
But not just St.
Louis area on Friday.
This is also New York City on Friday.
Earlier this week, you saw those massive protests in New York City.
They were walking all the time.
This is Friday.
Protesters marched in Times Square.
They also went to Pioneer Square.
The Pioneer Square of the Macy\'s Thanksgiving Parade is where the Macy\'s department store you saw in the parade.
On Friday, hundreds of protesters gathered at the Pioneer Square in front of the big Macy\'s.
Some protesters were arrested there.
Other protesters made a detour in New York on Friday, blocking traffic at major intersections.
Some protesters have been arrested again in New York, some outside Macy\'s.
On Friday, on the west coast of Oakland, California, a group of protesters looked like they were tied.
This is a group of protesters against BART who are targeting the commuter rail system in the San Francisco Bay area.
They basically shut down the trans-bay service.
About 20 protesters locked themselves on the podium and locked themselves together at batte station in Theo-Crane.
As you can see there, they tie their arms together with tape and bike locks and tie themselves to the train. They wore t-
Shirt that says \"black life is important.
\"Protests in Auckland have led local officials to close the theo-Crane train station for two hours on Friday.
Obviously, this leads to a big system. wide delays.
Police finally arrested 14 people.
Targeted protests
Also on Friday near San Francisco, after nightfall, demonstrations began on Friday in San Francisco, near downtown Embarcadero.
Protesters marched to Union Square before attempting to enter the annual tree lighting ceremony in Union Square.
Police said they did prevent demonstrators from reaching the tree lightning ceremony.
They moved the group to Market Street.
Some protests have indeed turned violent in San Francisco.
Several businesses have been damaged.
Some windows were reportedly broken and some bottles and stones were thrown at the police.
Two police officers were reportedly injured.
Several people were arrested in San Francisco on Friday night.
Also on Friday, in Chicago, about 200 people marched in the afternoon from the city\'s Magnificent Mile shopping district.
They marched from there to Wicker Park.
The day is described as the day of awareness and engagement in Chicago.
In the original parade, about half of the people went on to the Wal-Mart store, nearly four miles from the west end of Chicago.
They shouted, \"Raise your hand, don\'t shoot.
They are also things like \"No justice, no profit.
In Seattle that day, more than 200 protesters gathered in the heart of Seattle in heavy rain.
At the public tree lighting ceremony in Seattle, people knew about their existence.
Protesters traveled to the West Lake Center shopping center in Seattle on Friday.
They shouted \"It\'s important that black people live.
Before 6: 00 local time, Seattle police began to drive shoppers away from the mall.
They finally closed the mall that night.
As you can see, some people have been arrested in Seattle.
It\'s Friday, so-
The day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday.
That big fake
Holiday and shopping holidays.
On Saturday\'s second day, protesters protested in Washington, D. C. C. , region.
They met at the foggy subway station about noon.
Then they went to Georgetown. Then, the D. C.
Local protesters head to Pentagon City, Virginia.
Hundreds of protesters protested and died
On the street outside
Protesters then entered the Pentagon Mall, a fashion center in Virginia, where they held another death protest.
In the mall, like some of the things we saw at St. Louis region.
On Saturday, on the west coast of Portland, Oregon, a large group of protesters gathered on the streets of Portland\'s second largest southwest Road and Main Street.
They refused to obey the orders of the police to clean the streets.
Other Portland demonstrators marched down the street and blocked traffic.
Sign with \"Don\'t shoot.
\"Some of Portland\'s protests were a bit confusing late on Saturday.
Someone threw something at the police.
Police arrested some people in Portland on Saturday night.
It was Saturday.
Yesterday Sunday, another group of protesters in Washington, D. C. C.
A human chain was formed on Interstate 395.
Again, this is in D. C. , yesterday.
They closed the north and south lanes of Interstate 395.
This is a human roadblock.
It runs through both sides of the highway.
All lanes near exit I-4
395, if you know the area.
The police also arrested some people there.
Yesterday, protesters gathered in the NFL.
They played a game against the Oakland Raiders at the Louis Rams football field.
Protesters rallied outside the football field with riot gear.
Inside the dome of St
Louis, a group of saints.
Luiz Lams took part in Sunday\'s game, when they came out of the tunnel at the beginning of the game, with both hands raised and re-created the symbolic \"hands raised, and the\" don\'t shoot \"of the Ferguson protesters \".
When the five Ram players left the home Tunnel to start the game, they raised their hands.
They later said it was a reaction.
Violent protests
And today, this is the scene in Washington, D. C. C.
14 Street BridgeLook at this.
A group of about 20 protesters basically lay down again and the other one died
In the middle of the road, on the 14 th Street Bridge.
They showed signs of closing it.
The protesters eventually formed a chain of people on the 14 th Street Bridge.
They closed the bridge during the Washington rush hour. C. early today.
Protesters in WashingtonC.
Then continue to close D. traffic at another key traffic pointC.
Tunnel on 12 th Street.
Outside the Justice Department. C.
This is what you see here, the protesters laid the ground in front of the building on Pennsylvania Avenue.
At the Justice Department in Washington today, dozens of protesters chanted slogans hand in hand.
Today, on the West Coast outside the Los Angeles police station Newton station, a group of protesters gathered together.
They gathered in front of the police station.
They drew the chalk outline of the body on the sidewalk.
In New York today, street protests once again blocked traffic.
Today, protesters marched from Union Square to Times Square in New York.
It was a nationwide demonstration called \"Raise your hand and go out \".
\"People are asked to leave their universities, high schools and businesses at 1: 01m.
Eastern time today
This is the scene at Harvard Square, Massachusetts.
Today, more than 500 students from Harvard and local high schools took to the streets.
This is the University of Massachusetts in Amherst today.
This is the University of Colorado in Boulder today.
Today in Texas A & M, Texas.
This is Jackson State University in Mississippi today.
This is near Ferguson, University of Missouri. Louis today.
Response to what happened in Ferguson, Missouri, and decision not to sue local police for killing 18 peopleyear-
Old Michael Brown, the news is not over last week.
President Obama is holding a cabinet meeting today.
He announced specific new reforms and made specific new requests to Congress on police reform, where local police use military tactics and military equipment against protesters.
He asked for specific allocation of funds to fund the physical cameras of tens of thousands of police officers across the country.
President Obama also held a long personal meeting with some civil rights leaders to discuss distrust between the communities of color and the police.
We are told that part of the agenda is how to learn from places that are not as bad as the rest of the country, and how to learn and make progress based on some places in the country that may be better at dealing with this issue than others.
This is a decision to sue a long time ago, right?
It was a week ago. we had a long holiday in the middle.
But as you can see from all the videos, it\'s just something since Thanksgiving.
The protests are not over yet.
The protests are certainly not over.
Anger did not dissipate.
To be frank, the beef is not resolved, right?
The reason why people are upset is something that cannot be undone in Michael Brown\'s individual cases, but the situation is still increasing, so far, long-standing disputes between the police department and communities that feel unprotected remain unresolved and unanswered.
Communities that feel they need police protection.
From the reaction of our country, what will happen next?
From the reaction of our country to what has happened, what will happen? What will undoubtedly continue to happen unless we change?
Now we are joined by Maria Teresa Kumar.
She is president and CEO of Voto Latino.
She attended a meeting of the president and vice president at the White House today.
Maria Teresa, it\'s really nice to meet you.
Thank you for coming.
VOTO Latino Maria Teresa Kumar: Thank you for inviting me, Rachel, thank you for this conversation.
Oh, of course.
I mean, I feel like it\'s part of a long holiday weekend.
If you were checked out, I\'m not sure everyone knows that these protests are increasing and large and have been going on for a whole week now.
This is a sport.
It\'s not just a reaction.
What did you hear-KUMAR: It\'s definitely right.
I flew in from El Paso yesterday.
There were protests even in El Paso, Rachel.
Small scale.
But just on the border, because I think Ferguson is an example of all of Ferguson that happens across the country, where you have communities that feel insecure, you mentioned
They feel unsafe.
They don\'t feel protected.
They feel like they can\'t hit 911 because they feel like they\'re police instead of standing on their side and they don\'t stand on anyone\'s side.
I think that\'s basically the message the president sent out in the room today.
It\'s private, Rachel.
He talked about his personal experience as a black American youth and his growth experience, and he felt that he was a target because of his race.
But more importantly, he also acknowledged that we must work closely with law enforcement so that they can do their work better.
One way to do this is to build a bridge of communication.
This is the first step I can witness.
It\'s the first step in a longer conversation, but it\'s a brave step because no one wants to say we \'ve done it --racial.
He said, guys, we\'re not.
Let\'s start this conversation now.
MADDOW: The White House today describes the way this meeting is going and the focus of the president\'s efforts today is to specifically address the issue of mistrust between the community of color and the police.
In terms of this distrust, it is clear that you overcome distrust by building trust.
The way you build trust is by showing sincerity and communication.
In terms of the mix of people in the room and law enforcement people talking to people and two-way communication, what is this mix of people and how is this conversation going on today?
Kumar: Well, that\'s-that\'s always fascinating.
Not just the vice president and the president.
But in the room you are actually law enforcement and then you also have Attorney General Eric Holder.
You have education minister ain Duncan, you have professors at Harvard, you have religious leaders, you have civil rights groups and progressive programs CLR, Voto Latino.
But you also have young people in the room, at the forefront of the protests in Ferguson.
There is now a newly elected young official who attended the meeting with Dream guard Philip agneur.
This is the true representative of the United States. people want to have these conversations. they are not willing to have them.
But the fact that the president not only brought us all together, but also facilitated the dialogue is incredibly impressive, but it also proves how important he is trying to solve the problem.
Realizing that he could not do so during his tenure, but that he wanted the dialogue to continue, he stressed the importance of making policy changes by making deep policy changes, you can start to change the current approach.
I was relieved because one of the things he highlighted was that Eric Holder was leaving the meeting because he was going to Atlanta to start a series of conversations across the country.
A series of town halls can hear best practices not only from the community it works for, but also from places where it doesn\'t work.
Many times these communities want to be heard.
I think by providing this space from an administrative level, you send a direct message to the local community that they will not take risks.
This is a national initiative that must be addressed. MADDOW: Right.
This is a problem that will never have a wand.
But unless dialogue can begin and people can feel mutual respect, it must be the first step forward.
Important meeting today
Maria Teresa Kumar, president and CEO of Voto Latino, is always a pleasure to meet you.
Thank you for coming.
Thanks, Rachel.
Thank you for inviting me.
MADDOW: Okay.
We still have a lot to do tonight, including an example of a rare political apology that doesn\'t look so hypocritical and scary? Maybe? Arguably?
In addition, some sincere props from Michelle mann.
No, I\'m not drunk.
We will be back soon. (
Business break)
MADDOW: the Dane has a word for the processing at this time of year.
Unlike Danish people, it means like a pastry.
I mean, like Danish.
Their words look like hygge this time of year.
I think speaking in English, but for the Danish people, I was told that the pronunciation of the word is more like \"hugga \".
\"I like to think it has something to do with hugs.
Hygge clearly means something that is basically equivalent to comfort or hugging.
So, at this time of year, when a part of our Earth deviates from the sun, it comes in handy and the days get too short, although the nights get longer and longer.
At this time of year, in the cold Denmark, they rely on the word, they rely on hygge to keep the darkness in order not to let the darkness of this season beat all of us.
Look at this, this time of year, Denmark may be so dark that when there is enough light outside, they will wrap up the baby and doze off outside, in winter, in the outdoor stroller, children can enjoy some precious sunshine moments.
You can\'t sleep when the sun is small.
At this time of year in our country, we do have places like Alaska or Maine, in the very far north.
But our country also has what we call the solar belt.
Hello, Arizona, right?
The sun came even in winter.
They have several acres of sunshine in Arizona. baked desert.
They have a football mascot called the Sun Devil.
They played at the Sun Devil Stadium.
When Huskies in Washington state run away with the Sun Lord of Arizona, it\'s just a chew toy version.
The real Sun Devil team won the game with 14 points.
Arizona is really one of the places where the sun wins.
The sun is the whole point of the Arizona flag.
Your baby can sleep in it safely.
For thousands of people who love Arizona, the sun is basically all about Arizona.
But in Arizona last year, the Sun lost almost a round. (
Start Video Editing)
We have seen this before.
President Barack Obama: The real engine of economic growth will always be companies like solindra.
Related companies receive company benefits.
Now, new solindas, Sun City and Sun City in California are becoming rich by hardworking Ariza people. Out-of-
Use your hard state billionaire
They made money to subsidize their wealthy customers. It`s not right.
We don\'t need this corporate-style benefit in Arizona.
Tell the facts about these. of-
Azsolarfacts\'s state-owned solar company. com. (END VIDEO CLIP)
Solar company.
Last year, conservatives proposed plans to demonize solar energy in Arizona.
Specifically, a monthly fine of $50 to $100 is due to the crime of using solar energy in Arizona, the land of the sun.
The original plan is to use solar energy in Arizona and you have to pay $50 to $100 a month.
The final fine was reduced by $5.
So, if you want to use the sun as an energy source for Arizona, it\'s basically a $5 fee. Amazing.
The national flag of the United States, Arizona.
Now, it happens again in the only place in the United States that is closer to the sun than Arizona. (
Start Video Editing)
Have you tried frozen orange juice in Florida?
It is packed in such a convenient carton.
Press, cold storage, ready to serve.
You can buy it at your food store or deliver it to your door.
It has everything.
Vitamin C, fast energy, good taste, plenty of sunshine in Florida. (END VIDEO CLIP)
Full of Florida sunshine.
Technically, Florida is Sunshine State.
This is their official state nickname.
They are not expressed as a metaphor.
They mean, as a founding principle, right?
Major attractions in Florida.
The Orange Department of Florida has a new brand Avengers character called Captain Citrus.
The citrus captain is powered by solar energy.
The circle on his hand is the solar pod.
It may be my solar cabin, but you\'re going down!
Florida is the Sunshine State of the Financial Times\'s entire advertising campaign.
Lauderdale Dale is called looking for your sunshine.
You can find the Financial Times.
Lauderdale Dale in Sunshine Hotel. org.
Explore the sunny side of Florida Sunshine State.
So now, naturally, because it\'s Florida, Florida has declared war on the sun, even though it still wants to be called Sunshine State.
Last week, just before Thanksgiving, Florida decided very calmly to kill solar energy in Florida.
They voted to completely cancel the rebate plan for the state to install solar panels.
At the same time, they told Florida electric that they should basically stop their energy-saving efforts.
Duke Energy has promised that in five years they will come up with a way to save 330 gigawatts of energy.
Just before Thanksgiving, Florida decided to cut that number from 333 to 21.
By contrast, Tampa Electric has promised to save almost nothing in the next five years.
Now Florida says they only need to save less than half of their money.
Look at data from Florida Power and Lighting.
Florida Power and Lighting will find a way to save 229 gigawatts of energy.
That\'s what they promised.
Now Florida says don\'t worry.
They dropped from 229 hours to four hours.
They killed solar projects in Sunshine State.
Power companies and utilities make money by selling electricity.
The more power you use, the more they can sell you.
So the more money they make.
If you generate electricity by yourself with solar panels on the sun, on the roof, or if you, they or anyone find a way to use less power, then they sell less power, less and less money is earned.
So, at the request of utilities, Florida, just on the eve of Thanksgiving, decided very calmly to stop as a state policy to save energy.
They didn\'t even try to do that anymore, and they decided to pull the plug out of the sun in a sunny state. It`s amazing.
Politics is interesting here.
Before Florida made the changes last week, one of the groups protesting the changes in Florida was a group called the Green Tea alliance.
Yes, the fact that they are a tea party group, like the rest of the Tea Party, is the super right wing, but, they like the idea that people generate their own electricity and people can choose how to generate it.
Getting rid of solar energy, even fine people who use solar energy, trying to get everyone to use fossil fuels from power plants and use solar energy as much as possible, is one thing in Republican politics right now.
It doesn\'t get much attention.
It didn\'t get any attention around the city.
But they just did this in Arizona.
They are preparing to try again in Kansas.
Now they \'ve done it in the biggest state-and now they \'ve done it in Florida.
In the sun, they decided to fight against the sun.
I don\'t know what the politics of Captain citruss are, but I think when he finds out what Florida did when this very quiet news started to come out, there is a good chance that he will get angry about it. (
Business break)
MADDOW: we do one thing on a regular basis when news needs it.
We call it-there\'s something now.
So, there\'s nothing more, now, there\'s one thing. (
Start Video Editing)
Subtitle: Now, there\'s one thing.
Not long ago, in the nearby galaxy, it was represented.
Michelle bach man\'s staff recorded this and promised to post it online as soon as she retired from Congress.
Today, they fulfilled the promise. REP.
Michelle Buckman (R)
Minnesota: I had to start laughing when I saw the word \"incredible.
So, you use the word, okay?
I\'m wearing your father\'s clothes.
From the thrift store along the road, I was incredible.
So we\'re recording this.
Bach Man: I have been singing this song all the time. OK. You ready? (LAUGHTER)
Unidentified male: We will release it.
I have $20 in my pocket. See?
I know too.
Unidentified men: we will stick to it.
Oh, Harrison, he will be very happy.
After you retire, we will post it online. BACHMANN: OK.
That\'s it. (MUSIC)
Subtitle: Michelle mann, a congressman: Rapper. Macklemore fan?
This is what happened. (END VIDEO CLIP)
This is one thing that happened.
This is Michelle Bachman. we never knew it. Incredible. (
Business break)
MADDOW: the summer of 2009, June 2009, longwave, South Carolina.
The legislative session in South Carolina is just over.
The state\'s political leaders have been home for weeks.
But for six full days that summer, no one knew where the governor was.
Governor Mark Sandford\'s office does not know where he is.
His family don\'t know where he is.
The state agency responsible for protecting him does not know where he is.
South Carolina Governor Mark Sandford is missing.
At that time, the only explanation provided by his staff was that the governor was unable to reach him because he was hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Mark Sanford did not hike the Appalachian Trail.
Instead, he visited his secret girlfriend in Argentina.
When Mark Sandford finally returned to South Carolina, he had to face the music.
He was found.
He held a press conference in the afternoon.
He admitted his affair and lied about it.
In doing so, Mark Sandford apologizes for this and he creates one of the best phrases I \'ve ever heard, disappearing from a politician\'s phrase.
This is the last thing he said here.
It is perfect in every way. Watch. (
Start Video Editing)THEN-GOV. MARK SANFORD (R)
South Carolina: I\'m a guy with a bottom line.
I put it out.
It will be painful and we will let the chips fall where they can.
First of all, let me apologize to my wife Jenny and to our four great boys Marshall, Landon, Bolton and black for letting them not.
I would also like to apologize to my staff because like I was talking about going to the Appalachian Trail, it was one of the original scenes I threw out to Mary Neil, and I didn\'t end there.
I am here because, if you look at the laws of God, they are in any case to protect people from themselves.
I think this is the bottom line of God\'s law.
It\'s not a strictly ethical list, just to do and not do anything.
It\'s really about protecting ourselves.
The biggest self of the self is indeed the self. (END VIDEO CLIP)
Mado: the biggest self of the self is indeed the self. Mark Sanford.
Mark Sandford\'s press conference is epic, right?
He apologized to his wife.
He apologized to his children.
He apologized to the staff.
He apologized to his friend.
He even apologized to \"all those who have faith in South Carolina. ” Atheists, eh. It was a 20-
Minutes walk from Governor sford mea maxima culpa.
Mark Sandford\'s apology is an exception, not a rule, right?
I mean, these days are almost normal politically, when you have to apologize for something and give these simple and terrible things that are not sincere
Apologize.
When you do something wrong or say something wrong, I am sorry if you are offended.
I\'m sorry, but what I said is out of context.
I\'m sorry I was wrong.
It is clear that the sentence I said is not that terrible meaning.
It would be a shame if you thought I was serious.
How can you think of me that way?
You should apologize to me.
This is the norm in political apology.
Occasionally, though, you will see the full trail of the Appalachian Mountains.
Once in a while, you\'re full and I screwed up and apologized.
I\'m Trent Lott.
Trent Lott is the Republican leader in the US Senate after 90 s and early 2000 s.
He represented Mississippi in the Senate.
On 2002, Trent Lott was caught on a tape praising apartheid.
Specifically, Trent Lott said that if Strom Thurmond ran for president on the apartheid platform in his 1940 s, quoting him, \"Over the years, we will not encounter all these problems.
\"Now, please see that Strom Thurmond has solved all these problems with an old dose of apartheid policy.
I bet Trent Lott will apologize and start with a normal and terrible political apology.
You know, I apologize to anyone who has been offended.
But then he did it over and over again.
Then he decided to apologize for his apology.
He made an extended apology tour during which he refused his views in detail.
This is an interview with the TV network stakes. (
Start Video Editing)THEN-U. S.
Senator Trent Lott. R)
Mississippi: it\'s important to recognize the damage I \'ve done, to ask for forgiveness, and to find a way to turn it into something positive, and try to apologize for what I said and what others have done I have said and done over the years.
I think a lot of the problem here is that there is not enough communication, there is not enough understanding of how people feel and the way you know, there has been unethical leadership in my area for a long time.
Progress has been made.
Are you one of them?
Yes, I can\'t deny it.
You know, I believe I \'ve changed and I\'m trying to do better, but, yes, I\'m part of the region and history and it doesn\'t always do what it\'s supposed to do. (END VIDEO CLIP)
MADDOW: There have been unethical leadership in my area for a long time.
Are you one of them?
Yes, I can\'t deny it.
Trent Lott made these comments on Strom Thurmond and apartheid in December 2002.
Within weeks, he resigned as the leader of the Senate.
He then resigned from the US Senate.
In the history of a good or at least a thorough political apology, there\'s Mark Sandford\'s rambling 20-
Apologize to everyone he has touched.
Trent Lott apologized and then left shortly on 2002.
There are not many other examples, right?
Political apologies are almost always horrible, insincere and concise.
That\'s why they don\'t work.
In the briefing, a previously unknown House Republican worker came in this weekend.
On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, we were pardoned by a Turkish ceremony at the White House.
President Obama has pardoned two turkey Mac and cheese.
They will now spend the rest of their lives on a Turkish farm in rural Virginia.
When we eat other members of their species, we are all happy about it, such as this gala of mercy.
This is good. as a country, we are not in the real sense.
President Obama\'s daughters Sasha and Maria attended a Turkish pardon.
Put a brave teenage face on the whole thing.
But after that, they were targeted by the communications director of a Republican congressman.
Her name is Elizabeth Lawton.
She is the communications director of Republican congressman Stephen Finch, Tennessee. And Ms.
Lawton wrote online, \"Dear Sasha and Maria, I know you are all in that bad teen age, but you are part of the first family.
Try to show a small class.
At least respect the role you play.
It\'s important for you to behave as if you were in the White House, to dress as if you should be respected, not in the bar.
\"For all the obvious reasons, in addition to that, the staff member finally apologized for saying this online after the comments began to spread widely and pay attention online.
This is a political professional, right?
This is the communications director of a working congressman.
But a political apology is notoriously terrible.
Part of her situation is like this, \"I responded to an article and I quickly judged the two young ladies in a way I never thought of, because as
After hours of prayer, talking to my parents,
Reading my words online, I can see more clearly how hurtful my words are.
Please know that I really don\'t feel these judgments in my heart.
Also, I would like to apologize to all those who have been hurt and offended by my words, I promise to learn and grow from this experience and I assure you that I have.
Not only did House Republican officials make lengthy apologies, but earlier today she resigned.
She officially resigned as a member of the Council.
So, the status of political apology.
Is it helpful to apologize in this case?
Is there any better help than the usual political apology in this case, even though all political apologies are inherently terrible?
Why is this happening first?
Is this a rare thing in Washington, because the resignation is actually-because it is the resignation after the apology?
Gene Robinson, a Washington Post columnist and MSNBC contributor, joined us.
Gene, thank you for coming.
Eugene Robinson, Washington Post columnist: Rach, it\'s a pleasure to be here.
I have to say that it\'s not a national news that people do stupid things to apologize and resign, except that I feel it\'s a moment for the Obama family to be treated politically, and whether we apologize for doing something terrible and stupid.
Robinson: First of all, to tell you the truth for this reason, I think this is a very bad apology.
She did not apologize to them.
She should apologize to the person she offended.
She offended Obama and Sasha.
She offended the president and his wife. Obama.
She did not mention these in her apology.
She should apologize to them, for those who were the ones she offended with words, and at first, I was worried that they went above and beyond pale.
I mean, the president has been treated differently. let\'s face it. it doesn\'t matter.
He can handle it.
But it\'s far beyond treating his daughter in this way.
The words about respect rather than clothing somewhere in the bar, that--
Boy, I tell you, in my house, this caused a stir in something over the weekend as it played some sort of sexy and super sexy role in this subconscious stereotype of black womensexualized.
It was terrible at the Turkish pardon ceremony and it was a very stupid incident.
It should be stupid.
They should play silly.
The president made a mistake in pretending to be silly.
Every president is stupid in this matter.
So, where did she come from?
I think she should apologize to her family and say goodbye. bye.
Well, she did say very well in the end-
Goodbye as far as leaving.
She did not apologize to her family.
She did leave.
I was wondering if it was because she resigned because it happened and people were very angry.
She apologized more or less and is gone now.
I wonder if this is really an important sign that there is more to be learned about the president\'s family in Washington.
I mean, the president and many of the presidents have suffered terrible attacks, and the president has suffered more serious personal attacks than any other president, for many reasons, including race.
But I wonder if we have seen a concrete or a new
Say keep the children away from the rise in this line.
In the past, we have seen that it has been violated, but there are consequences when this happens.
I hope we have.
You see, when Chelsea Clinton was at the White House, she was being criticized for being ugly and completely unnecessary.
Bush\'s daughters, just as they spent their teenage years at the White House, were under a sort of often mean scrutiny and a kind of self-
Corrective mechanism.
I sincerely hope it has started here, in fact
Lawton\'s resignation so quickly shows that something is sacred in Washington.
No matter what you think of the president, you will not pursue the president\'s family.
You don\'t chase his little daughter, 13 and 16, in this way.
Just not open.
MADDOW: we are led to believe that nothing is sacred in Washington or politically.
But I think it\'s a story, and it tells us that, in fact, the principle is still valid and should be recognized in practice and put a rubber stamp on it.
I would also like to say that we should cast a coin for Eugene Robinson\'s apology rule.
You have to apologize to the person you did something terrible.
Robinson: It\'s just a good idea.
This is a good idea.
Eugene Robinson, Washington Post columnist-Jean, thank you for coming here. Appreciate it.
Nice to be here, Rachel.
MADDOW: Obviously, the good thing about winning something is that you win something.
Now that you have that, it means that you can break that if you are not careful.
Break the trophy in gorgeous style-next is coming. (
Business break)
MADDOW: during the 1947 season, the Canadian Football League championship trophy, the Grey Cup, was almost burned out in a fire. That was 1947.
Since then, everything has gone downhill for that trophy.
The same trophy has been broken six times by the team celebrating the victory since 1947 fire.
At 1978, the trophy fell off accidentally.
At 1987, it is sitting.
At 1993, it\'s head docking. OK.
During the 2006 season, the players tore the trophy off the base while celebrating the victory, and they just continued to celebrate.
After all, they just won the championship.
In 2012, a player accidentally tore off one of the handles of the Cup.
You can see it in his right hand.
That does not belong there.
It reminds us of yesterday\'s Calgary Stampede winning the Grey Cup in the Canadian Football League this year.
In their sixth celebration, in an atmosphere of joy in winning the trophy, they broke it again.
You can see that it\'s a bit loose and wobbles at the bottom of it.
Celebrations continue in the dressing room.
The Cup ended up broken far from the base and the players turned it into a huge beer cup.
They\'re not mine.
But the problem with the trophy has been repeated.
This has been happening.
The club fans saw the moment of the Memorial Cup in front of their eyes.
Oh, look at their faces.
Spanish fans watched the King\'s Cup trophy not only fell, but also fell by a bus.
Oh, yes, that\'s the trophy.
Even Taylor Swift, the old man Taylor Swift, fell at the Grammy Awards.
After she put it down, the crowd couldn\'t breathe.
This has been happening.
People spend all their time and energy and sometimes their whole career is trying to win the game.
Once they get it, they will immediately break what they just won.
Stick to this idea. (
Business break)
When you win something, yes, you win. That`s it.
This is usually your first chance to break what you just won.
In sports, like last night\'s Canadian Football League title, the winning team has the chance to break the championship trophy they just won.
This is the sixth time the winning team broke that particular trophy the night it won.
But this happens elsewhere.
When Eddie George won the Hyman Award in 1995, he was at the airport x-ray machine.
When the Houston Rockets won the NBA Finals in 1994, they broke the basketball trophy you won.
Two years ago, the father of the Alabama football team\'s long apper fish tripped over the carpet and fell to the display table, breaking the crystal football you won BCS in college football.
The win is great, you can win, but once you win, you also have a chance to break what you just won with the win.
Republicans in Congress have just won Congress.
You see what this is all about.
Republicans won control of the House in 2010.
Since then, the two sessions of Congress have been under control, the two most efficient sessions in the history of the United States Congress.
Today, however, Congress did return to town and to work.
This makes the next few weeks very interesting, because in ten days, unless the government keeps the lights on through the spending bill, the government will shut down, and many Republicans don\'t want, they are angry at President Obama\'s immigration policy.
So Republicans are trying to solve the problem between them.
But they only have ten days to fix this before another close.
I mean, this is their phone, right? They won it.
They won Congress.
So, that means that if they want to break it, it\'s an opportunity for them to break it.
Now, however, on the other side of Congress, they may break a whole new way.
If you want to be a US Senator, you should know that senators will basically not work for more than two weeks without an immediate week off to recover.
Good performance, right?
But when Republicans take over in January, look at what they started at the beginning of the year.
They have arranged for six consecutive weeks in the Senate.
Most of these weeks will last five days.
When was the last time the senator worked on Friday, not to mention six consecutive Fridays?
Do you remember Jim Dement saying that it would be President Obama\'s Waterloo for Republicans to stop Obamacare?
The timetable will be Waterloo in the US Senate.
It is impossible for them to work six weeks in a row, and at least one at each party is not over. No way.
Before they start, in the next two weeks, they will need to pass the bill that will keep the Pentagon running.
They have to pass a big tax bill.
They have to go through numerous nominations.
They have a Veterans Suicide Bill, and if they don\'t want veterans across the country to be angry with them, they \'d better pass it, not to mention everyone in the country who likes veterans. Oh, yes.
They have to keep something to keep the government running, though many Republicans want to shut it down.
It all needs to be done before Christmas and before the Senate plans to work for six weeks in a row.
Who thinks they will succeed?
They started today.
Let\'s see if they make it or if they break it.
That\'s what it is for us tonight.
See you tomorrow.
Now, it\'s time to say the last word to Lawrence O\'Donnell.
Good evening, Lawrence.
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