shop was, quote, not the result of government. but it turned out that the owner was only able to build his business because of a bond issued by the local government. but here's hypocrisy defined. abc uncovered video of romney touting practical money he got for his crowning achievement. the 2002 olympics. >> we actually received over $10 million from the federal government for the olympic games. that's a huge increase over anything ever done before. we did that you about going after every agency in government. >> the truth is negotiable for governor romney. that's something we should all be concerned about. the american people deserve better than that. we deserve the truth. joining me now is joan walsh, editor-at-large with salon.com and an msnbc political analyst. and jonathan capeheart and opinion writer for "the washington post" and an msnbc contributor. joan, you were this last night when the president said romney is over the line with this. this seems different. what do you make of it? >> well, i think the crowd was so happy to hear, reverend al. you know the president came out and seemed a little bit tired. and that crowd was on fire and . they called him out by name and talked about him slicing and dicing. his words, assuring the audience, not in a we needed it, he values entrepreneurship, values people that build business. and then he really turned around and stuck it to mitt romney himself and said it is room any who doesn't understand what it takes to succeed. and it really is shaping up, i think, to be kind of the cordesition of the campaign, whether we have a view of america where, you know, success comes because we let rich people do whatever the heck they want and keep all their money and maybe trickle some stuff down on to the rest of us or whether we agree as the president does we don't grow from the top down. we grow from the middle class up. the government has played a role in all of our lives, whether it is educating us about -- housing loans, building homes, building roads, et cetera, and that we are all in this together. and i think the president has really found his voice in a way thanks to romney picking on him so unfairly with this little -- he keeps bearing down on the message on cnbc, here is governor romney yesterday on cnbc, doubling down on his claim the president is anti-free enterprise. >> this is an ideology that says, hey, we are all the same here. we take from all and give to one another. and the achievement individual initiative and risk taking and success are not to be rewarded as they have in the past. it is a very strange and in something respects foreign to the american experience type of philosophy. >> jonathan, does it matter romney is distorting things and taking things out of context? will this matter? >> well, it will matter in that it gets -- it gets the whole conversation back on mitt romney's turf. all last week, all the last couple of, we, we have been talking about mitt romney's tax returns and his experience at bain and in a negative light. all during that time, mitt romney was not able to go on the offensive and attack the president in the ways he wanted. by taking the president's comment out of context and, you know, in the way he's doing it, it is very easy for people to understand it and very easy to manipulate the message. mitt romney gets the conversation back on his terms. you know, we all should not be surprised that mitt romney is doing this. they -- his campaign signaled that this was going to be sort of standard operating procedure. earlier this year, when they took a quote from then candidate obama quoting senator mccain, his -- wait rival at -- excuse me at a campaign rally. remember, he was quoting senator mccain. but in this mitt romney ad, he -- romney put those mccain words into obama's mouth. >> yeah. in the ad, he did not say that this was -- president obama quoting mccain. as if this was president obama speaking for himself. >> right. a direct quote. that's -- there's -- a lot of pushback on that from obviously the obama campaign but also those of us in the media who instantly saw that this was patently unfair and patently untrue and yet, the -- romney campaign just sloughed it off saying we did tell you somewhere in the pauper work that, you know, this was edited thusly. >> jonathan, is the -- political strategy here, is that once the -- throw it out in in the public it is out there and if they take it back most people don't know they took it back it is already out there in the public mind? >> exactly. that's why you have president obama from the campaign trail out there on the stump pushing back on this. one, because it is a message to easily manipulate. but also, because the president has a good -- has a good argument to push back against that distortion. >> joan, there's also the latest distortion. there is another one. from romney, according to mitt romney, australia's foreign minister, bob carr, told him foreign leaders are saying america is seen as a failing nation. quote, america is just one budget deal away from ending all talk of america being in decline. subpoena it turns out for mr. carr was expressing his confidence in the u.s. economy. a spokesman for carr told the national times of australia, quote, that interpretation is not correct. now, how can we expect him to be straight in any of his dealings, joan? >> well, i think that's just such a shocking example, refer rend al. and one of the worst examples really of how low he will go in this campaign because, really, to use a foreign leader's comments against our president, i mean, that would be the definition of just a terrible treasonous thinging and democrat ever did it, if a democrat said the french don't like president bush that would be badge of honor on the republican side. but they think that they can get away with using any kind of ammunition they can against the president. one, this is false. but two, why would it seem like a good idea to say some other leader doesn't like our leader? i mean, aren't we proud of our country? aren't we proud of our leaders? it is just anything goes. and this larger narrative about, you know, not getting help and -- i -- it is hilarious and campaign malpractice. but they keep coming up with these guys, i think they are all guys, who have gotten government help. that's because so many people have. they may not know it. they may not admit it but this is the roy our government helps businesses. so this can't even stay on message within their own campaign. >> no doubt about it. joan walsh, jonathan capehart, thank you for your time. >> thank you. >> thanks. ahead -- a brand-new nbc poll reveals about the president's campaign message and mitt romney's trouble with taxes. plus, a stunning admission from republicans promoting a voter i.d. law in pennsylvania. reminding us the real reason they are pushing it. >> voter i.d., which will allow governor romney to win the state of pennsylvania, done. >> jackson family turmoil. how are michael's kids? where is katherine jackson? we will talk exclusively with randy and janet jackson. 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[ normal voice ] so i can trust 'em. unke randy. are you in good hands? republicans just say the darnedest things. i mean, just listen. >> we have a president who talks incessantly about the middle class. maybe you noticed that. each day the president is out on the campaign trail championing himself as the great protector of what he calls the middle class. and pitting these americans against their fellow citizens you about by arguing the wealthiest class is victimizing them through the tax code. gist think the whole discussion of class is wrong. it is not what we do here in america. >> that's not what we do in america? was that intended to be a factual statement, senator? the truth of the matter is that t gop should be talking about the middle class and ways to help it. but they are not. not in the least. not seriously. for months republicans have proudly carried around their note cards that show all their jobs plans for the work class. yet a new report says those bills won't actually create jobs. that's right. one economist even says, quote, a lot of these proposals are laughable. funny. i'm not laughing. well, at least they won't let taxes increase on the middle class. right? >> we are not going to let anybody's taxes go up at the end of the year. >> more taxes don't create more jobs. >> we are going to be focusing on making sure the taxes don't go up on anybody. >> you heard them. they are not going to raise taxes except -- well, maybe it looks like they might. right now republicans are refusing to pass a tax plan that would help 98% of americans. why? well, because they don't want the top 2% to pay a penny more. no wonder senator kyle wants us to stop talking about the middle class. his party dropped them from the conversation already. joining me now is senator bernie sanders, independent from vermont. senator sanders, thanks for your time this evening. let me get this straight. a party that hates tax increases is willing to raise taxes on 98% of americans. can you explain that to me, senator? >> sure. these guys see that their function in life is to protect the wealthiest people in america. in america today, as you well know, we have the most unequal distribution of income and wealth of any major country on earth. it is worse today in america than any time since 1928. last study i saw between 2010 and 2009, 93% of all new partly cloudy went to the top 1%. middle class is shrinking. poverty sin creasing. what's the republican solution? oh, let's give more tax brauks to the very wealthiest people of this country, millionaires and the billionaires, and then lets cut programs that the middle class desperately needs, social security, medicare, medicaid. that's the republican proposal. >> senator, it turns out that the gop tax plan would actually raise taxes on the working class in this country. "new york times" points out the republicans' plan would extend tax cuts for 2.7 million after louent families while allowing tax breaks to expire for 13 million on the bottom of the income spectrum. this is outrageous. >> we don't use the word outrageous here in the senate anymore. because every dawe there is one thing after another that has literally -- beyond the moral compass or beyond even good economics. look, there is a war that is going on right now. that's what citizens united is about. billionaires, we identified today. 25 separate billionaires who are spending at least a quarter of a million dollars. at least on campaigns right now. the billionaires are not satisfied with the fact that the top 1% owns 40% of the wealth in america. they want more and more and more. if they can crush working families and lower income people by cutting back on pell grants and cutback on food stamps, cutting back on social security, it doesn't matter. that's not what their interest is. they want it all. that's the situation here in washington. >> all right. if you don't use the term outrageous in the senate anymore, maybe repugnant. >> yes. >> maybe -- >> use the word -- use the word morality. when you give tax breaks to billionaires and punish old people and sick people and children, that's a moral issue. >> well, let me show you something that i would call interesting. senator jon kyl compared the richest in this country to michael jordan yesterday. watch this. >> michael jordan came after he established how great he would be, he was given an enormous, almost unheard of, salary. did the other players say that's not fair? no, actually all the other players got big salary increases, too. the whole franchise did well. the people selling popcorn in the stands. people parking the cars. and certainly event are you one of the members of the team made much more money than they ever would have had michael jordan not come to the team. >> so maybe i'm not understanding this since i don't sit in the senate and get senate logic. but is he saying the rich have been like michael jordan for the rest of the country? and in terms of bringing us all as team players to championships? i mean, what's he saying? >> i think -- well, i think what he's trying to do, al, is too defend the trickle-down economic theory. that is when we have a growth in billionaires and in millionaires which we have seen in recent years, theoretically, everybody is supposed to be doing better. but you know and the american people know that is not true. yes, the wealthiest people are becoming much wealthier. but median family income for middle class people has gone down, poverty has increased. i don't know about michael jordan. but i do know that the people that are selling popcorn at the chicago bulls basketball game are not doing particularly well. nor are the people parking the cars. what we are seeing now is a huge and growing gap between the people on top and everybody else. that's the reality of america and if we don't change that, you are going to say good-bye to the middle class and the future of our country. >> senator bernie sanders, thanks for your time this evening. >> my pleasure. still ahead -- what the results about brand-new nbc poll reveal about the president's message and mitt romney's record at bain capital. stay with us. 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see, the only thing i can think of is that you can't get any... bars. ah, that's better. it's a beautiful view. i wonder if i can see mt. rushmore from here. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. we are back with big developments in the 2012 campaign. new poll numbers and new ad from president obama. in which he's defining the choice in this election. and articulating his vision for the middle class. >> governor romney's plan would cut taxes for the folks at the very top. roll back regulations on big banks and he says if we do our economy will grow and everyone will benefit. you know what? we tried that top-down approach. it is what caused the mess in the first place. i believe the only way to create an economy built to last is to strengthen the middle class. asking the wealthy to pay a little more so we can pay down our debt in a balanced way. sometimes politics can seem very small. but the choice you face, it couldn't be bigger. >> how do voters feel about this choice? the president has a six-point leafed over mitt romney nationwide. 49%-43%. and as advantage grows on the all-important question of who is looking out for the middle class. 49% of voters say the president does a better job on that compared to just 33% for romney. the new poll also suggests that romney has been hurt by all of the questions about his taxes and his time at bain capital. questions that he's repeatedly failed to address. >> single meeting or single participation an investment decision by bain or personnel decision. you know understand the opposition research people at the obama campaign want more information if they can try to dig through it. i put out as much as we are going to put out. once i added this year. that's the information. >> 32% of americans now have a more negative view of romney after hearing the reports about his tax returns. just 4% have a more positive opinion. and 23% now have a negative view of bain capital. just 12% have a positive view. from the beginning, romney has tried to make this election simply a referendum on the president. but the polling shows voters are viewing it as a choice between two candidates and two very different ways of seeing the world. joining me now is democratic strategist bob shrum w. thank you for being here. >> thank you. >> bob, are you surprised to see the attacks on bain and romney's tax returns, having an effect? >> no, i always thought they would. they had a huge effect in 1994. i thought the beltway dismissal of them at the beginning was entirely wrong. look, there are a lot -- lot of polling noise out there. but what this poll, which i think is the gold standard, incomes/"wall street journal" poll, romney had a bad month. the problem he is not the dog on the roof of his car. it is bain on the roof of his campaign. it is not just bain. it is a combination of bain, offshore tax haven, swiss bank accounts, refusal to release the tax returns. now, those are all going to be around as issues through the rest of the campaign but they are part after larger narrative which as you pointed out a minute ago is a basic question. who stands up for the middle class and who stands for the few? so you are going to on medicare, the president is going to go after romney and say supports a plan that would privatize and it voucherize it and medicare as we know it and cost the average senior $6400 more a year. owe -- i think that the president's campaign against the economic head winds and against a lot of the beltway advice has done a very good job to this point of setting the definition of this campaign as a choice. who is for the middle class? who will stand up for the few? >> dana, when you hear the choice bob is talking about, let me play the clips from the president and from governor romney. one promoting economic fairness and the other economic freedom. >> i think we grow the economy by making sure everybody has a fair shot. everybody is -- doing their fair share. and everybody is playing by the same set of rules. >> we have to restore economic freedom in this country. let me -- you see, america's economy runs on freedom. it is not driven by government. >> now, when you go and play both sides, this is their message, when you test the message, are you more likely to vote for a candidate who fights for fairness, strengthen the middle class? 80%. restore economic freedom and small government, 68%. that's what this poll reveals, dana. >> yes. that's right. i think when you -- listening to what the tea party has been doing for the last couple of years, you would think that america and our founding principles and culture is only about sxrepeople and liberty. it is about community and cooperation and that sense of fairness. it is not at all surprising that that sort of -- number would be coming out now. and i agree with bob that it is not at all surprising that these kind of attacks would be working because it is not just about some abstract company called bain. it is not just abstract notion of where your tax havens are. it fits very closely with the -- vulnerability of romney and that he's perceived as being a rich guy and he was out of touch with ordinary americans with the middle class. if it is strictly referendum on the economy, obama loses the election. the fact that he's doing so well at this point despite the economy being so weak shows that this line of attack works quite well. >> now, when the -- question was raised, bob, about who was better on dealing with the economy, president obama, 37%. mitt romney, 43%. how does the president deal with this mber? >> he is going to have to keep working on the economy. he's going to have to hope it gets better. he is not relying on hope. that's why there is an alternative definition to this race. mitt romney wanted this race to be simply the following. if you kind of feel bad about the economy, if you are kind of dissatisfied, you might as well try me. i couldn't do worse. but the problem he has is as this shifts, at least to being in part the question of who fights for the middle class, romney has no narrative. he hasn't created any kind of story about himself that would tell people he cares about them or identifies with them. dana is absolutely right. he's not only of the rich, he seems to be by the rich, for the rich, and doesn't understand ordinary people in the middle class. you know, you can be rich. jack kennedy was rich, franklin roosevelt was rich. but people thought they understood what was happening in the lives of people. that's not true with mitt romney. he has a real problem, i think, going forward here. >> i was surprised because a lot of people give the president good marks on foreign policy after bin laden and other things. but today, mitt romney spoke to the veterans for foreign wars and came on very tough, came really after the president on foreign policy. watch this. >> the president has diminished american leadership. we are reaping the consequences. president obama is fond of lecturing israel's leaders. he was even caught by a microphone deriding them. this is very simple. if you don't know america to be the strongest nation on earth, i'm not your president. >> yet, when you look at this new poll, brand-new poll, who is better at handling foreign policy? 47% to 32%. now, is that the reason governor romney is trying to come on so strong against him on foreign policy? or -- i mean, what are we looking at here? it would seem to me that would be a weak area for romney. >> you would think so but he needs to do the speech because he is heading off on this foreign trip and needs to draw? distinctions that aren't necessarily there. i think the thing that struck me about the speech that's breathtaking level and suggesting it is obama that wants to go and devastate defense spend when that's been brought about by the refusal on governor romney's own side to increase taxes. i think it is important for romney to draw distinctions on foreign poll is because he's not known for having any sort of a foreign policy record. he needs to build up his credentials in that area. hard to see that this is going to be a defining history when the election and to the extent it is that -- the guy who finally got bin laden is going to be at a disadvantage with voters in november. >> bob shrum, dana millbank, thank you for your time tonight. >> thank you. >> thanks, reverend. >> ahead, the day before a major hearing rallies against pennsylvania voter i.d. laws today. now we are learning pennsylvania made a big revelation in court documents. big story. plus, how one tough 80-year-old and some fruit saved the day. we are back with a pause from the political battles of the day. time to rest and relax and recharge. that's right. it is time for the "politics nation" summer break. we start tonight in the southwest of china. and mitt romney's employees enjoying on a lunch break. joking, joking. the bridge parachuting challenge. base jumpers freefell off the world's highest suspension bridge. 27 men and three women from 15 countries took on the challenge. up from china to pittsburgh, where 200-pound bear is looking for some bargains at the mall. the bear came in through an open door making his way over to sears and browse for about ten minutes. when asked why he was in sears, the bear respond ed, newt is ovr at tiffany's. an 80-year-old granny saw two men stealing at the grocery store and took action with mangoes. look at her pelting away with produce. she chased the robbers right out the door where the cops caught them. chalk up another win for medicare. that's today's "summer break." 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[ dennis' voice ] poodles are one of the world's smartest breeds. are you in good hands? to a "politics nation" exclusive. a dispute among members of michael jackson's family has turned into public drama with reports in the media raising questions about what's happening with his mother and his three children. >> nobody knows what's going on. the kids are saying we haven't been in touch with our grandmother. have you another side say nothing, grandma is totally fine. >> paris tweeted eight days and counting. i want to talk directly to my grandmother. why the grandkids still can't talk to her? unclear. jermaine says the whole grandma missing saga is conspiracy to deflect attention to a letter we wrote writing for the resignation of executor. >> allegedly randy, jermaine and janet, three of the children, came to the house with a camera crew and tried to remove the children from the home. >> joining me now on the phone is michael jackson's brother, randy. randy, thank you for coming on tonight. >> thank you for having me. thank you. >> now, are there are many questions about your mother. let me start there. since the first report over the weekend, how is your mother, where is she and how is she doing now? >> my mom -- she's doing great. she's relaxing. she's with my sister and her great grandchild. she is having a good time. her health was ailing. and her doctors ordered her she get immediate rest, isolate herself from the outside world and rest. she wasn't doing too well. as her children, that's what we did. >> now, the law lay sheriff's department has now closed the missing person's case after your mother confirming she is safe with your sister and in arizona. michael's 14-year-old daughter, paris, has continued to tweet about her grandmother last night and she wrote, quote, days and counting something is really off. this isn't like her. all i-want to do is talk directly to my grandmother. and then quoting this morning, days are counting and help me god, i will make whoever did this pay. i talked with you and janet this morning and you are saying it is your wishes that everybody have access to the grandmother, is that right? >> we are a family first. and i want everyone to know that. yesterday we did go to the home to will he pair its and prince know that they can visit with or talk to their grandma at any time because we felt that someone was trying to twist the story and make it feel as though we were the problem, denying them access to their grandma. when we got to the home, we were kind of denied access to the home by security and that never happened. this is all an effort to deflect attention away from a letter that was written asking for the resignation of john mclean. >> you asked a letter for them to resign for what reason? >> because we feel that there's crumb natural misconduct on their part and that our brother, michael, was not what they said he was when it was signed and he did not sign that will. >> now, just for complete disclosure, i want to show people the date that is in question, that weekend that michael jackson was to have signed that will in los angeles, he was, in fact in harlem with me that weekend. i am showing the video now. this is the date that weekend michael jackson was with me and others at the house of justice in new york. that's the video. the very weekend that -- saturday he was there, that sunday we were out together and that monday, he was with johnnie cochran and i. that's the weekend you are referring to the date on the will, is that right, randy? >> absolutely. absolutely. we know that. had know that. >> does that prove anything to you, randy? >> one more time? >> does that prove anything to you, the fact that there is this video that michael was with me at the time they say -- they had this statement notarized he was in los angeles signing his will? >> what it proves is that the will is faulk and he cannot in two places at one time. >> so this is what the whole dispute is about. what's all of this about? the children of michael and you and janet and jermaine and all. if this was about the dispute about the will, why are we -- why all this drama we are hearing in the media? >> because -- executives of the estate are doing, they are using the children to try and putt pressure on my mom to try to come out and get her to say things in their favor, to clean up their image. they know that they have been caught and they know that they falsified the document. and they know there are questions we want answered. this family is united to right a wrong. the question that we want answered, what they are trying to do, is put the attention on something else when the attention is on this letter for us. we want answers and our questions have not been answered. >> they released a statement today, executors of michael's estate. they say we are concerned we do we can to protect them from undue influences, bully and greed and other unfortunate circumstances. while we do not have standing to directly intervene, we have monitored the situation and we will continue to do so. so they are -- they are saying there is greed here. i mean, what is the motive of you and your sisters and brothers in this matter. >> well -- let me just say this. this -- this is not about money for us. this is not about being left out of a will. or a fight over the children. this is about a family that has questions that's lost a family member and we feel that the evidence is right there and knew brother was not in los angeles from the day they swore on that will that he was. he was in new york. therefore, the will is fake. and they cannot answer that question. they have done whatever they can to try to turn family members against family members. they got my cousin dass -- this is what they do and how they operate. they are very vicious and this is -- an ugly situation. i'm sad about it. due process will take place. we are going to deal with this situation. this is not going to go away. >> now, janet, i understand is going back to your mother. she is going to do the show with you tonight. is mrs. jackson fine? is she all right? >> my mom is doing a lot better. she is having fun. she is the one who -- janet is with nephews and nieces, prince and paris we thought would go as well. but we were denied that by the security. >> so you really went to get prince and paris to take them to see their grandmother? >> we went to ask them. we went to ask and let them know they can see and talk to their grandmother. we were denied access. >> so -- but -- mrs. jackson is all right and you have -- and prince and paris can go see their grandmother and this is all about whether or not the letter you sent around, this will, is going to be cleared up and dealt with in -- with due process, as you say? we are going to be following this, believe me. mi michael jackson meant a lot to us. we hope to have the executor of the jackson estate on the show soon. we extended that invitation. we will be right back. 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[ applause ] >> joining me now is state senator leach, democrat from pennsylvania. he has been a leader in the voter i.d. law and plans to introduce a law to repeal it. thanks for being here. >> thanks for having me tonight, reverend. >> state officials admitting there's no evidence of in-person voter fraud in the state. how do you respond to that? >> well, this is really stunning. i mean, first of all, there is a court hearing tomorrow where the state has to defend the constitutionality of the law. one of the things they have to prove is the state has a compelling interest because it is a fundamental right to vote and they have a compelling interest in this law. how do you have a compelling interest in solving a problem that never happens? as you pointed out, this have been saying for months we have to pass this law because it -- always undefined, a lot of voter fraud. many, many cases. we don't know how many. zero. nothing at all. >> they are admitting zero. admitting there is nothing there. >> that's correct. that has been our position for months. now they have finally admitted it. they are left with extremely weak case in court. they have to go in and convince a judge this law is needed to stop a problem in the future that's never in 180 years since photography was invented happened in the past. >> it is quite an admission and -- particularly when we -- what they said this about fraud, where they said that we have got to deal with the problem, when there is no problem. this is a solution looking for a problem. >> you are absolutely right. it is not their only admission since the -- since we passed this bill when they passed the bill they said over 99% of people already had the i.d. they needed to vote. now they admitted 9.2%. 758,000 pennsylvanians will be disenfranchised. that's also their admission. we think it is more than that. but even that number, disenfranchising 758,000 americans to stop a problem that never happens. this is about one thing. it is about what the leader said i electing republicans in the fall. >> state senator leach, thank you for your time tonight. thanks for all of you watching. let me say republicans have been screaming fraud, protecting their dignity to vote. nen when it comesut to it, nothing there. i keep telling you, fish wouldn't get caught if they kept their mouths shut. thanks for watching. i'm al sharpton. "hardball" starts right now. bugle boy. let's play "hardball." good evening, i'm chris matthews in washington. let me start with general mitt romney. i use that term sarcastically because general in this case is an armchair general. the man that spoke today to the affairs of war could not be more foreign to foreign wars. even venezuela had no match in his resume. only in his plans. how many countries does he want to fight in the next four years? does he want to outdo bush i with one war or bush ii with two more? there he was reading a speech by the same neo-kinds that took us into iraq and always seem to have the next war on his agenda. does this guy have any idea the words of war have meaning and dead and wounded, no meaning in the stupidity and deceit we went through under bush and cheney? backed up by cheney in this election speak of leaks? national security leaks as we f we never heard what the w. crowd led by chainy and his fall guy libby did when they had their hands in there. michael steele, chairman of the republican national committee and msnbc political analyst. joe, editor-in-chief of the nationalmemo.com. let's take a look at romney's speech before the vfw members today. let's listen. >> i am an unapologetic believer in the greatness of america. i am not ashamed of american power. i'm guided by one overwhelming conviction and passion. this century must be an american