And prodding for you to reach and be better than you thought you could. Those of us that stand up, those of us that prod america. Those of us that march and do what we do peacefully do it because we rae really believe in america. We love america. We want it to be all it can be. Thanks for watching. Im al sharpton. Hardball starts right now. Hard in the desert. Lets play hardball. Good evening. Im Chris Matthews in washington. We are headed to ferguson tonight but im compelled with start with the president s powerful reaction to the beheading of american james foley by the Islamist Group torturing and killing the way through syria and iraq. Lets be clear about isil. They have rampaged across cities
and villages, killing innocent unarmed civilians in cowardly acts of violence. They have abducted women and children and subject them to torture and rape and slavery. They have murdered muslims, sunni and shia, by the thousands. They target christians and religious minorities, driving them from their homes. Murdering them when they can. For no other reason than they practice a different religion. So isil speaks for no religion. Their victims are overwhelmingly muslim. And no faith teaches people to massacre innocence. No just god would stand for what they did yesterday and what they do every single day. The die is cast. We want to make war against this
band of killers. Do people say with barack obama said today, you will back and allow killers to run free. We just learned earlier this summer the president authorized, he did, an operation to attempt to rescue american citizens kidnapped by isil. Howard, many people said today they had never heard obama like this, the president , personally. I dont know how he may have scent actual execution pictures, we dont know. Were not showing them. We dont have them. I dont want to show them. A lot of americans dont want it look at it. This guy was decapitated for no reason other than they want to hurt our country. Chris, someone close to the president and emailed me, from the inside, they have never seen him like that. I certainly from the outside have never seen him like that. I have been covering him ever since i saw him run for senate in the United States. That is barack obama who is not
only shocked, but angry, and determined. The question of course now is, since we are already slowly but surely beginning to ramp up in that region once again, how that anger, how that focus, which none of us i dont think has seen before in public, how that translates into the reality of american involvement, the american military, and in america itself weary of war yet faced with something more gruesome and more vivid than weve ever seen on television and an enemy that knows social media, that knows propaganda in the modern way. That by some government estimates has 2 billion at its disposal. That has real territory and real proto government in the heart of the middle east. Not in afghanistan, but in the heart of the middle east. Watching that execution setup we were just witness to, they like to push the button and have all of the people killed. This will cause rage in this country to see the way they did this. Here is more from the president today. See how you hear him. Today the entire world is appalled by the brutal murder of jim foley by the terrorist group isil. Jim was a journalist. A son. A brother. And a friend. He reported from difficult and dangerous places bearing witness to the lives of people a world away. He was taken hostage nearly two years ago in syria and he was courageously reporting at the time on the conflict there. Jim was taken from us in an act of violence that shocks the conscience of the entire world. No matter how we get into this, it is obamas war now. I think he is saying that now. He decapitated this guy on tape to get even with him for starting the were on isis. We have at least one other
person kidnapped. Another journalist. They are going to toy with that situation for a while. They basically said in so many words that hes next if the president doesnt call off the very limited really offensive that we have mostly from the air in iraq to prevent them from taking control of rifrvers and dams an water facilities. Which is one of the methods these people use it gain territory. The message here, chris, the war that we fought a decade ago has produced a more veermt strain of everything we were trying to destroy. Now the president , rightly criticized our first war, now has to deal with the consequences that may result in some kind of second one. The definition of which we dont know yet. A pain in the butt secular government, no real threat to the world, now fighting an Islamic Terrorist Group which
somehow fed out of this situation. Thats what i said. I think the president and i think history will show, that president obama was right to oppose the first war as a candidate, coming up and as president ial candidate. But now as president in the last two years of his second term, he has it deal with much more con consequences than he or anybody, including our people, thought would happen. They didnt tell me how bad this was getting this fast, he was blindsided. If thats true, thats problem in and of itself. When we went in on this mission, when the president authorized the mission in syria to try to rescue american citizens, it turns out the intelligence was bad. The americans were not aware the pentagon was told they were. Thats the situation. Couldnt save them anyway. President obama said americans
will be protect ped. Le lets listen to the defensive step he is taking. The United States of america will continue to do what we must do to protect our people. We will be vigilant and relentless. When people harm americans anywhere, we do whats necessary to see that justice is done and we act against isil standing along side others. I dont know why i use the word justice. This is not appropriate here. This is an attack on our country. We have to react to it. This is this country versus a group that declared war on us. I dont know why word used like we are going to a world court with this. Especially since he previously in the same statement basically depicted them as killers who coldblooded killerstsh. They all belong in this. The question, chris, is the
president , and not in this vehement way, drawn lines in the sand and made verbal commitments before. This president acting this way has to follow through, intangible ways, or consequences for him politically and for the United States frankly, are probably going to be dire. And thats the problem he faces. This is not what he wanted. No. But he today do it. He did it forcefully today. The question is now what comes next. Lets bring in Andrea Mitchell. Chief correspondent for nbc news and host of Andrea Mitchell reports. Andrea, you are so schooled in this. This seems like a new situation. President of the United States called out by the enemy, isil here, saying, look, unless you stand back, stand down, stop attacking us, we will keep beheading americans. This is very personal stuff right now. To show you how committed he was to try to rescue james foley
and the other americans, what the pentagon released is that there was a rescue mission earlier this summer with shades of what happened all the way back in the carter years, with failed rescue. They sent in fighter jets and helicopters that landed in Northern Syria thinking they could rescue the westerners. And we know there were several americans involved. And it failed. There was heavy fighting with isis fighters. And one american pilot was injured in the failed rescue mission. They shows how much the u. S. Military and white house has been focussing on this. Can we decapitate isis . This issius now. Such an islamic group. So zealous. It is killing christians. Jews, anybody they can get their hands on thats not the kind of
sunni they like. They are killing them. How do you stop them without killing these people we are looking at marching around with the masks on . And why are they Wearing Masks if they think they are going to win . Thats a question i always have with these people. Your thoughts . The fear has been that isis is different from al qaeda that isis want to control territory. Want to rule. That theyve been trading some small amounts of oil. Dealing as a sovereign state. What we have seen with the effective air power in iraq the last couple of woeeeks that the have been pushed back from mosul. They did lose control of the dam. With more defeats like that, they can be put back on their heels. There is another school of thought they arent nearly as powerful and not as fearful as has been suggested by what they do to be terrorists, they do horrific things on video, and that is partly how they inspire
fear in people. Andrea, one of the arguments made, the only way to get rid of these groups is to be done by islamic people themselves. Are we going to have people willing to ealmost nate isis, go in there and get rid of these people. Sunnis, Larger Community for example. Perhaps in coalition with the kurds and reasonable shiites, go after them. Thats been the hope. Thats what president alluded to today, that middle Eastern Communities have to rise up, jordan, lebanon, the whole region could be threatened. The criticism has been of the quataris and others, when they were the best fighters in syria, that be careful what you wish for. Now they have become the cancer president obama was describing today. Let me go back to Howard Fineman and the president here. The president has been the dove. Now you good to the case where
they declare war on us. Behead them. Not just a public insult but a desecration. And the president of the United States knows they did it to him because they went after him. How do you stop what is a mano a mano struggle between this president and an obama war against isil. I dont see it stopping. I think the president doesnt think in mano a mano terms. He likes to think of himself. I know he thinks of himself, as a broadgauged deep guy who plays a long term game. Has allies, has a plan. Doesnt take it personally. This is the first time ive ever seen him sort of take something personally. It is aimed at him. Chris, there is a school of thought. And some of our people are looking into this. There is a school of thought that says this is exactly what isil want. They want us to engage them. They want us to attack. Their theory is to push our buttons. Well, we can help them out. Thats the concern and conundrum what ive been saying to andrea for a long time now. No american president can survive the Nuclear Weapons and no american president can survive letting americans be headed on International Television with impunity. He has to strike back. As an american. Its in our soul. Your thoughts. Thats exactly what he was saying today. He proved in the past we do go after terrorists. Bin laden of course, case in point. There have been other big successes. So the failed rescue mission is not the last. We had assumed and correctly they wouldnt go into syria. Wouldnt go on to syrian territory and that was incorrect. They were under Operational Security doing exactly that and they didnt know where these guys were. They thought they knew because they had been debriefing the french hostages who were released in rape ril. And they, by the way, released by being ransomed. Their government denied it. But they are intermediaries. Everyone but the brits and americans were released starting in april. The trickle of others, the danes, spanish, they all got out. Except for our people. And thats because we dont pay ransom. May god take the soul of james foley. And i mean it. This serious personal stuff. This is about killing good people. Thank you andrea. Thank you, Howard Fineman. Today, attorney general her eric holder came to ferguson. Can attorney general holder assure an Angry Community that browns death will be investigated fairly and justly . That the name of the game here. Plus, how do you break the cycle of vicious hopelessness, crime and fear. Here is one solution, jobs. Good jobs. And dignity and respect that comes with a job. Isnt it time president obama insistinsist the government of United States put people to work in this country . And one of the most mellow dramatic stories in the country in a virginia courtroom. Bob mcculloch has taken the stand in his corruption trial. His strategy, make his wife the culprit. A reminder of what the gol needs to be in ferguson. True justice. This is hardball, the place for politics. True justice. This is hardball, the place for politics. Needs to be in fer. True justice. This is hardball, the place for politics. Protests have begun again on the streets of ferguson, missouri. So far, there have been small and peaceful. But authorities are bracing for another tense night. The beefed up security in the main thoroughfare through the town. Attorney general eric holder just finished a meeting with the family of Michael Brown at the courthouse in st. Louis. Holder is also taking part with a meeting with elected officials including senators, governor of missouri and congressional
delegation. Hardball continues with much more from ferguson right after this. A price tag danger price tag alert oh. Hey, guys. Price tag alert is this normal . Well, progressive is a price tag free zone. We let you tell us what you want to pay, and we help you find options to fit your budget. Where are they taking him . I dont know. This seems excessive decontamination in progress. I dont want to tell you guys your job, but. Policies without the price tags. Now, thats progressive. Could help your business didavoid hours of delaynd test caused by slow internet from the phone company . Thats enough time to record a memo. Idea for sales giveaway. Return a call. Sign a contract. Pick a tie. Take a break with mr. Duck. Practice up for the business trip. Fly to florida. Win an award. Close a deal. Hire an intern. And still have time to spare. Go to comcastbusiness. Com checkyourspeed if we cant offer faster speeds or save you money well give you 150. Comcast business. Built for business. Welcome back to hardball. Attorney general eric holder arrived if ferguson missouri today meeting with Community Leaders and family of Michael Brown. He got an update on the case from fbi agents and federal prosecutors. According to the associated press, while meeting with student at a Community College in the area, the attorney general told the group change is coming. He was talking about general relations between the community and local police. Attorney general holder spoke broefly with capital ron johnson. Who is in charge of security in ferguson. He told him quote, you are the man. Attorney general said holders visit is important for the community. I think it will show the people of ferguson, people of st. Louis, people of our nation that their voices are heard. Mean while a grand jury began hearing evidence in the case. Prosecutors caution it could be
months before theres any decision on whether to indict the officer darren wilson. Some good news tonight. Last night saw relative calm on the streets of ferguson. No tear gas used. No molotov cocktails thrown. No shootings. 51 arrests, however mostly for file youre to disperse. People were told to keep moving and didnt. Down from 78 people arrested the night before. Craig mel sin is there, as he has been so well for all these days. Craig, give us a sense of last night. The numbers are 778 down to 47. Sounds like things are improving, at least over the last 24 hours. Reporter chris, if this is any indication of tonight, i think we will have relative calm. We with have another vantage point. I can show you the scene of this main drag of ferguson. There have been times over the past few days and youve seen that shot, where the streets have been pretty full already. This is the smallest crowd. This is the quietest crowd we have seen so far. In addition to that, the Police Presence also the smallest weve seen so far. Again, it is obviously early. Sun is still up and things can change. Based on what we saw last night, looks like we are in for another peaceful night. In fact, it has been eerily quiet over the past, i would say, hour or two. We will see whether that remeans the case. There has been talk that attorney general holder might head to this area after the meeting that you just mentioned with the congressional delegation and meeting with Michael Browns family. At this is point, no word on whether the attorney general will be here. There was great video shot by protesters. You can see a Police Officer pointing his semiautomatic at protesters. And he yells at one protester, i
will kill you. I will kill you, he said. The officer refused to give his name. Another officer came by and got him to put his gun down. Today the st. Louis Police Department said the officers involved with the semiautomatic weapon las been removed from duty and suspended indefinitely. Whats the impact of that story as it makes the round . Heres the thing. You just cleaned that up, too. There was an expletive or two used that we cant say on cable, that happened shortly before cable. Semiautomatic rifle. That officer we should note is from st. Anns, a neighboring jurisdiction. Weve been talking about the relative peace, relative calm, but if you get out in the crowd and talk to individual protesters, and some of them, they dont have stories that are that extreme but they will tell that you they have, folks who have been out here night after night, they will tell you they have been talked to by police, by Law Enforcement in ways that
arent nice. Especially when the sun goes down. What is shocking about that is that it was caught on camera. That is not the first time Something Like that has likely happened here in ferguson over the past few days. Thats the first time we have seen it. Thank you, very much, craig. We will be back with you regularly. Youre a great reporter to have out there. Joining us right now from san francisco, paul let me ask you about this role. It is hard to read everyones mind, coming out of their houses aft