On today's show author Jack Hitt and historian Kevin Baker called in from Tampa where they are covering the RNC for Harper's Magazine.Sam talked with them about the most important speeches to be listening to at the convention and all three wondered if Chris Christie and Paul Ryan are assuming a Romney loss. Hitt and Baker also ran into a Wisconsin delegate who didn't believe in pension plans public or private and that led to a discussion of the modern conservative movements historical illiteracy.

On the Better Half: Sam stayed on the Grand Bargain beat and played some disappointing clips of President Obama still seeking compromise on Social Security and Medicare. Another Republican senate candidate shared some incredibly disturbing, crazy and just sexist views on rape. And much more!

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On today's show Sam hosted Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. Stein outlined her proposals for a "Green New Deal" and explained why she thought Democratic Party was a dead end for progressive politics. But, Sam wondered if she was missing the lessons of the Bush era and wanted to know what the Green plan was for after the election.

In the Better Half: Sam reviewed Chris Matthew's epic take down of RNC chair Reince Priebus on Morning Joe and also noted some dull and disconnected conventional wisdom offered by Tom Brokaw and took your calls and IMS.

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On today's show Sam and Cliff talked about the shooting outside of the Empire State Building, agreed that the NRA had more blood on its hands and discussed the need to get serious about Gun control. And poor Mitt Romney, Gawker now has their hands on his Bain documents and he can't get Todd Akin to drop out of his race.

Isabel Gillies and Sam talked about Elvis movies and she recommended the French film Un Secrete for our viewing pleasure.

And Sam went to your calls and IMS

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On today's show Sam talked with Educators Sarah Knopp and Jeff Bale, editors of the anthology Education and Capitalism: Struggles for Learning and Liberation, about the corporate assault on public on public schools, testing, class and social mobility and what the true purpose of education really is.

On the Better Half: Gawker gets its hands on troves of Bain documents detailing Romney's shady tax schemes, will a hurricane hit Tampa during the RNC? Sam drops a Barry White impression and also does a Random Rush.

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On today's show The Nation's Ari Berman joined Sam to discuss the latest news out of Pennsylvania where a state Judge has uphold the voter ID law and movement to protect voter rights is growing. Sam and Ari agreed that Democrats need to spend political capital on this issue for both moral and political reasons.

Sam was then joined by Slate and Pandagon contributing writer, Amanda Marcotte who explained that Todd Akin's rape comments are reflective of the thinking of the anti choice movement. She and Sam also noticed the disturbing new usage of the term "forcible rape" as if there was any other kind and Amanda chalked it up to the Christian Rights "magical" worldview.

And Sam reported on the latest finding on the CIA/NYPD Muslim surveillance program. One big takeaway: all that spying did not produce a single lead!

On today's show Harper's contributor writer and international legal expert Scott Horton spoke with Sam about the diplomatic standoff between Ecuador and the UK, why the UK's aggression is so unusual in this type of case and explained the difference between political and diplomatic immunity. Assange's US attorney, Michael Ratner told Sam that Sweden regularly sends investigators to other countries to question witnesses and suspects making it all the more suspicious that they would not send officials into the UK to question Assange. Sam and Michael also examined the broader implications of the crackdown on Wikileaks for press freedom.

In the Better Half:
Rogue Republican operative Roger Stone Alleges that the Koch brothers offered Romney more funding for PAC ads if he picked Ryan, Todd Akin's insane and cruel comments about rape, Sam reflects on being on UP With Chris Hayes yesterday and Republicans go skinny dipping in Israel and Sam doesn't care.

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Cliff tells us why he thinks Romney picked Paul Ryan. Joe Biden says that Social Security won't be touched and Sam and Cliff say that progressives should push the Obama Biden campaign to make the same commitments for Medicare and Medicade. Circumstantial evidence that Mitt Romney may have been part of a criminal tax avoidance scheme and Cliff gives two cable anchors credit for calling out Republican lies.

Hari Kondabolu writer for the new FX show Totally Biased joined Sam to give some movie recommendations, but before he could get to them Sam almost cost him his job. Hari said that we should check out Chris Rock'sGood Hair and the Bollywood movie Lagaan.

And Jimmy Reefercake has a new song for us.

On the Better Half:
Missouri Senate candidate says the federal government shouldn't give poor kids school lunches, Sam probably won't go to either of the conventions, but Mike from Florida thought he should and Sam explained the key differences between the Obama and Ryan Medicare plans.

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On today's show Sam reviewed the latest from the ongoing crises in the UK over the Assange extradition. The UK's threatens to invade the Ecuadorian embassy and a insightful New York Times piece focuses on the burning question of how Julian Assange was as a roommate.

We also heard an interview with the late David Rakoff right before the 2008 election and learned David's farsighted thoughts on poverty and homophobia in modern America.

On the Better Half: more on why Paul Ryan is good for the left, Hedge Fund manager John Taylor supports the Ryan budget but says Republicans should not talk about it in public in an amazing CNBC clip and Rand Paul is not a bright guy.

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On today's Show, Sam discussed a disturbing new referendum that could allow thousands of students to skip out on there science education in Missouri. Also a Pennsylvania Judge will notgrant
an injunction against the states voter ID laws and other news in voter suppression. Speaking of which a new Tufts University study shows that white people think they are more discriminated against than black people

On the Better Half:
Anne Romney gets a little edgy and says that we will not see anymore of Mitt's taxes and that her husband has "golden integrity." Mitt reaffirms in any interview that he approves of what comes out his mouth and Sam gets pretty deep into the wilderness with a Libertarian caller.

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On today’s show Sam talked about new research showing that banning junk in schools actually helps kids stay healthier (shocker). He also spoke with with progressive talk show host and anti mountain top removal activist Bob Kincaid, about the health and social justice crises in Applachia and the importance of getting Congress to act against mining interests.

In the Better Half: More on why Romney would actually pick Paul Ryan, the golden opportunity for progressives in the Ryan pick and Mitt Romney left his young ward in the Midwest and went to Florida to have a fundraiser with a convicted drug trafficker and much more.