And anger also boil over in cities like chicago, with shootings reaching a crisis level. So yes, we need justice for Michael Brown. But we also need a larger conversation about the factors that are crippling communities like furgason and we need to make changes and policy for justice. Thanks for watching. Im al sharpton. Hall starts right now. Hug it out. Lets play hardball. Good evening. Let me start tonight with separation anxiety. For the past two nights we covered the Obama Clinton political tap dance. First Hillary Clinton interviewed in the atlantic in which she criticized obamasForeign Policy. Next, dissect the plate cal maneuvering, is she positioning herself for a 2016 run and separating herself from the president who is currently struggling in the polls. Yesterday, the phone call. Clinton calls obama to clear the air. A spokesman makes a statement saying is tt was to make sure nothing she said was meant to attack him. Today a press release, a spokesman with this assess of this call and criticism. President indeed appreciating president clintons call as he does every opportunity it chat with former secretary of state. They have a close relationship and the president appreciates counsel and advice but more importantly appreciates her friendship. Thats why he is looking forward to seeing her this evening. [ inaudible ] im not going to get into a behind the scenes here. The event this evening,
deputy press secretary, eric schultz, referenced a Birthday Party for wife of vernon jordan. Both clinton and obama will attend. A clinton spokesman said she looks forward to hugging it out with the president. Intense focus and words as Hillary Clinton begins to reestablisher political branch, secretary of state, reminding us that everything clinton does is seen through the prism of likely 2016 run. Even late night comics are in on the political moves. Experts say Hillary Clinton is trying to distance herself from president obama as she gears up for 2016. You know, i think shes been trying to distance herself from obama for a while. Check out this interview. Her discipline, her stamina, her thoughtfulness and her ability to project, i think has made her an extraordinary talent. She was also [ laughter ] joining me now is Steve Clemens and susan page. If you want prove that Clinton Obama rift is big news, look at the headlines this week. The one that started it all. Sharpest criticism with this headline. The Obama Clinton discord was clear. The Clinton Falls obama on policy. New york post, clinton blames obama on stupid policy. These are just two old friends talking on the phone, im not quite sure if i buy that line. But this is something we will see a lot of between now and 2016. Where Hillary Clinton feels this broader general election, where she want it distance herself from the president or at least for right now, isnt doing that well in the polls. At the same time, very delicate balancing act. This president is still beloved by the Democratic Party base. She walks this fine line. Looks like this particular he episode will come to an end
tonight, if and when they hug. How did she do in this sort of trial run for this separation strategy . You know, if she is running for president , and i think she is, she is going to need to talk about what it is she believes and what her world view is. When they ran against each other in 2008, they had different world views an policies and differences in policies are now being exposed are things she talked about to some degree in her book. So they shouldnt be a surprise. It shouldnt only be seen as political calculation. She needs to talk about what theyre view would be as president. That said, i think it is a delicate dance. And it is something that will be dissected every step of the way. So that conversation were having tonight is a conversation we should expect to have for another two years. I dont know if that is good news or bad news. Clearly, lets stipulate, there is a difference in world view here. That was on display in 2008 and
sort of back on display now. She wanted to communicate that, she wanted to communicate distance. And it keeps coming back to me. She made a very intentional decision in terms of who she chose to give this interview here. She gave it to a reporter, a writer, who i think was clearly going to play this for maximum separation affect. She knew that when she made the decision to make the interview. Now she walks it back and in terms of well, we are just friends. Didnt intend anything by this. It seems to me thats how she clearly wants to communicate separation here. But when somebody says, youre trying to separate yourself, she doesnt want to be the one saying it herself. First of all, Jeff Goldburg, scoring a staggeringly important interview. This is the punctuation point from the clinton franchise to the obama franchise. I think she subordinated her very different viewes from president obama. There are a lot of other areas she didnt speak about. China, in which she is a very
hard, tough person on china. She subordinated that and the went over and did exactly what she needed to do. And play a softer line and more nuance line. She is defining herself very differently and she knew what she was doing in playing this. While they may hug it out, bottom line is, she is on the way to sort of define herself in a very, very different way from the obama presidency. So what did that look like . What the the next step . You mentioned china, there are other differences between Hillary Clinton and barack obama. They had a yearlong campaign. Whats the next step . Every time she does it, are we in for this . It felt to me the other day, i turned on twitter in the morning and got David Axelrod and hey, Hillary Clinton voted on the war in 2002. Is that what we get every time they introduces distance here . If she is walking into this with the frame of what she feels is missing, in the obama presidency, and that is an ideological frame. Wanted to say were about democracy, about human rights promotion and willing to put muscle behind those things. In a way she is a democratic version of neoconservatives left with traditional calculation when it comes to American Interest and much more expansive in what i would consider a magic wand approach to solving things. But she looks at these issueses as very important in terms of putting peoples values an our values forward. President obama inherited a cappy situation and crappy Foreign Policy sit situation and what can i do to get the stock of power already in gear. Hillary clinton says it is already there, we just need to push. At axelrod thing, it strikes me as the white house wont necessarily not joy what Hillary Clinton is up to for the next two years. Again, the official line is that this is just a couple friends talking on the phone, but David Axelrod goes out on twitter and
says, you know, dont do stupid stuff. Here is the quote exactly. Mean stuff like occupying iraq in the first place which is a tragically bad situation. That remind people, Hillary Clinton was someone who voted for that in 2002. Barack obama doesnt vote for that. Barack obama oi posed it at the time. Seems to me the white house showed us something about how it will be reacting and responding to Hillary Clinton doing this. Yes. Thats the axelrod tweet to the degree, 140 characters can mean something, was a brush back pitch. A little reminder that they would not let offenses go unanswered. And you know, you said steve she tried to walk it back. It was interesting, she said she didnt mean this as an attack. She did not say she was misquoted. She did not say she was wrong. This position she outlined it caught so much fear the last few days are positions where she will hold and repeat. So i think we probably ought to get used to it. What do you make of it . We have apparently, i dont know, the hugging summit tonight, or whatever, they will come together. And you know, the clinton camp
went out of their way yesterday to put the story out there that she had called and tried to make amend. They will hug. All of this stuff. And did this bother the clinton camp at all how this played out, susan . I think the clinton people are not happy. I think that the clinton people are not unhappy with this. I think this is not its been a litt a little inept or inartful is what the Hillary Clinton people would probably use. Her book hard choices, i think the obama people are more unhappy because they are trying hard to maintain the power he has as president for as long as possible. And this is a little bit after of a reminder of what it is like for a secretary term president when attention gez away and remarkably early for this president. Attention turning to the successor. Coming earlier than i think we have seen. I think that is of concern for
the white house. 2016 and 2014. By pointing out Foreign Policy differences with the president , it is possible that Hillary Clinton has provide ammunition for republicans in mid term races. An exchange in todays press briefing president had a fundraiser a couple day easy go to help democrats keep the summit. And the republicans dont even have it say dont listen to me, just listen to former secretary of state. Isnt that awkward for the president im not going to handicap potential campaign ads from the podium today. I will say, as you point out, keeping Senate Majority is priority for the president. Thats why he did attend the fundraiser two nights ago. He looked forward to doing what he can to maintain the majority. Steve, what about that . Imagine a lot of republicans will look forward to going out there this summer, this fall and rest of the summer and fall and saying, look, it is not just me, not just my party that has issues with how president obamas Foreign Policy, it is his secretary of state. She painted him as a weak president. As Jeff Goldburg wrote on the interview, she described herself not leaving an inch between herself and israels point of view on the recent conflict. Which is not the president s message. She raised questions to some degree about the way iran is being handled. All that is potential fot fodder that will paint the president as speakless, spineless, unable it move the needle. Whether she intended to or not, this is definitely part of the 2014 campaign. An indication of how democrats respond to that on the campaign trail . Are they going to have to start distancing themselves from Hillary Clinton . Or do they go along with it too . I dont think Hillary Clinton matters much in mid term elections. Barack obama matters a lot. For the candidates and house and senate who are in very competitive races, if obamas approval rate sag point higher or two points higher or a point lower or two points lower, that could make the difference in the very close races. The degree to which Hillary Clintons criticism creates
problems for president obamas approval rating, that i think is a serious thing for dem krocrat this november. We will return to this one a lot. I have a feeling next few years. Coming up, limited u. S. Engagement in iraq is becoming less limited by the day. American Officials Say they can avoid the dreaded mission creep. Not everyone is so sure. Also, trouble outside of st. Louis after the shooting of an unarmed black man. Could incidents be avoided if others look like the people they serve . Hoping to squash the tea party this year. Why is the Tea Party Still dictating policy on huge issues like immigration . Jimmy fall yn channels frankunder are wood in a spoof of house of cards. Final touchup before the show. Mr. Fallon, have you a phone call. Phone call is when someone calls you on the phone. You drop 40 grand on a new set of wheels, then. Wham a minivan tbones you. Guess what your Insurance Company will only give you 37thousand to replace it. Depreciation they claim. How can my car depreciate before its first oil change . You ask. Maybe the better question is, why do you have that Insurance Company . With Liberty Mutual new car replacement, well replace the full value of your car. See Car Insurance in a whole new light. Liberty mutual insurance. Lets show em what a breakfast with whole grain fiber can do. One coffee with room, one large mocha latte, medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate hold the whip, two espressos. Make one a double. Shes full and focused. [ barista ] i have two cappuccinos, one coffee with room, one large mocha latte, a medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate hold the whip, and two espressos one with a double shot. Heh, heh. Thats not the coffee talkin. [ female announcer ] start your day with kelloggs frosted mini wheats cereal. With whole wheat goodness on one side and a hint of sweetness on the other, its a delicious way to get the nutrition you want. With the top speedou compare of comcast the top speed of business dsl from the internet. Phone company its a delicious way well, theres really no comparison. Why pay more for less . Call today for a low price on speeds up to 150mbps. And find out more about our twoyear price guarantee. Comcast business. Built for business. Welcome back to hardball. U. S. Involvement in iraq continues to escalate. Nearly 130 marines aep special forces are on the ground. Freeing thousands of innocent civilians that isis is looking to slaughter. Officials tell nbc news that a special forces team landed in
the hot zone to begin assessing the pollity of a rescue mission. The pentagon is maintaining this new ininflux of troops will have no combat role. Ben rhodes is not rolling out using u. S. Ground forces in a rescue mission. Since isis began its march of terror in iraq under june, deploying more than 800 u. S. Military to iraq, conducting roughly 25 airstrikes on the insurgents including another one today with Many Missions flown by u. S. Pilots. The president hasnt put a timetable on the involvement but an armed showdown is a very real possibility pf on top of all that, Prime MinisterNouri Almaliki has thrown the country into a constitutional crisis. No matter how you describe our involvement as a humanitarian mission, or helping kurds beat back isis, u. S. Military is back in iraq plain and simply and our
press sense growing. A retired army general and msnbc military analyst, patrick murphy, army veteran and host of taking the hill. General, i will start with you. When you look at sending more forces over there right now, to take a look at the possibility of sending even more for a rescue mission, being defined as a humanitarian mission, total new getting close to a thousand new u. S. Forces have been sent over there, basically this summer, do you look at this and say, theres a distinction between this as humanitarian mission and this as potential combat mission or is it all the same to you . Not yet. Do i look at it as potential combat mission . Theres a couple things that have to happen for that to take place. One, the isis will have to make a move to try to take out the attempt to try to move the yazidi people out of there. And they will have to start it make a fight out of it and we do
have a National Interest in making sure that isis s abilit to mess thing up in the middle east is maximized and that may take it certainly will take the action of the iraqi government. And the key to this is now that maliki lost support from iran, there has to be a government form that is acceptable to the sunni tribal chiefs and they should be leading the charge. There doesnt have to be an american large scale combat role on the ground. But thats a hard thing to pull off. With all these different moving parts. Patrick, look, youve been over there, so let me ask you, bottom line question, special forces, apparently right now, special forces, some are on the sinjar mountains, assessing whether more forces should be
sent. There are fewer yazidi left. A lot more have been evacuated than we realize. The airstrikes have done some good in terms of getting isis away from the mountain. Just in terms of, you know, looking at 130 u. S. Marines special forces, in terms of, what is it the United States needs to do to guarantee their safety in a situation like this . Well, you have some of the best. And you cant say this is a volatile area, the sinjar mountains. You need to send in those marines and special operators, u. S. Central command, assess the situation, making sure they can get thousands if not tens of thousands of yazidis off that mountain into safety. And not to be crushed by isis that is potentially choking off the arteries there. But i will tell you that, steve, im worried about the mission of course. But now those 935 u. S. Personnel, military personnel in iraq, but i will tell that you if theres one president that i have confidence in that he will not allow the mission, not drag america back into a civil war, is barack obama. I think people have the question, of when do we know its over. We have a couple different objectives. It is an openended commitment. I think a lot of objectives sound reasonable enough that when do we know we have succeeded and it is time to come back. You know, especially with the group like isis, maybe we stop its momentum but dont completely eblobliterate it. Also, protecting americans, steve, as you know, we cant leave anyone behind. We have state Department Personnel in erbil. We have military advisors in erbil and they are within artillery range of isis. Thats why we took out the artillery assets of