suffrage to civil rights to equality. let s take don t ask, don t tell. but there s a way, i think to effect it. it means bitter debate. don t bend your principles. but i think like ed kennedy did on education with george bush, you can get prin peld cipled compromise. thank you for being here tonight. we not moving forward. no we are not. congressman, great to have you on. thank you so much. i appreciate your time tom tonight. always a pleasure. coming up, mississippi governor haley barbour is trying to walk back his shocking racist comments. are reverend al sharp tonight won t let him get away with it. heartless republican senators are blocking health care for 9/11 heroes. when it comes to tax cuts that cost doesn t seem to bother them but helping here voce another story. republicans at their worst, coming up. plus, senator arlen specter goes without a bang today. he joins me live in the playbook. you are watching the ed show on msnbc. stay with us.