and mccain inappropriate political attack and gave us the horrible optics of he and lindsey graham as old white establishment folks wrongly and repeatedly attacking a younger black women and moments when they went strongly blue. >> jon: and claims that mccain went on a witch hunt and tarring the ambassador in the press. that's quite a loaded word. >> so many words that he can say that for some reason i can't say. next time we hear the usual suspects in the review and denouncing rush limbo, remember, they were stone cold silent most likely so far on all of this race baiting going on on the rice-mccain issue. >> jon: what about the real issues what are the real issues that the media should be raising here? >> this has been an indictment not just of the politicians who make these charges and remember, this is where it started because congressional black caucus representatives made the charge that senator mccain was racist, but, it's also an indictment of a totally incurious press. i mean, where are most reporters on important questions, issues of fact like what happened in benghazi, what

[ laughter ] now mccain's wrong on one point. i don't know everything about the senate. so here now to educate me is my future former collegue, the distinguished gentleman from new mexico, senator jeff bingaman. senator, thank you for joining us. >> [cheers and applause] >> thank you. >> stephen: thank you so much for getting me ready for this job in january which is imnent. >> terrific. we're looking forward to having you here. i'll be gone but we're going forward to having you here anyway? >> are you leaving because i'm coming? >> no, i was planning to leave before you announced your plans to come. >> stephen: what a shame. i'll miss you in the steam room? >> a degree. >> stephen: is there a steam room? >> there is a steam room. >> stephen: okay. [ laughter ] what do i need to know about the senate? >> well it's not as exciting as you mie expect. >> stephen: i don't expect it to be exciting at all. >> you'll fit right in if you don't expect excitement here. the work here is pretty straightforward. you try to understand the issues that you are going to be voting on, and

. >> senator mccain. >> thank you very much, mr. secretary. >> jon: huh? a little good-natured ribbing. i'm sure senator kerry had a good comeback. "what you just saw was senator mccain referring not to me with my current title the right honorable senator from the great state of... massachusetts, but senator mccain has referred to me way title prospectus, mr. secretary, references senator mccain's obstinnence with regard to susan rice, which may result in my ascension to the cabinet position held by such luminaries throughout history as siewrd, achison, vance, and, of course, others, including but not--" ( laughter ) isn't that how you hammed that there, senator kerry. >> thank you very much, mr. president. ( cheers and applause ) >> jon: bam! ba-bam! laugh latch ( laughte( laughter )two things. one, solid, concise joke. two, a little disproportionate ( laughter ) mccain teased you about a job you might get. and you hit him with the failure of his life. ( laughter ) ( applause ) it's like-- it's like mccain nudged him in the ribs. makin nudged kerry in the

it's john mccain. during the campaign she criticized his irresponsible statements about iran, the singing about bomb bomb iran. she characterized him a reckless individual who shouldn't be president. that was during the campaign. and a lot of the anger i would guess of john mccain towards susan rice has to do not so much with her being a woman, but with her being not deferential to john mccain. >> now, we've had a statement from senator lindsey graham. i'll read you it. i respect ambassador rice's decision. president obama has many talented people to choose from to serve as our next secretary of state. when it comes to benghazi, i'm determined to find out what happened before, during, and after the attack. unfortunately the white house and other agencies are stonewalling when it comes to providing the relevant information. i find this unacceptable. so originally the complaint was against her, now it's the white house. >> and they have been trying to turn benghazi in a scandal from the beginning. they'r

i would love to see senator mccain join us. it's questionable whether he will at this point, but the reality is the public wants us to get something done, to work together. we know that a minority view needs to be protected in the senate. you shouldn't be able to block things for the sake of blocking progress in solving problems. >> it was very clear. mitch mcconnell wanted to make barack obama a one-term president. do you get a sense they are going to do that again? let's say you didn't make the changes. would it be a repeat of the last session of congress? >> i absolutely do. even though there are members that want to work across the aisle, we're having better conversations now. and i appreciate that. colleagues on both sides of the aisle. but in the end, with the same leader and the same mind-set. it would be the same thing. the public deserves better. >> quickly, i understand you're having a press conference tomorrow with senator schumer on middle class tax cuts. from what i can gather, it's all about the rates. >> we're do

and mccain inappropriate political attack and gave us the horrible optics of he and lindsey graham as old white establishment folks wrongly and repeatedly attacking a younger black women and moments when they went strongly blue. >> jon: and claims that mccain went on a witch hunt and tarring the ambassador in the press. that's quite a loaded word. >> so many words that he can say that for some reason i can't say. next time we hear the usual suspects in the review and denouncing rush limbo, remember, they were stone cold silent most likely so far on all of this race baiting going on on the rice-mccain issue. >> jon: what about the real issues what are the real issues that the media should be raising here? >> this has been an indictment not just of the politicians who make these charges and remember, this is where it started because congressional black caucus representatives made the charge that senator mccain was racist, but, it's also an indictment of a totally incurious press. i mean, where are most reporters on important questions, issues of fact like what happened in benghazi, what

i would love to see senator mccain join us. it's questionable whether he will at this point, but the reality is the public wants us to get something done, to work together. we know that a minority view needs to be protected in the senate. you shouldn't be able to block things for the sake of blocking progress in solving problems. >> it was very clear. mitch mcconnell wanted to make barack obama a one-term president. do you get a sense they are going to do that again? let's say ewe didn't make the changes. would it be a repeat of the last session of congress? >> i absolutely do. even though there are members that want to work across the aisle, we're having better conversations now. and i appreciate that. colleagues on both sides of the aisle. but in the end, with the same leader and the same wind set. it would be the same thing. the public deserves better. >> quickly, i understand you're having a press conference tomorrow with senator schumer on middle class tax cuts. from what i can gather, it's all about the rates. >> we're do

coming out of senator john mccain's office and lindsey graham. is that what's happening there? >> reporter: there's some belief already that you see that there's a scalp that was thrown their way. >> no, you surprise me. they're not celebrating a scalp are they? >> if the question is will they satisfy the opponents of susan rice whether they be john mccain or lindsey graham or other senators who have spoken out against her, i doubt it. we live in a age when if there's a fight to be had, a fight will be had. there is always political advantage being sought here, and i don't think this is going to mean anything in terms of a softening of the president's -- or opposition to the president's agenda or other appointments that might come down the line. speaking of which, one of the odder by-products of this entire episodes as it has dragged on is the republican endorsement of john kerry for that job. we've heard an endless stream of republicans come forth and endorse john kerry. as a matter of fact, i just saw john kerry coming out of a briefing on, guess what? a closed briefing from

let me start with you, senator mccain. guns in america, should anything be done or are you comfortable with where things are? >> actually, i'm comfortable. i think that, for example, the killing that has aroused mr. costas' anger was an act of hatred and brutality, and that person wanted to kill somebody, they didn't need a gun to do it. so look, i just believe that it's one of our rights and -- joe? >> i start with the belief that the second amendment actually does protect the right of individual americans to own guns, but in my opinion, it's no more unlimited than the right of free speech which has limits. so i've supported, for instance, bans on the automatic weapons and for a while we've been trying to close what's called the gun show loophole. if you go in a store, it's pretty regulated now, to buy a gun at a regular gun shop there's a check done on you and national computer file of criminal records or if you can mental health records or indications of violence. if you go to a gun show, you don't have to do that. that

mccain -- mr. mccain: i ask that the reading be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mccain: as modified. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mccain: the senator from kentucky i believe is here to speak on the amendment. mr. paul: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from kentucky. mr. paul: the amendment before us requires that the president submit a plan for a no-fly zone over syria. i want to compliment the authors for including in this amendment a clause that says that nothing in this amendment is to be construed as a declaration of war or a use of authorization of force. i think that's very important. i think it's very important in our nation today that we are not saying that we are starting or beginning or getting involved in a new war. i do think, however, though, that this amendment is ill-advised for two reasons -- number one, i don't think i know with certainty whether the syrian rebels will be freedom loving, tolerant, constitution toting believers in a republican form of government or w

because john mccain wants straight answers and hasn't gottenst them, he's a racist? if he's racist, why did john mccain vote for clarence thomas for speert, coli colin pl for secretary of state, and condi rice, an african-american female, for secretary of state? all right. so now we eliminate racism and sexism. your outrage is now based on what? i home there's no suggestion that she be held to a lower standard because of who she is. and how about that she outright lied and dug her heels in, that she made a decision to tell the american people that the killing of four americans was a spontaneous protest about a youtube video when everyone from the state department, the white house, the pentagon knew in real-time that it wasn't? ambassador rice, you dug your heels in right after the president of libya said there was no doubt that the attack was preplanned and even the talking points said al-qaeda was involved. we just want to know now. who took out the words al-qaeda and why did you agree to go on television when you admittedly knew nothing about benghazi? might i it h

(laughter) so why is john mccain doing this? (cheers and applause) well, the congressional black caucus representative marcia fudge-- that's right, you heard me-- (laughter) marcia. (laughter) actually, congresswoman fudge is one of our nation's most hardworking and i can only assume delicious congress people. (laughter) she had a theory about ambassador rice. >> any time something goes wrong they pick on women and minorities. >> come on now! >> i have a real issue with that. susan rice's comments didn't send us to iraq and afghanistan. >> uh-huh! >> well -- >> somebody else's did. i'm probably not the most educated person in this house. >> you're an attorney. >> but i'm close. just go on and hate on. but look in the mirror and hate yourself, not the people who do this work. thank you. uh-huh! >> jon:oooh! (cheers and applause) first of all, why isn't every press conference like that? (laughter) a press conference infused with life and emotion. she just turned the house of representatives into tyler perry's "house of representat

did john mccain know about this before it was announced publicly? did white house call him and say okay john, you win this one but we want something back. we're going to give this to you. be gracious but here's what we expect in terms of a, b or c? what do you think? >> i have no idea but i doubt it. i think there was a lot of anger and frustration. i happened to be with senator mccain and john udall and barbara mikulski and john barrasso after they did their mugging of susan rice. john was -- knew he had hit at least a double if not a triple in going after her and basically put the white house back on its heels in the way the president responded to their comments. and i think that this -- you know, episode has given john mccain a win and i don't think the white house is going to say okay, we're going to give you what you want, now you have to play with us on other things. i don't think that's the way this game was played. this was a vicious game and i think there are resentments that will continue for some time. >> that's exactly right. although th

because john mccain wants straight answers and hasn't gotten them, he's a racist? if he is a racist, why did john mccain vote for clarence thomas for supreme court, collin paul for second of state, and condi rice, an african-american female for secretary of state. your outrage is now based on what? i hope there's no suggestion she be held to a lower standard because of who she is. and how about that she outright lied and dug her heels in. she made a decision to tell the american people that the killing of four americans was a spontaneous protest about a youtube video when everybody from the state department, the white house, the pentagon, knew it wasn't. ambassador rice, you dug your heels in. right after the president of libya said there was no doubt that the attack was preplaned, and even the talking points said al qaeda was involved. we just want to know now, who took out the words al qaeda, and i would did you agree to go on television when you admitted lid knew nothing about benghazi. might it have been to mislead the american people in the runup to the electi

john mccain led the charge on benghazi. and they have a sense -- there's nothing you can do to a senator to keep them out of the loop. and there is a sense there that not only were they not told the truth, but the american people were not told the truth and they decided -- i mean the white house calls it an obsession. jay carney has called it an obsession. but i do believe that there are lots of republicans who don't want her to be the secretary of state. and whoever thought there would be a republican caucus to get john kerry -- gwen: well, if you're a member of the senate you're part of the club and that's probably what's going on. but i'm curious about the folks at the white house, mike, it seems to me the people at the white house are trying to decide if it's worth it. >> i don't often say this, because every time i think it i end up being wrong. but i think there's a visceral aspect of this. i think the president, when this came up in his first post-election press conference was genuinely upset. come after me, come aft

mccain: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that i be allowed to follow the senator, senator mikulski. the presiding officer: without objection. ms. mikulski: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from maryland. ms. mikulski: mr. president, i rise to speak on behalf of what's going on here today as the new chair of the senate full committee on the appropriations committee. that means we're the committee that actually puts money in the federal checkbook. and i'd like to talk about that because, you see, mr. president, today here we are, new year's eve, doing what we should have done right after labor day. we're behind. we're behind the clock, and actually we're behind the thinking of the american people. they want us to come together and have sensible fiscal policies that promote both growth and at the same time balance it with a new sense of frugality. the fact that we have come here to this point with this culture of delay in this institution i think is really unacceptable. but i

did john mccain know about this before it was announced publicly? did white house call him and say okay john, you win this one but we want something back. we're going to give this to you. be gracious but here's what we expect in terms of a b or c? what do you think? >> i have no idea but i doubt it. i think there was a lot of anger and frustration. i happened to be with senator mccain and john udall and barbara mikulski and john barrasso after they did their mugging of susan rice. john was -- knew he had hit at least a double if not a triple in going after her and basically put the white house back on its heels in the way the president responded to their comments. and i think that this -- you know, episode has given john mccain a win and i don't think the white house is going to say okay, we're going to give you what you want, now you have to play with us on other things. i don't think that's the way this game was played. this was a vicious game and i think there are resentments that will continue for some time. >> that's exactly right. although the

he is of the [ inaudible ] of mccain, back when mccain was reasonable -- >> when mccain was sane. >> stephanie: he endorsed john kerry in november, and opposed the decision to invade iraq and the serge, so what can be so bad about him? [ applause ] >> nice, good guy. >> stephanie: which is why there's no room for him in the republican party. >> yeah. >> stephanie: forty-seven minutes after the hour. right back on the "stephanie miller show." >> announcer: there's a tea party in her pants and you are invited. that you're gonna lay people off because now the government's going to help you fund your health care. really? i wanna be able to have those conversations. not just to be confrontational but to understand what the other side is saying. and you know, i'd like to arm our viewers with the ability to argue with their conservative uncle joe over the dinner table. rich, chewy caramel rolled up in smooth milk chocolate. don't forget about that payroll meeting. rolo.get your smooth on. also in minis. >> she gets the comedians laughing... >> that's hilarious! >> ...and the thinkers thinki

and that's mccain and graham and those fellas. >> but we've heard about this mccain not liking or hating chuck hagel. what's that about? what's their history? from one maverick to another. >> exactly. there's only so much room in the senate for mavericks. you know? and mccain is the maverick. there's also only so much room for war heroes. so there's that animosity too. but mccain never once wavered on the iraq war. he stuck with it the entire time. and he despised anybody who we thought turned on it too early. and he faults hagel for that. for bailing on the iraq war. the first for personality stuff. second urt comes down to iraq. >> the other thing that's been curious here is this sort of process is evolving where the names get floated out there without actually being named. only to be attacked without having anybody to their support. >> and and b rhea mitchell was pretty critical with the white house strategy if it is a strategy. let's take a listen. >> this cannot continue to float trial balloons and have them shot down. the president can't get perceived to being rolled by opponents.

a return to somebody who had tabled mccain as part of the '08 campaign, part of mccain's bitterness about losing in '08 and perhaps again losing in 2012. and just this sad, nakedly political attack at somebody who was not central in the benghazi tragedy, which is still -- there's zero evidence this was a scandal. so for a promising, brilliant person to be tared and their career derailed with naked attacks is sad and almost tragic. obviously, she didn't lose her life like the four them benghazi but she has worked for years she deserves this appointment, she could have -- >> a chance that the appointment. >> absolutely. >> we had this nomination fight before we even had a nomination fight because the republican had to stand in front of the nation in front of cameras, it would have been even more embarrassing than this embarrassing thing that mccain and graham and ayotte and others went on. >> well, whether she deserved it or not the speculation now, as you heard in that john kerry's . a super still in his 20s, and he had ambition to be president of the 123450i9s frunited state young age. he

>> this was whipped up by john mccain. he made it personal. he was dogged with it. fox news, let's face it, were also driving the story considerably. in the end, this came down to susan rice's decision and my sources who are very close to her said, this wasn't someone who was pushed. she made the decision herself. she could have got confirmed but decided to pull back because it would have been messy. >> she honestly said in her op-ed, it was for the best interest of country. you believe she feels that. >> everybody says for the best interest of the country. there is a calculation you make about whether it's worth it to yourself, your family, to your boss, the president of the united states, they would have taken on water to get her through. i think they could have got her through. i think she thinks she could have got through but the political costs, given the campaign, the crusade, if you will, that was being led here was really hard. >> messy to say the least. it is as simple as john kerry's next? is there anyone that can sneak into this conversation? >> nothing i

rice drops out of the running for secretary of state after a bruising battle with critics like john mccain. >> she not only gave wrong information, but she gave the party line. >> now is john kerry a lock for state? >>> and the other big late story in washington, speaker boehner goes to the white house. how close are they now to a deal? rudolph giuliani is here to say a lot about these things. i'll ask him if america is getting more dangerous in the wake some of very shocking high-profile gun crime. >>> he was known as one of the west memphis three now damien echols is adjusting to life as a free man. >> i was in a state of extreme shock and trauma. >> and how he survived 18 years on death row. >> it's absolutely nightmarish. >> this is "piers morgan tonight." >>> good evening, you're looking live at the white house where president obama has had one of those win some, lose some kind of days. the president and john boehner met for 50 minutes in a meeting being called frank. when basically translates to no deal yet. but the good news was, quote, the lines of communication remain open. the ba

plaudits for what they did, senator mccain and senator kerry and senator mccain about a magnificent job, senator lugar in carrying this bill forward. i know they don't want to give up, either. i was hoping that we could pass it before senator lugar leaves the senate, it would have been just another wonderful thing that senator lugar had done during his time here in the united states senate. but i guess that's not to be. but we'll be back in january or february, senator kerry is committed to doing that, bringing it back to the committee, so we'll be back again and i hope that over the christmas break and new year's i hope those that didn't vote to support this will search their conscience, search their souls, think more about our being involved in this and having a seat at the table and helping the rest of the world change their laws. i hope that when we come back that we'll have some reconsiderations and people recognize that, well, maybe the first vote, maybe that was not the right vote and, you know, change their vote and maybe we can get it passed then. that's my hope and i hope

you see carey hagel and mccain. the idea that mccain is happy that they will be there means it is a republican victory. >> cenk: john kerry. >> cenk: of course it is. i'll tell you the real problem. we're out of time, but the real problem in summary is they don't have the let's put it this way guts, i could have gone with a different body part for a fight. whenever there's a fight, run for the hills. oh my god, they said something bad about susan rice, oh, pie god, let's run let's run, let's run. the minute they said something bad, i would have thrown it down and said let's go, let's go. i just won the election. >> how do you know john kerry wasn't also a top choice here. >> cenk: whatever. come on, you know it was susan rice. >> i don't know it. i know there were political ram if i cases to naming kerry. >> cenk: republicans got exactly what they wanted. >> they did. >> cenk: which is usually what happens under the obama administration. when we come back, a woman who gets fired for a poll light response to a racist

>> i admire john mccain and admire especially early john mccain and was a fan for years and i think he found himself in a very tough pickle in the beginning of this story. obama was surging in the polls. it was all kind of going to a very tough place when he had to make the decision. i felt i want the audience to be in his shoes and look at the dilemma he faced. especially when people say you can take this risky choice or you can lose. i want people to relate with them at that moment. casting ed harris is part of it. i think he's a dynamic and thoughtful person. you can see his soul at stake. that's what great actors can do is let you feel it's not just a choice. it's everything. >> the close upshot of ed harris at the end of the movie. that was ed harris. that's john mccain. >> i think his trance formation of putting on weight and did physical things, but the way he committed to understanding what that guy faced and he's an american hero. it's a very chaotic and polarized place that was up and down through the primaries. i wanted to ask the audience, go past what you expect and look a

moses couldn't play nice with senator mccain. if he gets it in his head that he doesn't like you, there's nothing going to change his mind. >> the point i was making was that nobody was going to change their mind based upon what senator mccain said or didn't say. >> the issue was you -- >> you judge a candidate -- if you can't no shut up, then you ought to be ambassador to the u.n. >> the point is you need to judge someone on their merits, not make it political and that's what senator mccain did. >> we don't know what went on in the meeting with senator collins. he was the person that the white house i think was pointing to try to get the tide changed or at least to help break a filibuster, if that's what it came to, ambassador rice failed in convincing senator collins. mccain was out of it at that point. >> let me ask you about this other talk, and we're going to play nice now. that a former republican senator chuck hagel could become the next defense secretary. what do you think, chris, how would democrats feel about that scena

john mccain, who sent a letter, mccain was on today with wolf blitzer and was asked not out khalid sheik mohamed. >> none of that scowled enhancive interrogation techniques used, none of it provided any useful information that eventually resulted in the killing of bin laden? >> there is no information whatsoever that shows that. in fact, there's information that they misled the interrogators, while this violation of the geneva conventions, torturing people was going on. >> here's the letter that feinstein, mccain and levin sent to sony distributing the film: >> cenk: yeah, to be fair to mccain and those guys, i don't think they're saying that no torture has ever led to one piece of correct information. they're saying in this case, it did not lead to the capture of bin laden. >> my understanding is that there were three pimassively water boarded who knew about the courier. one of them gave up the one depicted in the film is the one who gave up information about the courier. >> cenk: the one gay gave it up when he was not being tortured. >> but the threat of being tortured again may have a

what is john mccain? are they rhinos? that's what it means is that the republican party has moved so far away from their standard bearers. i think it was one of the saddest thing i have seen to see these senators walk by bob dole, salute him and vote against him. >> saying if you want to travel abroad, we're going to take no responsibility for ensuring your dignity and respect abroad. i know that you have been in touch with senator lugar and with senator hagel recently. senator lugar is in a poignant spot in his career leaving the senate after being primaried by somebody who lost in the general election. president obama paying elaborate tribute to dick lugar talking on issues of nuclear security. when you talked with them, what are they expressing about the views about what's happening? >> i think they are concerned. they are concerned in a constructive way. just as i have heard to be honest democrats express concern about movements. when i listen to richard lugar talk about the face of american internationalism and this