The message affairness. Our job, as americans, is to restore that basic bargain that says if you work hard, if youre willing to meet your responsibleties, you can get ahead. It doesnt matter what you look like, it doesnt matter where you come from. Fairness, justice, e quality. That was the president s focus last night on every single nation. Creating a plan for the country that would create a more perfect union. Make highquality preschool available to every single child in america. Pursue a bipartisan market base to climate change. A Bipartisan Commission voting to improve the speens of america. Equal benefits for their families, gay and straight. Send me a comprehensive reform bill in the yies and i will sign it and america will be better for it. Thats the promise from this president. And he wont let anyone stand in the way. Hell fight for whats right. Just like he did on gun control. Last night, he brought us to tears and he brought us to our feet. When he began to talk about hadiya pendleton, the teenager shot and killed just weeks after attending the inauguration. Hadiyas parents, nate and cleo, are in this Chamber Tonight along with the two dozen americans whose lives have been torn apart by gun violence. They deserve a vote. Gabby giffords deserve a vote. The families of aurora deserve a vote. And the families of oak creek and tucson and blacksburg and the countless other communities with gun violence, they deserve a simple vote. They deserve a vote. We never seen a moment like that in the state of the union. Never. Today, republicans are talking like nothings changed. Its just the same old, same old in washington. But theyre wrong. This president is different i. And so is this country. Joining me now is bob schrum and michelle cottle. Bob, this was a grand vision for the country, but how does he turn it now into reality. Well, it is the most progressive vision that weve had in 40 or 50 years. Its going to be tough on some of this to get this done in this congress. I mean, i think he may get Immigration Reform. But when you get to things like assault weapons, you may have to take this into a 2014 election. This president has a way of defining history. Hes done it before. Hes going to use that Popular Support to try to prod the congress. And i believe if he doesnt, hes going to run all out next year. I think theyll have a super pac. I think that super pac will be making every bit as an effort as he did in 2012. Thats what he has to do if hes going to get realized. You know, michelle, lindsey gram was out today slamming the president for cheer leading, his word, not mine, on gun safety. Let me show you senator gram. Last night, the president made a very emotional plea for us to vote on, what i think, quite frankly, is some of it will have a marvelous effect. Some of it a dubious effect. We dont need a cheer leader. We need somebody to enforce the laws we have. Now, the question i want to pose you, michelle is will public pressure put enough pressure on the house and the senate to vote on the gun bills proposal . To make them vote on it . I think theyre going to be voting on them. I think you have a really good shot at background checks. I do think that most people think the assault weapons band is just out of reach. And with this congress at this point in time, even a lot of democrats get very, very touchy about this issue. I think the assault weapons ban just isnt going to be an issue. If you have public pressure, if you have public groups organiziing and you have people like mayor bloomberg that are putting money up, weve never seen this kind of effort before on the other side in terms of gun legislation. So are we really gauging what were used to . And the results, rather than an effort that may be something were not used to . Oh, sure. You can never predict this sort of thing. But, you know, you still have to target even democrats for whom, you know, gun culture is a big part of their state. So theyre going to have to do a lot of focused effort. Youre still looking at a house determined to dig its heels in. Now, bob, lets look at key points of the whole agenda that the president has been raising in his fight for fairness. Hes talking about raising minimum wage, universal preschool, a commission on voting, gun safety and Immigration Reform. Now, will the president s outside gain help him force the republicans to budge at least on some of these issues . Well, i think Immigration Reform has a real chance because of what republicans believe in. Theyll still be hurt during that debate. Some of their folks who oppose this are engaged in the kind of relate rik that was alienating folks earlier. It had a lot in it like states of the Union Messages do. Now, the minimum wage, i think the senate is going to vote on it. And i think the house can be blamed if they wont move. I can tell you from all of the polling that ive seen over very many years, support for increasing the minimum wage is massive. All you have to do is look at that clip from lindsey gram. Hes so afraid of a tea Party Challenge in south carolina, that this guy is willing to say something, like, the president s cheer leading for gun control. You know what i think the president was doing . He was channelling and speaking for the people who have lost loved ones all over this country because this country is becoming a free fire zone. And many of them sitting in that chamber last night. Michelle, let he go back to bobs point on the minimum wage. One of the things that is stunning, absolutely stunning, working full time at minimum wage, they only earn 14,500. The poverty line is 15,130. How do you deal with the fact that a minimum wage is below the poverty line . Do republicans really want america to be a country where you can work 40 hours a week and still live under the poverty line with a child . I think the problem that republicans theyve painted themselves into a corner on the issue offing with deficit hogs. They have to worry about their right on all of these issues. You still have the on going civil war in the party. And a lot of it is over, you know, what the tea party has with this fiscal irresponsibility. So any time youre talking with something with bigger government or government paying out more money, the republicans have pretty much got themselves into a bind on that, no matter how rational it seems. Its also striking to me, bob, when the president really called the gop out for their obsession with spending and cuts and budget showdowns. The greatest country cannot keep drifting by one manufacturing to the next. Pay our bills on time. And always uphold the full faith and credit of the United States of america. Deficit reduction alone is not an economic plan. Bob, how does he keep the momentum from that speech last night and turn it into action . Hes got to go out there and speak over and over and over again. Hes got to explain the chief to the American People. He knows that the austerity that the republicans want to adop here would send this into another session. He also knows that the republicans are going to oppose him every step of the way on things like minimum wage. Hes got to go out there. This is not just about prodding the congress and trying to move stuff now. This is about changing the Political Landscape of america. Permanently. And i think he can do that. I think it can be a transformational president as Ronald Reagan was. Thanks for your time this evening. Ahead, 41 Standing Ovations for president obama. But the gop refused to get up. Senator Barbara Boxer joins me on the fights brewing in congress. They talk about change. They talk about rebranding. Why does the gop savior sound gist like that other guy. Ampbt r and the great music and media mo gull activist Russel Simmons is here live to talk about Voting Rights, fair vns and more. Its a big show coming tonight. Stay with us. My insurance rates are probably gonna double. But, dad, youve got. [ voice of dennis ] allstate. With accident forgiveness, they guarantee your rates wont go up just because of an accident. Smart kid. [ voice of dennis ] indeed. Are you in good hands . Hi victor mom . I know you got to go in a minute but this is a real quick meal, thats perfect for two campbells chunky beef with country vegetables, poured over rice [ male announcer ] campbells chunky soup. It fills you up right. Have you joined the politics nation conversation on facebook yet . We hope you will. Today, everyone was talking about desaline victor, the 102yearold florida resident that president obama highlighted during last nights speech. She made two trips and waited for hours to cast her vote. Jason says such tenacity, honor and courage. We should all aspire to be like her. I agree, jason. Bev says this part of the speech made me cry. Obama stressing the importance of each vote. And maya says she was an inspiration. But we have to fix it. Yes, we do, maya. And well be talking about the president s plan to fix it coming up. But, first, we want you to share your thoughts. Please head over to facebook and search politics nation and like us to join the conversation that goes long after this show ends. We all work remotely so this is a big deal, our first full Team Gathering i wanted to call on a few people. Ashley, ashley marshall. Here. Since were often all on the move, ashley suggested we use fedex office to hold packages for us. Great job. [ applause ] thank you. And on a protocol note, id like to talk to tim hill about his tendency to use all caps in emails. [ shouting ] oh im sorry guys. Ah sometimes the caps lock gets stuck on my keyboard. Hey do you wanna get a drink later . [ male announcer ] hold packages at any fedex office location. [ male announcer ] pain not sitting too well . Burning to feel better . Itching for relief . Preparation h offers the most maximum Strength Solutions for all hemorrhoid symptoms. From the brand doctors recommend most. Preparation h. Dont stand for hemorrhoids. We know our economy is stronger when our wives, our mothers, our daughters can live their lives free from discrimination in the workplace and free from the fear of domestic violence. I asked this congress to declare that women should earn a living equal to their efforts and finally pass the paycheck act this year. Fairness, equality. It was the key theme of last nights state of the union. A popular message that the president will sell all across the country. Last night, the president got applause 101 times and 41 of those were Standing Ovations. 41. But what struck me more than who was standing is who stayed seated. Take a look at how some republicans responded to some key moments. Thats the Republican Party. They wont stand up for women. They wont stand up for the poor. They wont even stand up for preschoolers. They wont even stand up for Voting Rights of 102yearold woman. Americans know who will standby their side and who wont. Joining me now senator Barbara Boxer from california. Its pleasure to be here. Let me ask you, senator. Were you surprised to see so many republicans not standing up for what should be bipartisan ideas . Well, reverend al, to be honest, im not surprised at anything. And i think that they just cant get over that this president was elected. Theyre still in their Campaign Mode, even though they should be in their governing mode. If you listen to marco rubio, honestly, it was a flash back to the 80s. Government cant help you and the rest. We had heard that song before. The people have rejected it. They wanted a government that works for them. I have been so honored to be here for a while and ive served with five president s and i know when theyre in touch with the people and when theyre not. This president is in touch with the people. Hes in sync with the people. Whether its the women, the middle class, grandmas and grandpas, fighting for oir children to protect them from gun violence, fighting for their jobs, you go through it. He reflects the American People and the republicans are still in that Campaign Mode and they cant get over it. And its sad. Its sad for the country. Let me hold you right to that point. Weve seen president s and we know the partisan differences. But when you have boehner not standing up for the military, some couldnt stand up when the president praised our diplomats, Intelligence Officers and the men and women of the military who are serving in harms way. Watch this. As long as im commander in chief, we will do whatever we must to those who serve their country abroad and we will maintain the best military the world has ever known. I mean, not standing up for our men and women who are serving overseas. Ive got to go back to your point. How much of this is about policy . And how much is this about the president personally . Well, i have to believe, again, that they just cannot get over the fact that they lost this election. We picked up seats in the senate. They lost seats in the house. The president won in a fantastic race. Hes got the support of the people. Hes got the ear of the people. And they cant get over it. And its to their detriment. I mean, you point this out. Majs not standing up for men and women in uniform who have their lives on the line for us every single minute of every single day. Theyre still in afghanistan coming home, not quick enough for this senator, but coming home. And its shocking. They have made politics personal and its hurting the American People. This sequestering thats coming up, this is dangerous. This is a million jobs over a tenyear period. Theyre hurting the American People. And my message to them is my colleagues, youre hurting yourselves. People dont vote for people who are not fighting for this country. Theyre just not doing it. We heard the president ss address last night. The Senate Passed it. But 22 republicans, 22 republican senators, all men, voted against it including gop leaders, mitch mek connell and the gop savior marco rubio. This is ridiculous. This is a kbil that was crafted by joe biden many, many years ago. What was the terrible thing that we democrated did with republican support . Some. We protected people that have never been protected before. The Gay Community is protected. We protected the immigrant women and men. We protected native americans and now their excuse is before it was the immigrant piece. And they said there was a technical problem, reverend, we fixed it. Now they say oh u its not fair. On indian land, what we said is right now, theyll get away with it. The tribal court has no jurisdiction. We fixed the problem. And let me tell you, the rate of violence against women are tribal lands that would just shock you. They have a threetimes more chance of being beaten up. Its a nightmare. And the perpetrator goes unpunished. And that is the big sin. We took care of these powerless women and they have walked away from it. Now, we can only hope to come back. Eric cantor gave a big speech. I dont know if you heard it. He said i care about women. I care about children. I care and i care and i care. Well, you know, its easy to say. Now do. And what you have to do is take up this bill and pass it. Well, i also want to congratulate you. You your live bill act. Senator bill nelson from florida announced that he will sign as a cosponsor. The first lady had a victor, 102yearold woman who was a voter in florida. She sat in the box last night at the state of the union. She had to wait two trips to wait several hours to vote for the president. And your work in this voting reform is very important. February 27th, the Supreme Court will be hearing the Voting Rights act, section five. And many of us in the Civil Rights Community will be there. If section 5 is ruled out as unconstitutional about the Supreme Court, this could really open the door to a lot of states bringing about some acts that a voter rights measure would not protect. We are about to undo what dr. King and others put on the books for us. And thats frightening, senator. Reverend al, this is america. Where we say everybody has a right to vote whos a citizen. Where we say we are all created equal. Where we have struggled and fought and fought and struggled. You know the history. And to go backwards on this would be devastating. So let me assure you that there are many of us right here that would stand right with you. When i saw that 102yearold woman and i saw her feisty nsz, i tell you, she brought tears to our eyes. And theres a statement. What was the statement . I am not giving up my right to vote. And shame on certain areas in florida and for making people stand on line for seven hours, some people were online until 1 30 the next morning. Im glad bill nelson was standing with me. No, im glad about it. I saw the lines. And this lady, last night, thats what real american democracy is about. Senator Barbara Boxer, im going to have to leave it there. Shes the face of hope and democracy. Thank you so much. Its always great having you on. Thank you for your time thanks. Ahead, they talk about change. So why isnt any republican denouncing ted nugent in the chamber . This is a guy who compared gun owners to rosa parks. Where is the leadership . But, first, the water cooler story of the day. Marco rubios water gate. Keep it here. More politics nation ahead. Were back on politics nation. The republicans mark rubios big night. And what a night it was. Okay, okay, where was i . Senator rubio laid out the right wing vision for america. Oh, what was i saying . Rubio bit the truth last night. Im hydrating just like the senator. Yet, were having some fun, like the rest of america with marmarc marcmarco marco rubios water female. Look at that lunge. Never breaking eye contact with the camera. Its being called rubios watergate. Even zero dark thirty. It lit up twitter. 92 tweets per minute. Watergate. Poland spring were trend