jon: quite a day already, and the coverage continues. "america live" start t right now. megyn: this is a fox news alert and continuing coverage of the events in lib yahoo! today on the reported death of moammar gadhafi. president obama is expected to make a statement from the rose garden in just about an hour from right now. the president expected to address gadhafi's death and reports that his longtime, that the longtime dictator is dead. once again, the united states yet to confirm that, but those are the reports we're getting out of libya. welcome to "america live," everybody, i'm megyn kelly. reports out of libya, again, claiming he is dead. we are now awaiting official confirmation from the white house. meantime, today's events are being called historic for libya.

a bloody six month campaign to end gadhafi's 40-year rule over libya ending today in the very town where he was born. the details of how gadhafi may have died remain unclear. some rebel fighters claim they killed him during a violent battle with his forces. we're also hearing that a nato airstrike took him out as he tried to flee. this graphic photo showing gadhafi beaten and bloody, and now there are new questions this hour about libya's future as a transitional government takes power today. chief white house correspondent ed henry live at the white house with more. >> reporter: the president, now, is going to come out at 2 p.m. eastern time in the rose garden, the first comments really from him, and his top aides have been very quiet this morning. officials here say they want to wait for the confirmation of gadhafi's death to come in, the forensics, etc. as you said, there's still a lot of murky details here. the last thing the u.s. wants to do is get ahead of all of that.

the president sat down at 10 a.m. with some of his top national security aides this morning for his regular presidential daily briefing. libya was topic there. wendell goler is traveling with secretary clinton, she was doing a series of interviews earlier today, and in the middle of those interviews an aide handed her a blackberry with these unconfirmed reports of gadhafi being captured or killed. she was heard to say, wow, as this was all coming in. in new hampshire vice president biden was giving a speech, we've just gotten the first comments from him on all this. take a listen. >> you kind of see it in what just happened in libya. now, i don't know, when i got off the plane i was talking to the national security council to determine whether or not we, in fact, had proof that the tnc, this outfit, the rebels and the government now, the acting

government of libya had killed gadhafi. i don't know the answer to that. i can't confirm that personally now. but look how that all came about. for years and years we've been talking about burden sharing. in nato. everybody carrying their fair share. not the united states carrying the load and spending all the money for the whole world. so you remember, when the president and i came along and said, look, we, we will support nato, we'll support nato, but nato has to take the lead. that's what it was designed to do. it wasn't supposed to be the u.s. runs nato, it was supposed to be nato -- which we are a part of, the most important part of -- the is able to act. so in this changed world because of all the wars and because as the two blocs have broken down and there's only one superpower left and no longer this, you know, the way it was when the soviet union existed, we have a

whole new set of problems. we don't have 18,000 icbms aimed at the united states, but we also have chaos and new movements and the rest. >> reporter: interesting, because the vice president, obviously, wanted to be careful and not get ahead of the president of the united states in confirming gadhafi's death, but what he was saying there, that the administration believes nato got it right in the words of the vice president, significant because there are already republicans like marco rubio this morning telling fox that, basically, the credit really goes to the british and the french because the u.s. at the very beginning the president said the u.s. would only have a lead role for days, not week, and got out of the way for other allies. republicans saying this white house does not deserve credit here. vice president biden saying this was the right thing to do, let nato take the lead role. and there was a lot of patience that was involved, but in the end the u.s. is getting the outcome it wanted. megyn: thank you, sir.

brand new video reportedly showing gadhafi's last moments alive. we're only going to show you part of this, and a warning, it is graphic. you see a group of what appears to be rebel fighters grabbing onto a bloody and beaten person who appears to be gadhafi. they see him pushing him and shoving him before they appear to finish him off. david piper live in tripoli, libya. david, do we know exactly how this unfolded? so many questions about how exactly he died. >> reporter: hi, megyn. yes, from what we understand he was in a convoy trying to escape his hometown of sirte as the revolutionaries captured it. and there was a nato airstrike on that convoy. he hid in some kind of a pipe in the ground and was dragged out. from the revolutionary fighters we've spocken to, he was alive when testifies captured. -- when he was captured. but by the time he managed to get to misurata in an ambulance,

he had a gunshot to the head and to the shoulder, we understand. so it seems somebody during that period perhaps be executed him, megyn. megyn: why was he in sirte to begin with? [gunfire] >> reporter: well, of course, it was his hometown. saddam, as you know, he stayed near tikrit as well, it seems dictators like to go back to their hometowns. also it was a strong position. sirte managed to hold out for two months, they had some very experienced soldiers in that town defending him, it seems, and they did well for a long period of time, surprisingly well with so much artillery and tanks being fired on him. but it does seem to be a bit of a miscalculation when there are suggestions he was south this desert trying to raise an insurgency. and it was, perhaps, his biggest mistake by staying in sirte and allowing the revolutionaries to encircle that place. megyn: and it was a very bloody and gruesome battle according to all reports.

david, how important is his death if we understand correctly that he has, in fact, died, to the future of libya, to the people on the ground? >> reporter: well, it's crucial, really, to the future of libya. it gets a major problem out of the equation of moving this country towards a democratic state. because if he'd have launched a rebellion as he seemed to be planning in the south, we'd still be in a state of emergency. there are remnants of the regime still holding out, perhaps one of his sons will take up the cause. but we understand perhaps two of them have also been killed today. but they've got a great challenge ahead in moving towards democracy, and they've got all these different militias still operating in this country. they've got to sort out their problems now, and perhaps their biggest challenge, megyn, may be ahead of them. megyn: david piper, thank thanke are also getting breaking news on gadhafi's son as we hear the first reports his son may also have been killed.

plus, we're getting new details and images from what were allegedly gadhafi's last moments. here libyan rebels stand by a concrete pipe as he tried to escape in that convoy. now security experts turning to the next challenge in libya, securing thousands of surface-to-air missiles that could fall into the wrong hands, namely al-qaeda's. jennifer griffin is live at the pentagon. >> reporter: hi, megyn. we're just getting reports from the ones who brought us that video of moammar gadhafi in his last moments, and they are reporting from libya that his son, safe gaffety -- safe gadhafi, has also been killed in sirte. we heard earlier another son, so that would be two sons today. u.s. officials have been reluctant to confirm what is apparently obvious out of the video out of libya, essentially that gadhafi is dead. the french and british heads of states have already made public

statements, and government officials were told at 10:36 eastern time gadhafi is dead. nato war planes fired on two vehicles as they were leaving sirte this morning. gadhafi may have been in those cars. and later we see pictures of what appears to be gadhafi with a bullet wound to his head. rebels on the ground saying that they used a .9 mm gun to kill him. even republican creat-- critics congratulated the president today. >> i congratulate the british and the french for their leadership, and i appreciate the job that the united states did in support. but this could have been over a lot earlier if we had used united states air assets in the most effective fashion. but this is a victory for the president, the obama administration, but most importantly, the libyan people's chance for free do. >> reporter: what has the pentagon most worried is the disair appearance of many of the

nearly 20,000 shoulder-fired missiles that can take down commercial aircraft. the defense secretary said in recent day he had seen reports some had ended up in egypt's sinai desert across from the gaz is strip. in terms of how much this option cost, the military intervention cost $1.1 billion. there were more than 7700 u.s. sorties, predator drone airstrikes, 145, u.s. strike sorties that dropped bombs, 397, and 70 u.s. aircraft participating in this operation that the administration didn't call a war. we also understand that senators are saying that the opposition said they will reimburse the u.s. for that one billion dollars, megyn. megyn: jennifer, thank you. gadhafi, as you know, was a

brutal dictator and the only leader most libyans have ever known. his rule was marked by violent repression including bans on private enterprise and western books. gadhafi suffered from a borderline personality disorder. he held more than 14 different titles, most of them self-appointed, and although he said women were not equal to men, he had a team of female body guards who wore camouflage fatigues, red nail polish and high-heeled sandals packing submachine guns. gadhafi eventually ditched his military wardrobe for an extensive wardrobe of colorful robes. we expect to hear from pram that in less than an hour, and we will hear once and for all what our government is saying about whether, in fact, he is dead. we will continue our breaking news coverage of this event. and now that gadhafi is dead, no one is happier than certain americans here as home including

susan cohen whose discussion off the record was killed -- killed back in 1988. keep in mind as you watch these pictures of moammar gadhafi dead. they are gruesome, but this is a man who has the blood of so many americans on his hands, including those who were killed in pan am 103 not. 189 americans died on that flight. 35 students from syracuse university coming home from studying abroad at his hands. also michael reagan's father, ronald, took on gadhafi dubbing him the mad dog of the middle east. the two men famously squared off in 1986, and michael was there when ronald reagan made the decision to go after libya. he is here today to react. there is also new fallout today over these comments from senate majority leader harry reid yesterday. >> it's very clear that private sector jobs have been doing just fine, it's the public sector jobs where we have lost huge

numbers. megyn: really? no need to worry about the private sector jobs? up next, lou dobbs on how he thinks senator reid has suffered a break from reality. and homeland security secretary janet napolitano says the administration will soon separate deportation cases based on low and high priority. coming up, the new rule of law that some say is about to change the 2012 white house race. plus, he is 30 years old, wears a diaper and sleeps in a crib. but why is he receiving more than $800 in disability a month? we will explain this bizarre case. >> i like to play or be treated as a baby. >> hi, bubby. [laughter] >> just to get the love and affection, safeness. i'm not a number.

i'm not a line item on a budget. and i'm definitely not a pushover. but i am a voter. so washington... before you even think about cutting my medicare and social security benefits... here's a number you should remember. 50 million. we are 50 million seniors who earned our benefits... and you will be hearing from us... today and on election day.

♪

megyn: 1:15 here in the east, we are awaiting comments from the president of the united states which will be made from the white house in wills than an hour -- in less than an hour. this will be the first we've heard from president obama on the reports gadhafi is dead. our government yet to confirm this. presumably, the president will do so or at least give us the latest on what we know for certain here in the united states when he speaks, again, about 45 minutes from right now. meantime, there is new fallout today from president obama's push for congress to approve a $35 billion jobs package the white house calls it

for states to hire backfire fighters and teachers. now, that's the way the white house spend it. the republicans ship it as just -- spin it as just a bailout we can't afford. senator harry reid yesterday suggested public sector jobs should take priority over the private sector, and here's why. listen. >> the massive layoffs we've had in america today have, of course, are rooted this -- in the last administration. and it's very clear that private sector jobs have been doing just fine. it's the public sector jobs where we've lost huge numbers, and that's what this legislation's all about. and it's unfortunate my friend, the republican leader, is complaining about that. many. megyn: we did some digging and found that since president obama took office nearly 600,000 government jobs have been lost while over one and a half million private sector jobs have been lost. so what is he talking about?

lou dobbs is the host on the fox business network, and he's here to join us. lou, what is he talking about? >> i honestly have no idea what is gripping the senate majority leader. what he said is pitiful because it really doesn't convey any, any semblance of reality. megyn: is that true, is there no arguable basis for that statement? >> we have gone back through every possible angle that we could imagine that he could be thinking of, and be it just doesn't hold up. in fact, teachers in particular have comprised under half of the public sector jobs lost over the course of the past year and a half. secondly, those jobs are not teacher jobs, they're administrative, all sorts of jobs in education. but the fact is we had seen teacher hiring rise at a rate double the gain in student enrollment in public schools in this country over the past decade. in addition to that, the 2009

stimulus package came through with temporary funding for teachers, for -- megyn: $150 billion. >> absolutely. megyn: and then they got another 25 or 30 shortly thereafter. >> right. and, but the fact is that money, some of it, is leaving. but it was supposed to be temporary all along. megyn: so that was a boost to try to help the states get through a tough time without making these layoffs, states that had been overspending. >> right. megyn: the federal taxpayers said we will help you -- [laughter] >> well, the taxpayer may not have, but certainly president obama -- megyn: they've been doing it. and now he wants more to prevent these layoffs saying they're going to go and these people have suffered more than the private sector. our information is -- >> none whatsoever. megyn: 1.6 million fewer private sector jobs exist now than at the start of president obama's administration, as you point out 1.6 million fewer, that the.5 million jobs -- 2.5 million jobs have been added to the private

sector. is that what he's talking about this. >> it's impossible to say was what the man said was that the private sector's doing fine. tell that to 25 million americans who from the private sector who almost within 100,000 of that are from private sector jobs who are unprovide, underemployed, working two jobs -- megyn: what is this about? why is the administration really so focused on saving these particular jobs over others? >> straightforwardly, this is because these public sector jobs, and particularly the teacher jobs, are union jobs. those union jobs pay dues, and those jobs pay dues, and those monies go to fund senate and congressional campaigns for democrats. and that is the extension of interest on the part of this administration. it could be nothing else. the senate majority leader is speaking -- we should somehow try to figure out a way to move truth serum into the bottles of water these people are

drinking -- both parties concern r -- on capitol hill. when we have a man who is the leader of the united states senate who is not even blushing as he speaks untruths and misrepresents reality to the american people, we have a major problem that goes beyond, frankly, even unemployment. megyn: his spokesman says all he was doing that most job losses in recent months have been coming from the public sector. >> that is absolutely, categorically untrue. absolutely untrue. megyn: as was the origin oal statement, according to you. >> you have a greater chance -- well, the fact of the matter is no one's getting fired in public sector jobs at the rate that they are still in the private sector. i mean, there's just no way to twist reality in such a way as to conform to the speaker's words. megyn: harry reid said he's very clear private sector jobs are just fine. we are at a disagreement, apparently, with the senate majority leader and mr. dobbs. sir, thank you. >> great to be with you. megyn: we are awaiting president obama on libya.

plus, the latest from the state department in five minutes. vice president biden taking heat over his use of violent imagery, what the vp told one reporter coming up. ♪ that's good morning, veggie style. hmmm [ male announcer ] for half the calories -- plus veggie nutrition. could've had a v8. your doctor will say get smart about your weight. i tried weight loss plans... but their shakes aren't always made for people with diabetes. that's why there's new glucerna hunger smart shakes. they have carb steady, with carbs that digest slowly to help minimize blood sugar spikes. and they have 6 grams of sugars. with 15 grams of protein to help manage hunger...

look who's getting smart about her weight. [ male announcer ] new glucerna hunger smart. a smart way to help manage hunger and diabetes.

megyn: welcome back, folks. we are awaiting remarks from president obama from the white house in about 30 minutes. this will be the first we have heard from the president, and we are anticipating, although it has not yet been confirmed, that the president will confirm what we know about gadhafi's death. it has been widely reported that he was killed today by libyan rebels in gadhafi's hometown of sirte. the united states has yet to put an official stamp on that. we expect, again, the president to speak to it in about 30 minutes right here. meantime, there is new word today from investigators in the search for missing missouri baby

lisa irwin. the parents of the now 11-month-old say she was stolen from her crib in the mid old of the night. -- middle of the night. an exhaustive search of the irwin family property yesterday, right here, and today they are aggressively knocking down reports that they discovered a body. trace gallagher live in our west coast newsroom with more. trace? >> reporter: in fact, megyn, both the police and fbi have come out not once, but twice, strongly saying, no, they did not find a body in this search. this search of the participants' house -- parents' house, it lasted some 17 hours. 20 investigators on scene, all of them wearing those white outfits to keep from contaminating the air. they dug up areas behind the house in that shed, that i can't imagine area you talked about this week. they sifted ask they raked through the sand, they used x-ray equipment to see inside the walls, they pulled out rolls

of carpeting and other possible evidence. they've tried to keep this search very much underwraps -- under wraps though, clearly, some photographers did get some shots here, even implementing a no-fly zone for several hours to keep tv news choppers away. the lawyer for the participants continues -- for the parents continue say the parents are cooperating. the police continue to say, no, they're not, the parents have not answered questions only they can answer. this week baby lisa will be on the cover of "people" magazine. there she is along with an interview from her parents. that interview happened about the same time you, megyn, interviewed the parents last weekend. again, there is no sign of her after 16 days. we'll bring you the latest if search resume today. megyn: all right, trace, thank you. new concerns over the obama administration's immigration policy. homeland security secretary janet napolitano telling congress that some of the 300,000 people who broke the law

by coming into the country illegally may never be deported. is the rule of law about to change on illegal immigration? plus, gadhafi has been accused of ordering the bombing of pan am flight 103. back in 1988. killing 270 people, most of them americans. next, we will talk to a woman who lost her daughter that horrific day. that's coming up in about ten minutes. [ rge ] psst. constated? phillips' caplet use gnesium, an ingredient that works more naturally wityour colon than stimulant xatives, for fective reli of constipation without cramps. thanks. [ professor ] good morning students. today, we're gonna...

i'm a wife, i'm a mom... and chantix worked for me. it's a medication i could take and still smoke,

while it built up in my system. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantiis proven to help people quit smoking. it reduthe urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking orood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these, stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reactioto it. if you develop these, stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. if you have a history of heart orlood vessel problems, tell your doctor if you have new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. my inspiration for quitting were my sons. they were my little cheering squad. [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] ask your doctor if chantix is right for you.

megyn: fox news alert a top white house official just confirming to fox news channel that the white house does believe, quote, that moammar gadhafi is dead. the president is expected to speak from the rose garden in less than 30 minutes. the state department was supposed to have a briefing a short time ago but canceled it at the last minute, that sometimes happens so as shot to step on the toe -- as not to step on the toes of the president. >> reporter: we had been hoping we would get some official confirmation from the state department about gadhafi's death. they did mention when they canceled that meeting abruptly today that the white house was going to speak at 2:00, and they didn't want to go ahead of that. so now we wait for the president. of course, secretary of state hillary clinton was just in libya a couple of days ago. she met with one of the militias that happens to control the airport. now, there are several militias there in libya. she said one of the concerns now is trying to come up with a way to solve the challenge of ukefying their interests and

efforts there as libya has to, essentially, given rebuilding itself. wendell golder asked her about the news that gadhafi had been captured or killed, she did say it would be a great relief to the libyan people, that two days ago in trip will many of them -- tripoli many of them expressed their concerns to her. here's a bit more. >> i think it would bring a sigh of relief to a lot of libyans because they expressed to me their concern when i was in tripoli two days ago that if he remained at large even after they liberated sirte and declared that the entire country was liberated, that he would wage a guerrilla war against them. >> reporter: secretary clinton also went on to say there were worries that he would hire mercenaries, go out and pay people to fight for him and pay them they thought possibly out

of gold or other assets that he had horded and hidden. she says if gadhafi is gone, it is just the beginning. the libyan people have what the called a very steep climb. she says the libyan people now have what she calls some breathing room. megyn? megyn: shannon bream, thank you. well, new concerns today over the obama administration's immigration policy. critics are blasting a plan to review deportation cases based on priority and not on the law. iowa senator charles grassley says the obama administration is essentially giving amnesty to illegal immigrants who are already in custody. take a listen. >> according to the information from your department, some individuals who are given relief will obtain work authorizations, so people with no right to be in the country will be allowed to work here, is that correct? >> well, senator, um, since

around 1986 there has been a process where those who are technically unlawfully in the country may apply for work authorization, so there's no change in that process, like i said, that goes back to the mid '80s that is contemplated now. >> but, yes, some of them could have an opportunity to work here even though they are here illegally. >> well, that happens now, senator. megyn: alan colmes is host of the alan colmes show and mike gallagher is a syndicated radio host. thank you for being here. what's most controversial is they've got hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in custody now, and they have decided to, essentially, let them go so they can focus on what they say are the higher priority cases, the criminal cases, and deport the folks who have committed additional crimes, you know, whether it's robbery or theft or what have you. and they say that's where their priority's going to be.

the critics are saying that's still amnesty because you're ignoring hundreds of thousands of folks. mike, is it fair charge? >> well, yeah. this pains me, megyn, because i'm, you know, part of the loyal opposition to this administration. but, frankly, janet napolitano also said that the administration's critics are ignoring the fact that the deportations are at an all-time high, and they are. i mean, the fact is that the obama administration under his, under their watch, they are deporting way more illegals than president bush did and previous administrations did. so, you know, i understand the charge and the criticism, but to be real honest with you, and i'm off the reservation on this, i know, with a lot of fellow conservatives. and i've been saying all along that illegal immigration should be the centerpiece of the gop candidates who want to be president next year. it's a huge issue. but, frankly, i've got to give credit to the obama administration for the high number of deportations. seems to me like they're trying

to prior totize who gets detorted in some kind of a semblance of an ascertaining list. and, again, i think the critics are ignoring the high deportation rate that is currently existing in the obama administration. megyn: understood. let me get alan in. >> you don't these me, good night. >> i hate this! [laughter] megyn: the administration says the reason it's controversial, right, is because everybody's in favor of deporting illegal aliens who have come into the country and committed crimes. the reason they say it's controversial is they say the reason they're not going to go after the other illegals is because of money. they don't have enough money. >> that's true. megyn: so why don't they try to get more money so -- >> well, that's fine, i'm sure you are. but you're looking at the pie they have, and how do you divide the pie? do you raid factories and workers and separate family or go after the people that are actually committing crimes? apparently, according to the

i.c.e. folks, let me give you the exact numbers. of the people remove inside fiscal 2011, nearly 55% have been convicted of felonies or misdemeanors, that's an 89% increase. so in addition to the fact that they are deporting more as mike gallagher so beautifully said over the last three years every single year, they're also deporting a higher percentage of criminals. megyn: do you agree this could be a core issue that is discussed in this presidential election? >> i don't know. there are so many. the economy is a core issue. look, you could say this is also tied to the economy, especially if you're in a border state. i know the argument that these people are taking jobs from americans, but the other argument is there are jobs americans won't do. people displaced from a tech job suddenly picking fruit, i don't think so. megyn: we just saw a poll that really undermines your contention. they asked, i think, it was gop

voters how important illegal immigration is to them, and only 3% said it was one of their top issues. i mean, it doesn't seem to -- >> boy, i disagree. megyn: there you go. look at my team putting up the numbers on the board. >> well, i really -- >> i want to thank you both for doing my work for me. [laughter] megyn: go ahead, mike. back up your con tension that this remains -- contention that this remains a hot button issue. does this really matter right now when people are hemorrhaging jobs and are focused on the economy? >> well, like alan, i mean, i spend every day taking phone calls from people all over the country, although unlike alan's audience i have american-loving, god-fearing -- megyn: don't call alan un-american. [laughter] >> anecdotally, everywhere i give a speech people go crazy. i do think a moment ago, alan, you said it's tie today the economy. illegal immigration's tied to

national security -- >> yeah. >> if jobs is really the number one issue that everybody's screaming about and these filthy anarchists are -- >> filthy anarchists, i'm so glad your tongue is firmly planted in your cheek. >> i think americans would embrace the gop candidate who's ready to tackle this head on. megyn: really? they don't seem to be embracing michele bachmann. >> i want to put up four or five fences. come on, the most number of fences writtens, right? megyn: how many fences can you put up? >> herman cain had it right the first time, let's electrify it. megyn: you take a hard line on immigration, that's not true. who's harder on immigration than michele bachmann, and she is not competitive with those who are at the top. >> you show me two fences, i'll show you three ladders. [laughter] megyn: oh. interesting. that could be the come back from her if she wants the nomination for president. all right, guys, listen,

interesting debate. thank you both for being here. >> take care. megyn: they say they have been waiting for justice for more than 20 years in the pan am 103 terror attack over lockerbie, scotland. no one is happier to see the end of this man's rule than susan cohen whose daughter was killed when the dictator bombed that flight back in 1988. she is here live coming up. new fiber one 80 calories... ...with its sweet honey taste, 40% daily value of fiber... ...and 80 calories per serving... ...you may want to tell a few friends. ♪ or all of them. ♪ i'll go get my bowl. [ female announcer ] new fiber one 80 calories. yes, you can actually love breakfast. ♪

[ tires squeal ] an accidendoesn't have to slow you down. with better car replacement, available only from liberty mutual insurance, the money to buy a car that's one model-year newer with 15,000 fewer miles on it. there's no other auto insurance product like it. better car replacement, available only from liberty mutual. that gets you a better car. call... or visit one of our local offices today, and we'll provide the coverage you need at the right price. liberty mutual auto insurance -- responsibility. what's your policy?

megyn: fox news alert, we are now just about 15 minutes away from hearing from president obama. he will speak in the rose garden of the white house moments there now on reports that moammar gadhafi has been killed. after a 42-year reign in libya and much to the jubilation of the rebels who have been after him now for months. we are also hearing of jubilation today domestically, in particular from families, american families, who lost

loved ones in the pan am 103 terror attack back in 1988. it was the bombing of this flight that was coming into the united states. it went down over lockerbie, scotland. and it was said to have been ordered by moammar moammar gadh, killing 270 people in total including 189 americans. and 35 students from syracuse university were among those 189. one of the victims was theadora cohen. her mother joins he now. >> thank you for having me. megyn: i was a freshman at sir use university and remember this very well and the effect it had on my classmates and family members and in particular the horrifying reports we had about the poor parents of the students like yourself who had to get news like that when you were waiting to look forward to welcoming your daughter home

from studying abroad in london. put it in perspective for us today, these reports that gadhafi is now dead. >> i think it's wonderful. it's the happiest day i've had since december 20, 1986, the day before the bombing. and i finally have justice thanks very much to the libyan people, because the governments of the west really were not good. they by and large had policies of appeasement for a very long time. and now this is just a banner day. i cannot even tell you how happy i am to know this man is dead, to see the picture of him dead. he deserved this. he deserved this, and it should have happened many, many years ago. and you will recall that president reagan did attempt to get gadhafi at one point, and it didn't work. and i think if he had been in office longer, i think he would not have sat for this. but it was an absolute, it was a nightmare all of these years,

the fighting for justice, and i'm just very happy justice came. i'm going to thank president obama a, i want to thank senator mccain. he was also just marv husband on this from the -- marvelous on this from the very beginning, and it is a day we can all rejoice in. megyn: some of our viewers have said it'sty tushing to seize -- disturbing to see these pictures of gadhafi. there's a question about whether, in fact, it was him, so there is some editorial value in actually seeing some pictures, but for folks like you it is not that disturbing. you saw for months and months and now 23 years later picture of your daughter's grave site at the hands of this madman. >> i'm happy for that picture. that picture is wonderful. i'm glad that it's out there. i would like to put that picture on my mantle piece and actually throw darts at it from morning until night. i really would. and, um, that is what i want to do.

because i am just very happy that that picture, that picture is out there. now, we need the evidence, we need to see it to know that he's really dead, and that is a triumph for us after all the triumphs that he's had with his hands dripping blood from the thousands of people that he has murdered. megyn: and just, i don't mean to force you to go through those painful memories again, but i do want, i think it's helpful to the viewers to remember what this man did to your family, to 189 american families on that day so close to christmas, just days before christmas in 1988. you thought you were going to pick your daughter up there the airport after studying abroad, and instead how did you find out? >> well, i found out by saying the wreckage on the television that day. and it was just horrible. i have to tell you, he took her life away, and he in a sense took my life away. i've never been the same. there were 35 syracuse students studying abroad and everything to live for, and gadhafi just

wiped them out. the 189 americans just wiped out for no reason except his brutal hatred. and he should have been destroyed after that. really should have been destroyed. the united states should have done it, and england as well. there were british families, other families. it was just horrible. that night is scarred, it's a scar. it's in my memory and mind forever. it just was hideous, and i never really got over it. so today, today, you can show pictures of him. listen, if i could, i'd go in there and mutilate his body some more. i can't do that. but i am happy. this is a man who deserved to die. this was a tyrant. he didn't deserve a trial. he deserved death, and now he has died as horribly, in some ways, as the people he murdered. i think that is justice. i think that is finally, finally some portion, a significant portion of justice.

megyn: susan cohen, thank you so much for being here today. all the best to you and your family. >> thank you. megyn: i mean, that story brings it home, doesn't it, folks? it seems so far away. it's over in libya, who was this crazy guy, how does this affect me and other americans? that's what he did. i mean, among many other brutal actions, taking the lives of 189 americans. 189 americans. and he never served justice for that back in 1988. i remember being at syracuse university and hearing the reports of one of my class mates' participants on the way to the -- parents on the way to the airport to get the child, and the mother tried to throw herself out of the car on the highway. she was so distraught. at the hands of that man. he is now, we believe, dead today. we will hear from our own presidonnutes. it is history happening today in america, folks, as we watch and learn more about the reported death of a dictator, moammar

gadhafi. we'll be right back. what makes scottrade your smartphone's most powerful trading app ? total access - to everything. from idea to research to trade. including financials, indicators and real-time streaming quotes. whether you check your investments every day or every minute, our app can take them from thought to trade. at scottrade, seven-dollar trades are just the start. try our powerful mobile app. it's another reason more investors are saying... i'm with scottrade. ♪ [ gong ] strawberry banana! [ male announcer ] for a smoothie with real fruit plus veggie nutrition new v8 v-fusion smoothie. could've had a v8.

megyn: fox news alert, we are now about five minutes away from president obama's remarks on the reported death of moammar gadhafi, and even as the administration moves to praise the work of nato and the libyan rebels, some republics are starting -- republicans are starting to suggest that the commander in chief did not move fast enough or strongly enough when this conflict first began. here's florida republican senator marco rubio. >> you know, i criticized the president for -- he did the right things, he just took too long and didn't do enough. there are thousands of shoulder-fired rockets that are now missing, all 30 some odd armed militias that have formed, a country that's been

significantly eroded and has to be rebuilt. we have a lot of people dead, a lot of young men who instead of helping rebuild libya have to go into rehab and recovery from their war wounds. a lot of this could have been avoided if we had gotten involved early and decisively. these scenes would have happened months ago, and libya would have been well underway. instead these months of uncertainty have allowed for other issues to arise that in the long term may be problematic. megyn: senator rubio's a possible choice for vice presidential nominee on one to have republican tickets, whoever winds up getting the presidential nomination. he doesn't come out to the cameras that up, today he did -- that off, today he did to speak to this issue. obviously, there's going to be a little politics, but also some criticisms on policy be. will president obama speak to that? we don't know. but we do expect him five minutes away, again, at the white house to speak once and for all on whether the united

states government can confirm the death of a dictator who was in control in libya for 42 years. our own rick leventhal spent a good deal of time among these rebels in libya at the height of the battle for control there. here's just a sampling. watch this. >> libyan fighter jets dropped a couple of bombs right in the middle of this circle. you can see the craters here. it's not clear what they were aiming for, but there's speculation it might have been a gas station that's a little less than a quarter mile away. the rebels tell us that the libyan army's aim is terrible, and they rarely hit what they're shooting for. moments later, we hear a jet. the bomb lands just a few hundred yards away near the ammo depot. [gunfire] >> reporter: rebels fire back haphazardly with no effect. [gunfire] [gunfire] megyn: rick leventhal is live

with me here on the set. you heard marco rubio talking about the number of injuries and sort of the damage that was done to the rebels over the course of this fight. those folks will now be helping run this country. what did you see with respect to these rebels there on the ground? >> first of all, his comments were very interesting, a lot of people echoed those sentimentses while i was there. they wanted more action more quickly, and they also wanted to be known as revolutionaries, not rebels. they with respect rebelling, they were trying -- they weren't rebelling, they were trying to gain freedom and were willing to die to do it. megyn: back here at home we were so far removed from the event. here we sat and debated who are these people. we were being told they're doctors, lawyers -- >> and they were. megyn: maybe they're al-qaeda, maybe they're, you know, muslim brotherhood, the devil's in the details, do we really want these folks taking control? is what was your experience? >> they were welcoming, warm, friendly, they were committed, they were ohioan, they were hard

working -- honest, they were hard working, determined and a lot of heart. were there some bad apples in the bunch? probably. there usually are in any military organization, but these guys were committed to the cause. they wanted what we had, democracy and freedom. megyn: were they citizen soldiers or were they, for the most part, civilians who had just taken up arms? >> mostly civilians. they had training from former members of gadhafi's military trying to teach these guys to learn how to fight. most of them gave up day jobs who just wanted to do what they could to bring gadhafi down. megyn: how important was it? >> they were willing to die for it, and some of them could still, but they were willing to give up their lives for freedom. megyn: but was that always the end goal? they wop the battle months -- they won the battle months earlier, and today we get the report. >> we heard that day after day, kill gadhafi. they said they were united as

one against him. megyn: why did they hate him so much? >> he imprisoned their neighbors and relatives, nip who spoke their -- anyone who spoke their mind would face consequences. they were tired of him. from everything we learned, they hated him and couldn't wait to get him out of power. megyn: well, they are celebrating on the streets today. >> yes, they are. megyn: thank you, sir. well, it is a new day in libya now. we're waiting for a statement from president obama at the white house as history unfolds in libya. widespread reports that dictator moammar gadhafi is dead. if you are just joining us, welcome, everyone, i'm megyn kelly. our continuing coverage dose on right now. megyn: we're not sure how he died, was it at the hands of a nato firefighter, a gunshot

wound from those who got their hands on him after that attack? it remains unclear. nonetheless, the reports are he is dead, and we will hear the truth, we hope, from our own president in moments. now, he has the blood of many, many americans on his hands. not just libyans, americans, folks. the white house has been paying very close attention to this battle and, in particular, the our chief white house correspondent ed henry is at the white house awaiting the president as are we. >> reporter: such history because of the fact you will remember president reagan called qaddafi the mad dog of the middle east. this is a man who brought terror on many americans and many around the world. in the spring it nato-led campaign moved forward and this president faced a lot of criticism for not want to go put ground troops in and making clear at beginning of the mission the u.s. would have a lead role for days and not

weeks. one bit of for you want to pass along, it's sounding like he may slightly hedge that. a white house official is saying what the president will say when he come out here in the rose garden, he will cite libyan officials saying colonel qaddafi is dead. that suggests to me u.s. officials have not seen forensics to confirm it independently that he is dead. secondly we are hearing from this white house official, the white house has been working diplomatic channels. based on those conversations they are confident the libyan authorities are correct that qaddafi is dead. they have been checking this through diplomatic source. the other key thing to look at is how aggressively the president defends his own policies. he faced criticism from republicans for not want to go send ground troops and not having the u.s. in a lead role.

you heard senator marco rubio tell fox he believes the credit goes to the british and the french, not to president obama because it was the british and french who sort of led the nato campaign in terms of the bombing, et cetera. and you heard vice president biden. he was very aggressive in defending the white house saying that basically the strategy in the end has worked out. it took some patience. but he beliefs that is the whole point of nato, is not for the u.s. to pay all the sat kri nice in terms of troops, to not pay all the burden in terms of finances. but to share the sacrifice with allies. but in the end the u.s. got the results it wanted. megyn: weren't there conflicting statements from the white house on how point was to take out qaddafi when this got started? they were back and forth on whether that was the goal of the mission and whether that was

what they wanted or kneaded. >> reporter: the president's justification for any u.s. role in connection with nato is this was essentially a humanitarian effort. that qaddafi was firing on his own people and innocent civilians would be killed. they used that more. but you are certainly right, at the beginning there was an issue about whether they wanted qaddafi himself out. i think the white house tried to sidestep that in the early days by saying he wasn't the point. the point was getting the brutal regime, his entire government out. that has happened as we have seen the rebels take over. and there will be questions moving forward about what comes next. we heard some of the senators who had been in libya in recent days. secretary of state hillary clinton has been there as well. they noted the rebels have a lot of work to do. this transitional council in terms of forming a government. you shared john bowl to the former ambassador to the u.n.

saying the u.s. has to play a role here in setting up a civilian court system and non-partisan law enforcement so the libyan people who have just seen this brutal dictatorship, have not seen fairness or police that they could trust, can finally see that perhaps, you know, that the civil institutions can stand up and they can have a transstoition democracy. we are getting what warning the president will be out in two minutes. megyn: we just saw the speech come down to the lectern. as you know, the and tight for nation building in the united states of america is very low in the wake of of what we have seen in iraq and afghanistan. what should we be listening for when listen together president wit comes to how much help we'll be willing to give libya? >> reporter: that's a good question. you heard republican senator john mccain suggest maybe this new libyan government should be paying the u.s. back for the

cost we have been bearing. the pentagon says that the u.s. cost in terms of the nato mission in connection with that has been $1.1 billion. as you mentioned, in terms of the deep deficits in this country, the debate on capitol hill about cutting more debt down, it's going to be a big question about whether the u.s. has the money to help stand up these civil institutions in libya and whether the oil revenue there, whether some of the frozen assets can actually pay for that instead. megyn: jennifer griffin reporting the rebels are claiming they will pay us back. there are real questions about how if ever that could happen. ed henry, thank you so much. we'll get ready to watch and listen to the president. for folks just joining us the reports out of libya is moammar qaddafi is dead. there was an assault around 8:00 a.m. libya time thursday

today. it ended 0 minutes later -- 90 minutes later after a nato air strike struck a convoy of pro-qaddafi forces trying to escape a compound in sirte. that's believed to be where qaddafi took the first hit. we saw video of him and it appears he was still alive. he was placed in a jeep or humvee and later he looked dead with a gunshot wound in his head. there appears to be little question that moammar qaddafi is dead today. let's listen to the president. >> today the government of libya announced the death of moammar qaddafi. this marks the end of a long and painful chapter for the people of libya who now have the opportunity to determine their own destiny in a new and democratic libya. for four decades the qaddafi regime ruled the libyan people

with an iron fist. human rights were denied, innocent civilians were detained, beaten and killed. libya' wealth was squandered. enormous potential of the libyan people was held back and terror was used as a political weapon. today we can definitively say the qaddafi regime has come to an end. the last major regime stronghold have fallen. the new government is consolidating the control over the country. and one of the world's longest serving dictators is no more. one year ago the notion of a free libya seeped impossible. -- seemed impossible. but then the libyan people rows up and demand their rights. and when qaddafi and his forces started going city to city, town by town to brutalize men, women and children, the world refused to stand idly by.

faced with the potential of mass atrocities, and a call for help from the libyan people. the united states and our friends and allies stopped qaddafi's forces in their trarks. a coalition that included the united states, nato and arab nations persevered through the summer to protect libyan civilians. meanwhile the courageous libyan people fought for their own future and broke the back of the regime. this is a momentous day in the history of libya. the dark shadow of tyranny has been lifted and with this promise the libyan people have a great responsibility to build an inclusive and tolerant and democratic libya that stands as the ultimate rebuke to qaddafi's dictatorship. we look forward to the announcement of the country's liberation. the quick formation of an interim government and a stable transition to libya's first free

and fair elections. and we call on our libyan friends to continue to work with the international community to secure dangerous materials, and to respect the human rights of all libyans, including those who have been detained. we are under no illusions. libya will travel a long and wedding road to full democracy. there will will be difficult days ahead. but the united states together with the international community is committed to the libyan people. you have won your revolution. now we'll be a partner as you foreign a future that provides dignity, freedom and opportunity. for the region today's events prove once more the rule of an iron fist inof -- comes to an end. citizens have stood up to claim

their rights. those leaders who try to deny their dignity will not succeed. for us here in the united states we are reminded today of all those americans that we lost at hand after qaddafi's terror. their families and friends are in our thoughts and in our prayers. we recall their bright smiles, their extraordinary lives, and their tragic deaths. we know that nothing could close the wound of their loss, but we stand together as one nation together by their side. for nearly 8 months many americans provided extraordinary service in support of our efforts to protect the libyan people and provide them with a chance to determine their own destiny. our skilled diplomats have helped lead an unprecedented global response. our brave pilots have flown in libyan skies. our sailors have provided support off libya's shores. and our leadership with nato has

helped guide our coalition. without putting a single u.s. service member on the ground we achieved our objectives. and our nato mission will soon come to an end. this comes at a time when we see the strength of american leadership across the world. we have taken out al qaeda leaders and put them on the path to defeat. we are winding count war in iraq and have begun a transition in afghanistan. now work in libya with friend and allies we demonstrated what collective action can achieve in the 21 1/2 century -- in the 21st century. above all today belongs to the people of libya. this is a moment for them to remember all those who suffered and were lost under qaddafi. and they look forward to the promise of a new day. i know the american people wish the people of libya the best in

a challenging and hopeful days, weeks, and months and years ahead. thank you very much. megyn: president obama calling this the end of a long and painful chapter for libya. saying he can say definitively that the moammar qaddafi regime has come to an end. but pending the reports of his death on the libyan people. saying the resume of an iron fist has come to an end. and calling on libyans secure their dangerous weapons. he says this was achieved without putting americans on the ground, saying our mission is done. the president adding, you have won your revolution. ed henry is sitting there on the spot listening to the president. though the president did not take questions. the key pieces of the president's address as you heard

them. my apologies. we don't have ed. we'll go to david piper who is in libya now, and who has been following these events. david, the president's line about the libyan people, calling on them to secure their dangerous weapons which is a piece of this story americans care a lot about. >> reporter: yes. that's a very important part of this story. when i first arrived here about six weeks ago i went to a munitions dump, mines and mortars and shells. a few days later that was empty. people are trying to secure these weapons. but in particular those surface-to-air missiles are a major concern as they get into the terrorist hand they could take down commercial jets. but the libyan people are trying to if you are democracy. the transitional council said once sirte falls, they will now

push toward fair and free elections which will be perhaps in several months' time. but they have committed themselves to it. it's just the details and trying to get all the different groups in this country to agree and perhaps give up their weapons. a lot of these groups have armed militias at the moment. megyn: what will happen now in terms of securing those weapons? who will sb overseaing it? -- who will be overseeing it? >> reporter: there are some western groups in here. there is also groups linked to the american embassy. and a few military on the ground trying to help them secure these sites. when we went to sirte a few days ago to see what was happening and the fighting. we saw a number of asked you missiles on launchers being transport out of sirte about it revolutionaries.

we understand qaddafi's forces fired one in bani walid earlier in the campaign. they were bringing them back to tripoli to put them into storage. we have seen tanks and heavy weapons being moved back to tripoli. but the real concern, though, is those surface-to-air * missiles. they are extremely dangerous as are mines. that is the key now, to get those weapons under control here, megyn. megyn: we can hear what we are told is celebratory gunfire in the background. tbfer al qaeda, before bin laden, there was moammar qaddafi. the deposed dictators considered one of the fathersf terror. who could forget president ronald reagan calling him a mad dog after a bombing at a berlin kiss cokilled american

servicemen and it was believed they were the target. april 1986. >> this mad dog of the middle east has a goal of a muslim fundamentalist revolution which is targeted on many of his arab come patriots. where we figure in that eyes don't know. maybe we are the enemy because it's like climbing mount everest. because we are here. megyn: the u.s. would strike back. qaddafi narrowly missing death when missiles took out his home. michael reagan is my guest now. michael, you remember very well how your father handled libya and qaddafi. i want you to tell us what your memories are. but would i like to get your reaction to the news he is dead today. >> i think it's great news for the world and libya.

but we don't need to stop and think the job is done. you have to be involved to make sure you don't have al qaeda and everybody else going into libya and having a government that's not friendly to the western part of the world. we need a government there who is pro-democracy and pro-western part of the world. if we do not stay engaged at this point, if we walk away you can be looking at another afghanistan, another iraq, we need to be engaged more than ever. it's not the end, it's only the beginning of what when need to do there. megyn: president carter had a different policy with respect to libya. when your dad came in he was sick and tired of laying down for moammar qaddafi and decided to establish a new rule. tell us. >> he did. you might remember, jimmy carter decided that we wouldn't do war games in the gulf. in fact if you were shot at you had to call back to washington, d.c. to see if it was okay to

tire back. my father chairngd the rules of engagement. august 18 i was having dinner with my taught -- moammar qaddafi sending planes log onto our boys. there is a great fear they will fire on our boys. if they are fired if upon what should we do? he said fire back. ed said what in they fire back. my dad said chase them back to their hangars if necessary. but you will chase them down if they shoot at our boys. libya knew if you are going to attack you are going to be attacked back. megyn: a couple years later in 1986. this discoteque was bombed in berlin. it was a known hangout for servicemen and two were killed. your dad fought back then as

well once it was determined that libya was complicit in connection with that action. he ordered an aerial bombing attack in tripoli and benghazi. moammar qaddafi wound up suggesting a retaliation begins among others. >> he was in the planning stages of going in there and take out the homes of moammar qaddafi that he lived in. in that air strike moammar qaddafi said his adopted daughter had been killed. we found out recently in the last year she is well and alive and living the good life. the reality is he used his daughter as an excuse to come after myself and my family by having a press conference naming my family that base was adopted he needed to retaliate because the president's adoptive family. the secret service and i and my family got chummy for a long period of time and scared the hell out of my family, scared

the hell out of my wife. you can imagine being put in that position. megyn: when the rebel forces captured his compound and we saw the crazy pictures of them putting on his gear and hats. we also saw this picture of them pulling over this statue, it was a hand holding an american fighter pilot. the significance of that, michael? >> the significance of that, we also had -- we have navy people on the ground being killed in airplanes, being hijacked. we had the military that moammar qaddafi was against. he wanted to show to his people web was the strong person, the one who would win over ronald reagan. one thing ronald reagan didn't do. he didn't feel he needed to go to the united nations to get permission to be the president of the united states. he act as the president to defend america, defend our military. whether air force, navy,

marines, coast guard, he was going defend them without asking permission from others to do the job he needed to do as president. megyn: you heard president obama talk about this is what collective action can achieve in the 21st century. talk about it wasn't just america this time around, it was nato. >> nato doesn't exist without the united states of america. everybody knows that. the united states of america does take a lead when it does come to nato. but the good senator from florida said sit right. the reality of it is, could it have been done earlier and saved a lot of lives on the ground? it probably could have been done much earlier. the fact is it is done at this point. now is not the time for the president of the united states to sit back on his laurels and say look at what i did it's what the military did. now, mr. president, what are you going do to secure the peace in

that area of the world. not only do we lack leadership in washington, we lack leadership in the world. megyn: i have got to go, my apologies. we are 5 seconds away from a hard break. ♪ that's good morning, veggie style. hmmm [ male announcer ] for half the calories -- plus veggie nutrition. could've had a v8.

megyn: this a fox exclusive. our pentagon team confirming that a u.s. predator drone helped in the takedown of the libyan leader moammar qaddafi. >> reporter: a senior u.s. defense official confirms to foicts was a u.s. predator drone, an armed u.s. predator drone along with one french fighter jet that fired on the convoy of moammar qaddafi as it was leaving sirte. it was heading towards bani

walid. those french officials say there were 80 vehicles in the convoy. but we confirmed from pentagon official that an armed u.s. predator drone also fired on the convoy it appears what seems to have happened. the convoy was hit. moammar qaddafi was able to escape his vehicle. he climbed into a ditch and drain pipe. he was dragged out by rebels. we have video showing he was alive when he was taken by those rebels, then he was killed by a .millimeter weapon with a shot to the head. megyn: this has become a tactic of choice about it united states to use the predator drones. we are seeing it more and more whether it's in pakistan or the northwest region. now we see this with respect to qaddafi. we took out a terrorist a calm weeks aloe, al-awlaki using a

predator droarn. >> reporter: when you here the quote unique capabilities that the u.s. has, they are talking about this incredible surveillance ability and the lethal ability of these unmanned drones. there are new bases being set up in the say shells and ethiopia and in the arabian peninsula near yemen. they are setting up drone bases in many places in africa because they are finding this is such an important and lethal weapon in these territories. megyn: it's become something of a tool for your pentagon and seemingly really effective. jennifer, thank you so much. we are just a couple minutes away from a briefing at the white house. the president did not take questions. but his press secretary will. the reporters will get a chance

to ask questions about the events in libya today. hopefully we'll hear a response to some of the questions asked about the mission that have been raised by some u.s. senators on the gop side. the white house has yet to speak to that. we'll hear some back and forth and hear some more details how the president found out and how the events of the day have gone on. always an interesting color on an event like this. angry new reactions after vice president biden warns murder and violent rape will spike if congress does not pass the jobs bill. dose have a point or has he crossed a line. a fair and balanced debate. >> vice president biden made a couple comments i believe were over the top. he's attempting to use fear tactics on the american people. [ female announcer ] once you taste

new fiber one 80 calories... ...with its sweet honey taste, 40% daily value of fiber... ...and 80 calories per serving... ...you may want to tell a few friends. ♪ or all of them. ♪ i'll go get my bowl. [ female announcer ] new fiber one 80 calories. yes, you can actually love breakfast. ♪ i'm not a line item on a budget. d i'm definitely not a pushover. but i am a voter.

so washington... before you even think about cutting my medicare and social security benefits... here's a number you should remember. 50 million. we are 50 million seniors who earned our benefits... and you will be hearing from us... today and on election day. ♪ megyn: we expect to hear reporters question the white house press secretary any moment on the reported death of libyan leader moammar qaddafi earlier today. david lee admiral was on the front lines for the pivotal events last 6-8 months and he joins in our newsroom. you were there in the waning days of the qaddafi regime. let me ask you. how much support do you believe he actually had among his people? >> reporter: in trip live he

had less support than wanted. but he had more support than i think many people realize. let's take a look at a videotape from the qaddafi compound april 14. the man you see there told me he was a dentist. he said he will go to rallies like this because he wanted to be a human shield. he was prepared to die for moammar qaddafi. you see many people at this rally that took place every night on the compound. volunteers who served as human shields? why did they do it? some feared intimidation and others had special interests they thought they were going to win. i'll tell you story i have not told until now. i was actually threatened by someone in the lobby of the journalist hotel, an individual who would not identify who he was. he said he will have my passport confiscated and have me arrested as a spy for calling in air strikes from nato. there were hard-core supporters and there are still people who

sympathize with moammar qaddafi. megyn: unbelievable. david lee. he has been out of power now for months because they took over his compound. but there was always the question about whether they could get him, get an kill him and what that would mean for the people 6 libya for the trans -- the people of libya for the transitional council. >> reporter: he has been out of power for many many months. but what happened today is a symbolic importance. and i think it will have possible long-term consequences good and bad. the one thing that kept libya together for 42 years was moammar qaddafi. he was the glue that kept together 130-plus tribes and special interest groups. he was also the glue that kept the rebels together. you have many divergent groups sharing one thing in common. their hatred of moammar qaddafi. now the special interest groups

can pursue their own agenerals today. it will be interesting to see how these special interest groups try and divide and possibly cause what may be even a civil war in libya. one thing to keep in mind quickly historically. libya in the east which is where benghazi was is not very pro qaddafi. that's why the rebels were able to gain traction there. the west, the capital of tripoli traditionally more pro-qaddafi. it will be interesting to see how those two geographic areas reconcile. megyn: thank you so as much, david lee. i want to take to you the white house have jay carney has take to the lectern. let's take a his to the back and forth with reporters. >> we are working with our allies as well as others to confirm those reports. we have confidence in those reports and that's why the president made the statement he did make.

>> does the u.s. have a clear idea who is in charge in libya right now? >> yes, the tnc is in charge. it's the on authority claiming to be in charge in libya. and. i would refer to what the president said will the process going forward once liberation had been established. the commitments the tnc made in terms of moving forward with the transitional government and a democratic future for libya. >> do you have any concerns about what may not know? >> it's been 7 months, i believe, since the nato mission was undertaken. there has been a number of months since we recognized the tnc. and we have even prior to that been engaged diplomatically with the tnc as have our allies. so we have a good, we believe a

feeling for and understanding of that body. and we would simply point you to the statement they have made about their commitment to a democratic transition in libya. >> finally, does the president see this development as a vindication of his approach to war? >> the president views this as a victory for the libyan people. the approach that he took was to assess the situation in libya, which at the time was faced with potential massacre at the hands of the qaddafi regime. he unthat we working with our allies -- he understood that we could take action to prevent a massacre of people in benghazi and he took that action and engaged the u.s. military in a leading role initially in that thanks that nato mission.

then as promised, a supporting role thereafter. i remember saying at the time that this was an action designed to give libiate best chance and the libyan people the best chance to determine their future. it needed to be for the libyans to take control of their country and for the libyans to decide how and by whom they would be led. the president believes that the actions taken by his administration and by nato have helped the libyan people reach this day. and that they now have an opportunity to secure a much brighter and more democratic future. and that was the goal all along. when you make it calculations this president made then and

makes when all matters of national security are at stake, he looks at american interests, and he looks at our ideals. and they do not have to be mutually exclusive. that is the approach he took here and it's the approach he applies as commander-in-chief. >> the president mentioned an end to the rule of the iron fist. does the president believe it sends a message to syria? >> the president believes that syria's leader has lost his legitimacy to rule. the violence he perpetrated against his own people is unacceptable. i think it's fair to say that event of this entire year in that region of the world have

spoken more dramatically than any individual could about where the future lies in that region it's a future that lies with the youth of the region and those who are demanding greater democracy and accountability from the governments, greater freedom. that's true in syria as it is in libya. >> will the president deepen u. -- support for the libyans in the transition? >> we remain committed as the president said to libya and the libyan people. we will work with our international partners to further assist libya as they make this transition. as the president said, libya's future is obviously undetermined. there is a long and wedding road ahead for lib -- a long and winding road for libya.

we witnessed the libyan people taking control of their country and putting themselves in a position to create a better future for the young people in libya and future generations of libyans. there are no guarantees as to what that future will look like. but they are in a far better place now because of what they achieved with our assistance and nay toes assistance. and that makes this a very good day. >> to follow up. what will the u.s. be doing to help the libyans in this process? i know there are a lot of state department personnel on the ground and very few military personnel, just guarding the u.s. embassy. what can and will the u.s. do? >> i think it's premature to get into specific forms of assistance. would i refer to you the state department for the kind of after he is stance we already provided

i just don't have a lot of information about what kind of assistance we'll be providing libya in the future. beyond what we have announced in terms of as you mentioned personnel on the ground, our embassy, and our efforts to relating to security. but going forward we'll be committed to helping libya, together with our international partners, helping the libyan people make this important transition. >> i understand nato is going to talk about what next now that qaddafi is apparently gone. can you tell us any more about that? >> i think it's clear the nato mission is coming to an end. i'll leave to it nato to formally declare that. but the mission that was outlined in the united nations security council resolution was clear. to protect the libyan people

from violence perpetrated by forces associated with the qaddafi regime. not just because of the announcement of qaddafi's death, but because of the successful taking of sirte and other areas, most of libya is now under control of rebel forces under the control of the tnc. and that obviously bears on the nato mission. bears on the security of the libyan people. but pill leave to it nato to make announcements about that. >> jay, [inaudible] libyan authorities work with the international community with dangerous materials. can you elaborate on that? >> as you know, we have talked about before, the united states is committed to helping libya secure its conventional weapons

stockpiles including recovery, control and disposal of shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles. in the wrong hands these systems known as manned portable defense air systems can pose potential threats to civil aviation. we welcome the leadership of the tnc on this issue. they made a formal request for u.s. support and we are committed to expanding our assistance effort. since april u.s. activities include $3 million in aid to mag international, the swiss foundation for mining. the ngos working with the tnc to survey bunkers and secure unconventional weapons. funding for our quick reaction force. civilian technical specialists who have been in libya since early september and contact with regional governments and our

international partners to build a coordinated approach to this shared security challenge. in cooperation with the tnc our teams on the ground have destroyed thousands of man pads during nato operations. weapons bunkers were a major target. many of these weapons are under the control of tnc forces. >> the language here as per the announcement of qaddafi's death, i haven't heard you or the president say specifically qaddafi is dead. has that not been confirmed by the white house? >> we are confident in the reporting and we have obviously seen the announcements by the authorities in libya from the tnc. so we have no reason to doubt this. we are not on the ground making that assessment. but we have confidence in the reports that qaddafi is dead.

yes? >> the vice president said this morning the america sent $2 billion and didn't lose a single life. does the president agree this is a prescription for the future that isn't just for libya? >> the vermont's point is an important one. actually far less than $2 billion, between $1 billion and $2 billion total. but i think it's important. the approach the president took here was designed to insure we worked together internationally with our partners. that nato functioned as it should. and that our allies after the initial phase in the united states military forces took the lead, that our allies in nato thereafter took the lead and we were in support. that enabled us to do many things. megyn: that is the white house

press secretary speaking to many issues. we are going to continue to show you this remarks and the q and a live on foxnews.com if you care to listen to mr. carney on a number of issues. we want to get to that debate about vice president bind and his comment about more rapes are and robberies occurring if people don't get behind the president's jobs plan. a number of senators on the gop side have taken issue with the vice president today. we'll have that for you right after this break. i'm making my money do more.

i'm consolidating my assets. i'm not paying hidden fees or high commissions. i'm making the most of my money. and seven-dollar trades are just the start. i'm with scottrade. i'm with scottrade. i'm with scottrade. and i'm loving every minute of it. at scottrade, we give you commission-free etfs, no-fee iras and more. come see why more investors are saying... i'm with scottrade.

megyn: existing home sales falling more than expected. the national association realtors said sales dropped 3%.

economists predicted a 2% dip. it's on pace to match last years alarming figures, the worst in 13 years. new condemnation of controversial comments by vice president joe biden. he suggested that rapes and murders could spike if congressional republic dance don't pass a bill to prop upstate budges to save the jobs of police officer and firefighters. it echoes similar remarks he made in michigan and republicans are firing back. >> vice president biden made a number of comments i believe were over the top. to me the vice president is attempting to use fear tactics on the american people, and really to me shows a sign of desperation of the vice president and of this administration because they realize that their policies have failed the american people.

they inherited a tbag situation. and they have made it worse. megyn: joining me now is jamu green and andrea tantaros who is cohost of "the five." you have these republicans coming out, marco rubio also. but the rnc co-chair sharon day came out and called this irresponsible, mean spirited, said it's intellectually disquloafnt, it's gutter politics. where is the outrage from women's and victim's rights groups about being used like this. you used to be the president of such a group. what say you? >> the outrage will be when a woman is being attacked and the response time is slowed down because that $13 million in the jobs act didn't go to shore up the cops and firefighters the communities need.

that's why vice president bind is so passionate about this. it makes sense for him to have this rant. he has been the leader in combating violence against women the past 20 years. megyn: do you think people who vote against this bill are in favor of violence against women? >> absolutely not. but he was making it clear when public servants have been denonized so much in the austerity debate it has stark crystal consequences and those are your child is going to have 40 people in their class instead of 20. when you call 911, are you going to be put on hold? this is a serious situation. megyn: is it the fault of republicans in congress who oppose this third round of sometime lums or is it the fault of the states? >> it's the fault of the states for mismanaging their budgets. if they could manage their finances and not doing out these generous pension packages we

wouldn't have to have federal spending. you look at at money dolled out by this administration. let's look at the facts. rapes in new york city. they got 16 billion doors. it has gone up. the more experiencing, the crime levels have gone up. how do you justify that. it's scare politics designed to get the women vote and make republicans look like they don't care if they get raped. megyn: that's what the rnc chair said. she said this is a calculated message. even when he was challenged on it by a report, look at him. he doesn't back down. watch this exchange. >> were you right using a rape reference? >> what i said. don't sceu around with us. let me -- listen to me. >> i'm rinsing. >> i said rape was up three times.

go look at the numbers. murder is up, rape is up and burglaries are up. that's what i said. >> if the republicans don't pass this bill than rape will continue to rise. >> murder, rape, all crimes will continue to rise. >> do you think it's appropriate for the vice president to use language in such a way -- megyn: that was the end of this. is this calculated in thee times he doubles down on it. >> vice president biden is not known for biding his tongue. but the reality is we have to look at states i believe in california where women were being asked to pay for their own rape kits. this is more about are you going to have the type of response you need when you call 911? are going to have enough teachers in place? megyn: how many bailouts do we give? >> it's not about cutting them off, it's getting them through this crisis situation. we had an interesting conversation with lou dobbs where you talked about public

sector jobs are the ones being lost across the country. megyn: he said it wasn't the case. 400,000 public second store jobs. andrea, does the vice president have a point that it actually could happen that if we don't help them the rape rate will go up. >> this is crazy. i'll tell you why it's a calculated strategy. in 2010 harry reid came to the senate floor and said if we don't pass another jobs bill men would beat their wives. this is stretching it. it looks desperate and it should outrage women. >> if you are being attacked and you call 911 -- >> spending is at an all-time high. megyn: who do you blame for that? do you blame those who have gotten lucrative contracts? >> we have to find solutions. that's what the americans want. it was a solution it was to put

$5 billion back into the hands of the states for comes and firefighters. , when i got my medicare card, i realized i needed an aarp... medicare supplement insurance card, too. medicare is one of the great things about turning 65, but it doesn't cover everything. in fact, it only pays up to 80% of your part b expenses. if you're already on or eligible for medicare, call now to find out how an aarp...

medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company, helps cover some of the medical expenses... not paid by medicare part b. that can save you from paying up to thousands of dollars... out of your own pocket. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans... exclusively endorsed by aarp. when you call now, you'll get this free information kit... with all you need to enroll. put their trust in aarp medicare supplement insurance. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. the prices are competitive. i can keep my own doctor. and i don't need a referral to see a specialist. call now to get a free information kit. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. and the advantages don't end there. choose from a range of medicare supplement plans... that are all competitively priced. we have a plan for almost everyone, so you can find one that fits your needs and budget. with all medicare supplement plans, there are virtually no claim forms to fill out. plus you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts medicare.

and best of all, these plans are... the only medicare supplement plans endorsed by aarp. when they told me these plans were endorsed by aarp... i had only one thing to say... sign me up. call the number on your screen now... and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan. you'll get this free information kit... and guide to understanding medicare, to help you choose the plan that's right for you. as with all medicare supplement plans, you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts medicare, get help paying for what medicare doesn't... and save up to thousands of dollars. call this toll-free number now.