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'ED Show' playbook: Monday, Jan. 7

President Obama nominates Republican Chuck Hagel as defense secretary and conservatives are fuming.
U.S. President Barack Obama (R) speaks during a news conference with former U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NB) in the East Room at the White House on January 7, 2013 in Washington, DC. Pending approval by the Senate, the nomination of former U.S. Sen. Chuck...
U.S. President Barack Obama (R) speaks during a news conference with former U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NB) in the East Room at the White House on January 7,...

President Obama nominates Republican Chuck Hagel as defense secretary and conservatives are fuming.

“Chuck Hagel, if confirmed to be secretary of defense, would be the most antagonistic secretary of defense towards the state of Israel in our nation's history,” Sen. Lindsey Graham said.

Tonight, Ed welcomes former Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) and former Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy, and Richard Wolffe, Executive Editor, msnbc.com and msnbc Political Analyst, to sort out what Hagel’s nomination could mean for our nation’s defense.

Then, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell doesn't mind another hostage situation for the deficit at the expense of the most vulnerable. David Cay Johnston, columnist for Reuters, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of "Perfectly Legal" and "Free Lunch," lays out the GOP fabricated spending problem ahead.

Then, some Republicans come out for a government shutdown. John Nichols, Washington Correspondent of The Nation, will explain why that’s backwards thinking.

The opposition on common sense gun safety reaches extremes. But for Vice President Biden, an assault weapons ban is just the beginning. Ed will talk with Val Demings, former Orlando Chief of Police and former Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress.

David Addington, the Bush administration's chief advocate for torture, now has a surprising new mission.

And in the BIG Finish, Democrats are taking action to fix the filibuster after one of the least productive sessions of Congress.  Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) joins Ed to discuss his reform plan.

It’s going to be another essential @edshow tonight at 8p/11pET on @msnbctv.

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