the bankamericard cash rewards card. apply online or at a bank of america near you. >> steve: all right. tomorrow on the program, elizabeth hasselbeck will be coming over from "the view." sometimes it's lonely on her couch. >> gretchen: bob massi will be here to take your questions on foreclosures and so much more. and michelle magazine kin will be here. >> brian: you can always count on one candidate to show up. see you tomorrow. good morning, everybody. 9:00 in new york. seal team six has done it again. report that is the same elite fighting force that took out osama bin laden getting credit for a daring rescue freeing an american from the hands of somali pirates. that's where we start. i'm bill hemmer on a good note today. how are you, martha. martha: that is good place to start. hello, bill. good morning, i'm martha maccallum. the seals pulling off a daring rescue picking off nine somali pirates.

in doing so they freed a pair of hostages including this young woman, american jessica buchanan. she had been held captive for the past three months. bill: let's go to the pentagon. jennifer griffin, you saw some signs last night. what was that? >> reporter: the biggest sign, the president walked into the chamber and shook hands with leon panetta the defense secretary. here is what he said. [applause] >> leon, good job tonight. good job tonight. >> reporter: we should have known what he was talking about at that point but we didn't. it was this raid had been called. he said good job tonight to panetta. we can confirm that 50 u.s. forces were involved in the raid into somalia to rescue those two hostages. they were from the navy seals. but 50 people on the ground in sew small yaw, those two

hostages had been held since october, bill. bill: this is quite interesting because it wasn't just on one of these ships out at sea. this was actually on the ground there in-country. we know it is the navy seals. the reports are it was team seal six. where are the former hostages now, jennifer? >> reporter: what we know the raid was launched from a camp in djibouti. where the most of the drone flights from horn of africa and yemen are flown out of. we understand the hostages were taken there and still on the ground there. president obama spoke last night to jessica buchanan's father. we have a picture released by the white house. that seal team as well as hostages flew to djibouti after they freed the hostages and killed the nine somali captors. bill: jennifer. breaking news this morning. when you get more come on back, thanks, at the

pentagon. martha: you heard him last night. president obama saying everyone has to pay their fair share he believes. he laid out his economic vision for america in the state of the union address last night. the president says that the wealthy should pay more in taxes, not less. >> tax reform should follow the buffett rule. if you make more than a million dollars a year you should not pay less than 30% in taxes. and my republican friend tom coburn is right. washington should stop subsidizing millionaires. in fact if you're earning a million dollars a year you shouldn't get special tax subsidies or deductions. on the other hand, if you make under $250,000 a year like 98% of american families, your taxes shouldn't go up. martha: so will that kind of policy work? stuart varney joins me now, fox business network. stuart, clearly this is the note that the president has been hitting for some time. even had warren buffett's

secretary as living demonstration there last night, next to or seated mrs. obama. will it work? >> yeah, that's the question, isn't it, everyone wants to know? will it work? will it produce growth and return to prosperity in the american economy? well, here are the economic policy anything gets you can dig out the state of the union speech. as you mentioned there, martha, millionaire's pay 30% tax rate. item one. number two, raise tax on companies that employ people overseas. tax their profits. three, double down on solar. more subsidies for solar despite solyndra. number four, punish oil companies. take away their tax deductions. those are four nuggets. will they produce growth? well depends who you ask of course but that is the question. will those ideas which surfaced last night in the state of the union message, is that going to create a more viable economy, more vigorous economy, with growth and prosperity for

all? will it? martha: i mean most people who are in warren buffett's shoes and you know, that is very small number, when he talks about the wealthy in general, stuart, you're talking about capital-gains tax in many respects. >> yeah. martha: he didn't mention capital-gains tax. he didn't mention the people pay a different rate because the people are paid on money second time around after they invested money they made and paid more than that on. no specifics what that would mean at all? >> no, it was very political speech at all. you're right, there was no suggestion that we start suggesting capital gains at the same rate we tax ordinary income. that was completely missed out. all we have is 30% tax rate on people making more than a million dollars a year and take away some of their tax deductions. i do want to mention apple. that was the other big story that broke just before the speech. martha: it sure was. >> apple blew them away with world sales of ipads, iphones and profitability. they employ 700,000 people in china.

does the president now propose to tax and punish apple for their success as an overseas employer? good question to ask. martha: very good. he asked steve jobs a year ago if he could bring the jobs back from china and manufacturer the products in the united states and steve jobs basically said, that was not going to happen. >> steve jobs's widow was a guest. martha: thanks, stuart. good to hear from you as always. bill: president obama obama talking about people making more than $250,000 a year. latest numbers from 2009, 2 1/2 million people had adjusted gross income of $250,000 or more. they paid about $400 billion in federal income tax. that is 45% of all federal income tax collected in washington. irs data showing if the government took 100% of all taxable income it would take more than three years to pay down our debt which right now is 15 plus trillion

dollars. the government spends 75% of what every american earns over the course of the year. chew on that a while. >> add that up and get there with those numbers. now that the president laid out his plan last night he is hitting the road to sell the plan as presidents generally do after a state of the union. he is making sure he hits all the swing states. they usually do that in an election year as well. later today we'll look where he is touring. an engineering and manufacturing plant in iowa today. from there he heads to arizona. he ends the day in las vegas. the president will then visit colorado, michigan, where he will highlight the energy security, education and job training plans. he has a busy day. bill: there is big reaction last night. republicans firing back after the state of the union address. indiana governor mitch daniels says the president resorted to extremism to divide americans and win re-election in november. >> the extremism that stifles the development of homegrown energy or cancels

a perfectly safe pipeline that would employ tens of thousands or jacks up consumer utility bills for no improvement in either human health or world temperature, is a pro-poverty policy. it must be replaced by a passionate pro-growth approach that breaks all ties and calls all close ones in favor of private sector jobs that restore opportunity for all, and generate the public revenues to pay our bills. bill: there was another issue too on the governor's mind, the current state of the economy and this high unemployment rate. he says the policies put forward by this administration last night are nothing more than more of the same. martha? martha: guess who was back on the scene last night? that gentleman, herman cain. he delivered the tea party response to the president's speech. the former presidential candidate says washington needs common sense solutions to fix the economy instead of what he caldwell-scripted rhetoric. >> the fact he cited lincoln

was very clever since lincoln was a republican. but as we were listening to his speech he named at last count at least seven or eight new entities that were going to be created which to me sounds like more government. so the fact that he quoted lincoln about government being smaller, it didn't match the ideas that he put on the table tonight. martha: last year congresswoman michele bachmann spoke at that tea party response after the state of the union, bill. bill: meantime we're getting an early look now at where florida voters stand ahead of the primary. that is a week from yesterday. latest "quinnipiac poll"s out of florida today, mitt romney would win the republican vote with 36%. gingrich is gaining ground. he gained 10 points in the last week. latest real clear politics average of all the polls,

shows gingrich has the lead in florida with 36.8%. 61% said they made up their mind. 38% said their decision could change. martha: we love the late deciders. we are the iting some new details on real votes. florida republican party reporting as of close of business last night, primary voters requested more than 487,000 absentee ballots. this could get interesting, folks. and more than 207,000 of those people have already cast their vote in the florida election. more than 82,000 people showed up for the early voting sessions. that amounts to about 290,000 residents of the sunshine state voting before the big day actually happens. so that will be a factor. we'll be talking about that you can bet on tuesday night. the impact of all of that and we'll speak to newt gingrich as he campaigns in florida this morning. we will get his take on the

president's state of the union address and on the fierce, scrappy battle going on between newt gingrich and mitt romney. we'll talk to him about that. stick around for newt gingrich 30 minutes from now. bill: we had a debate on monday night. we have a debate sure night too. more to come. brand new polling numbers show a close race in that state. a look at the state of the race with a man who played a key role in nine presidential campaigns. who knows it better. martha: president obama blocked the keystone pipeline but republicans say they are not done with this issue yet. the new plan to go around the white house and get the keystone pipeline moving. this is very interesting. we'll take a look at that. and this. >> we got you. >> we got you. >> we got you. you're good. >> you got his head? bill: that is amazing to watch. this snowmobiler caught in an avalanche. what happened next to free him. >> he is all right. he said he is okay.

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martha: arizona congresswoman gabrielle giffords will resign from office to focus on the road back from the attempt on her life. what an extraordinary moment we saw last night. in the next hour we'll show that in a second. she will deliver her resignation letter and she promises quote to recover and to return to the congress. these are some of the moments from last night. louie gohmert embracing gabrielle giffords as she walked in. she spoke to friends along the way. they took time to show support for her. louie gohmert gave her a bag of chocolates. a tradition they had for years. president obama shared an emotional moment with the arizona congresswoman as well. much watch this. [applause]

martha: that was the emotional moment of the night, to be sure. the two of them embracing before the speech this morning. she will introduce her final bit of legislation and then she will submit her letter of resignation. we'll watch when that happens that is big moment for her as well. she will go back, she says and work on recovery and plan to return to congress in the future. a remarkable woman. bill: she looked great last night. >> 2012 must be the year we prove the doubters wrong. the year we strike out boldly, not merely to avert national bankruptcy but to say to a new generation that america is still the world's premier land of opportunity. republicans will speak for those who believe in the dignity and capacity of the individual citizen, who believe that government is met to serve the people rather than supervise them. bill: that was more of mitch daniels after the speech last night. did the president score any

points? he took on republicans in congress in a significant way right here. >> the state of our union is getting stronger. we've come to far to turn back now. as long as i'm president i will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum but i intend to fight obstruction with action. i will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place. bill: indiana congressman mike pence with reaction. running for governor in the home state of indiana. >> good morning, bill, good to be back. bill: what do you think last night? did he score points or not? >> let me say i think it was a missed opportunity for this president. as i travel around the hoosier state we have more

than a quarter of a million people in indiana are out of work. families are hurting. americans tuning in last night were hoping for a change of direction. what they heard more of the same, more borrowing, more spending, more government and even more taxes. i really think it was, it was in stark contrast to kind of the common sense, plain-spoken approach of our own governor mitch daniels and. so i think it was a missed opportunity for the president but i'm awful proud of the best governor in america. bill: unemployment in indiana still around 9%. >> yeah. it really is. bill: your state in certain communities has been fundamentally changed. i grew up in ohio and i know whether wisconsin or michigan or ohio or indiana or parts of western pa or missouri or illinois, fundamentally those communities have been changed forever. how will those folks react in november? >> well, i think they're looking for answers.

i really think that is what commended governor mitch daniels response last night to so many americans. i think, i think people know the pathway forward here is to get back to basics. to get back to fiscal responsibility. to government reform, and to relentless pursuit of pro-growth policies that focuses on private sector jobs. it was that kind of, that kind of common sense that i think the american people were hoping to hear from the president. but frankly, that is my third state of the union address with president obama and, frankly i didn't hear much new. again, it was more of the same failed economic policies in the past. bill: we're looking at here. health care was mentioned three times in 70 minutes. >> yeah. bill: no mention of the keystone pipeline which might not be a surprise on a lot of folks on the house side. no mention of $4 trillion debt added up over the past 3 1/2 some odd years. unemployment rate nationally

3 1/2%. those were put to the side. this was an opportunity for the white house paint an image of the country the way they ban wanted to paint it? did you find in that speech last night a path for re-election for him? >> i will leave that to pundits like you, bill. what i didn't see was a pathway to prosperity. what i didn't see was the president barking out new course where we forge bipartisan consensus on capitol hill to move america forward. when you're listening to governor mitch daniels. remember in indiana. not just talking about it. we've been doing it. indiana this governor reversed a $700 million debt in just a few short years. cut taxes. reformed education and hasn't yana poised now for tremendous period of economic growth. bill: folks in the hoosier state want that to happen. you have a little ways to go too.

something we're keeping an eye on whether indiana could be restored. >> we're proud of mitch daniels. we've been practicing fiscal discipline and reform. that is what the president should have focused on last night. bill: mike pence in washington today. >> thank you, bill. martha: there are serious accusations of conflict of interest. did the obama administration put politics over safety with the chevy volt. a new inquiry is it now underway on this on capitol hill. we'll tell you about that. bill: the mascot is supposed to ad spirit to the school. martha: yes, they are. >> what happens when they actually get attacked? we'll tell you about a school where kids are ducking for cover. look out here. ♪ .

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bill: they are known as the falcons at a high school in connecticut. now parents and students are fearing real birds of prey. a pair of red shouldered hawks aggressively protecting their territory in fairfield. >> as silly as might sound it could be potentially dangerous. we're talking about scratches. these talons are very sharp. >> she was on her bike and like apparently the hawk flew down and swooped her off her bike and she went on the ground. it was bad. yeah it was pretty bad. >> i heard stories attacking coming near people. so kind of scary. bill: stay in your car. the hawks have gone after three people but haven't caused any serious injuries. they're just chilling out maybe. martha: a hearing about general motors is underway. they're looking to the automaker and whether or not they got special treatments since the government partially owned the company. remember they called it government motors for a while. the president talking about rescue of the auto industry.

taking a lot of credit for that. here is a piece of that. >> today general motors is back on top as the world's number one automaker. [applause] together the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs. >> peter doocy is live on this subject for us this morning from washington. so, peter, what is the house panel saying to the obama administration in terms of what they did wrong here they believe? >> martha, they think the obama administration should have let gm and chrysler have let traditional bankruptcy process instead of intervening turning them into quote, quasi-private entities partially owned by the united states government. from the house oversight committee report. republican congressman jim jordan got into it with the national highway traffic safety administrator david strict land. he think it is strange that the transportation secretary ray lahood called the volt was safe while the nhtsa was trying to figure out if the volt was actually save. >> did mr. lahood know at

the time he gave answer to the question that there was a formal investigation going on. >> was very aware? >> our transportation secretary knew you were questioning about the vehicle an comments about the vehicle saying it was fine. that was given, that answer was given six weeks before you formally said it was fine? >> the secretary knew of all the facts and the details as whether they posed an implement -- >> don't you think that is? at least unusual. >> no, it wasn't unusual. secretaries are requested questions about all the time. he did it for toyota. >> so you can see, martha getting heated on the hill this morning. during a calmer moment administrator strickland said he would drive a volt and would drive his mom around in a volt too. martha: all right. well that is interesting. we'll see how his mom feels about that. at the heart of all this, peter, question of whether or not the administration made some attempt to make the volt look good, to help gm look good regardless about questions they had whether or not it was safe.

>> administrator strickland said his agency absolutely did not do that. he said explicitly gm does not get a pass because they are taxpayer subsidized. martha: thank you very much. peter doocy in d.c.. >> by the numbers on gm. reporting net income of $7.1 billion in the first three quarters of 2011. expected to add to the number when it reports full-year results about a month from now. the automaker selling nine million cars and trucks around the world. a million more than number two toyota. a leaner gm doing all of this. the auto giant reducing the u.s. workforce by 31,000 workers over the past three years. 28 minutes past the hour. martha: really busy on tuesday night. you know why? bill: yes, we are. martha: this is shaping up to be quite the fight in florida. new poll numbers who may be able to pull off a win in florida. bill: speaking of florida, newt gingrich is there today. he will be live here in "america's newsroom" in a matter of moments.

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bill: we're finding a new newt gingrich surge in national polling a week away from florida, the primary down there the former house speaker with a head of steam after convincing win in south carolina, out in front 35%. "rasmussen poll"ing, romney

slipping to second. gingrich beating romney in "real clear politics" average of all polls. ed rollins, fox news contributor. managed president reagan's campaign in 1984 election. played a major role in nine other presidential campaigns. >> how are you? bill: will go through things quickly. rasmussen has gingrich up 35 1/2 in national survey. romney at 2% . what do you make of these? >> momentum towards newt in florida and obviously nationally. he had a tremendous victory. you know, i think to certain extent people looked at him saying i like this guy. he is a fighter. he is what we want. bill: i think we need to get to why we see him as a fighter. we'll get to that in a moment. what are you saying about santorum and pressure on him? >> i think santorum his vote is going backwards, once again not having momentum. he doesn't have campaign or organization to move forward. when he finishes, whether after florida or shortly thereafter that vote will go to newt gingrich.

that is the conservative vote. obviously romney has done nothing to convert conservatives to come to his side. bill: right now in florida, i'm seeing 36-31. margin of victory from mccain over romney four years ago if that stands. south carolina saw significant increase in voters. it was glossed over i think for last few days with all the news in the cycle. 150,000 more voters voted in south carolina this year than four years ago. >> there is anger out there. people want to pick someone who can take on obama effectively. they see gingrich now as that person. you know, i think he is putting an organization together which he didn't have. he is really in the game. anybody who underestimates him is doing so at their own peril. bill: the reason why south carolina is significant, we did not get the sense out of new hampshire and iowa. did you? >> first, unemployment in south carolina, reflects more of the country than iowa does which has low unemployment and new hampshire not in as big a

trouble as rest of the country. where people are unemployed, people wore i ared about jobs. bill: now you're in a region of the country, whether 10% in south carolina or 10% in florida or 10% in georgia and north carolina, those people have been hurting. >> they have been hurting. they don't want the status quo. they don't want old answers. they want someone to shake the system up. ink about rich is the hand grenade thrower they think can do that. bill: would you expect in florida to replicate what south carolina did in terms of turnout or conclusion as well? >> i think both. it is not active state in sense of retail politics. people are getting revved up down there they are hurting for a while. to a certain extent the momentum is all gingrich. i don't think anything mitt can do to stop it right today. bill: you don't? >> i don't. bill: state of the union. how long does that glow last? >> today. bill: really, 24 hours? >> yeah. there was nothing new. still the class warfare. still very much rich people don't pay enough money that

is why everybody is in trouble. that doesn't sell. the country has been listening to this a long, long time. you can't spend more money you don't have, borrow more money. i don't think there is anything new, anything exciting. very much a populist. socialist rhetoric has become populist rhetoric. bill: can you remember a national election when it did work? >> no, absolutely work. not populist rhetoric. 1904 when teddy roosevelt ran. modern times people want to bring people together and find solutions. not one side to attack other and don't want the president --. bill: in your view gingrich is channeling that? more so than romney? >> he is tapping into that. no disrespect to romney, romney hasn't caught hold. he is sort of intellectual. he would be a strong can straight, what have you, argument someone else looks like a stronger candidate. bill: do you think gingrich has the ability to play long ball? >> we'll see. at this point it is all short ball.

win each week. i think to a certain extent he now has the momentum. putting a structure in place, there is a lot of people rallying to him and i think romney is trying to hang on type. once again he is not expanded his base. he has to do that. bill: it is remarkable thing to watch. ed rollins, thank you. see you tuesday night. >> terrific. martha: wow, very interesting assessments there from mr. roll linls. how do people who aren't politicians or pundits feel what they saw last night in the state of the union address? fascinating responses when they spoke last evening to pollster frank luntz after the speech. watch what they had to say about it. >> if you were to give the american people a single sentence to describe what you tut of this speech, what would it be. >> the same old rhetoric comes out every state. union speech. >> i want to see leadership to deliver on the rhetoric. >> i heard the same thing and same passions i heard throughout his campaign and at every other state of the union. don't believe it anymore.

>> it was dark and divisive. it was not for me. >> i appreciated the fact that he honored and remembered our troops. >> it was contradictary. >> he was in full-on campaign mode. >> he hit every point that people wanted to hear that liked him. >> clearly watching a different speech than the rest of them. >> he established hope for the future. >> he's, he's a weak leader but he does give good speeches. martha: very interesting. those folks are all across the board. when you think of that one woman who said, you know, i hear the same thing every time, there is a state of the union speech. sounded to me regardless who the president is. i just don't believe it anymore she said. there is so much frustration out there what is going on on both sides of the aisle now. bill: what ed relays here, we are really moving into a different aspect of this campaign. martha: yeah. bill: iowa, new hampshire and unemployment is about 5 1/2%. that is somewhat respectable

given fallout we watched over past four years. you're in a region of the country that is absolutely battered. those people are ticked off the they will express it one way or another. >> he feels newt gingrich is coming on very strong and mitt romney will have a tough time with him going forward. we'll see if that is right. we'll talk to newt gingrich moments from now. bill: checking out the market. 70 points to the low side. markets are keeping an eye on guess what? europe is back in the news. debt negotiations in greece, oh, boy. despite apple coming out saying we just bought the planet. martha: unbelievable, right? bill: they sold 37 million iphones in three months that is absolutely remarkable. martha: pretty much everybody knows that is one of their products over the holidays. that is just incredible, how about speaking of cell phones, it disrupted cell phone service. forced planes to land with a changed flight plan. we have incredible video. we talked to tom jones the other day, right? it could shut down the internet, mess with

defensivelies all of that. we'll show you what happened. bill: we mentioned newt gingrich pounding the pavement in florida. some of his attention on the current occupant of the white house. go figure, huh? >> one of the reagan slogans in 194 was leadership that's working. -- 1984. doesn't strike me obama can use that one. a friend of mine said, shifted from yes we can, to why we couldn't. bill: mitt romney two days ago. in a matter of moments. newt gingrich live in the sunshine state. what will he say today? stay tuned. martha: we'll find out.

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>> i do not understand except by god's grace people can survive some of the damage that i see in some of the rest deposition areas and the total destruction of some of the houses, especially over in the clay area. bill: last april, you remember, that state was hit again. twisters killed 242 during the storms. martha: last night the president said that he believes the defining issue of our time is how to keep the american dream alive. he talked about american promise as well. there is no doubt that the battle over how to do that will be the central choice that voters will make when they go to the polls this november. here is how the president framed his side and his take on it last night. >> no debate is more important. we can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really

well while a growing number of americans barely get by. or we can restore and economy where everyone gets a fair shot and everyone does their fair share and everyone plays by the same set of rules. [applause] martha: got about half the crowd on their feet last night. we'll ask newt gingrich to react to that statement moments from now and see what his plan will be. i want to get reaction from tucker carlson, editor of "the daily caller" and fox news contributor and alan colmes, host of the alan colmes show as well. alan, let me start with you. you saw half of the room standing at that. how did you think the president did last night? >> i think it was a pretty bipartisan speech. a republican president could have given the speech. talked about going after china for fair trade. tough on iran. go down the list of things. talked about drilling for oil. he has fewer regulations

enacted than previous president. those people will say he give as good speech. well, that is what the whole point of last night was. i mean i thought it was a very bipartisan speech. a lot of outreach and i didn't, i thought it was quite good. i'm not just saying that because i'm a democrat but i really think it was quite good. martha: tucker, -- >> tucker will laugh. martha: new agency to put in place to try to deal with china as part of the list. tucker, what was your take. >> alan is basically saying it was a right-wing speech i liked it. >> i didn't say right-wing but -- >> no, no very revealing. it was entirely political speech, right? it bore no resemblance to the obama administration we watched for last three years. where was mention of healthcare? where was explanation of all the great things the president's health care law has done? wasn't that supposed to change america forever. >> he mentioned health care. >> like parenthetically. this was a speech designed

to sound moderate but at its core, if you read it carefully he is making the case you are poor because some people are rich. right? that this small group of affluent people are keeping the rest of the country down. even bill clinton wouldn't have said that because he didn't believe it. this is actually not in keeping with the moderate democrat position at all. it is pretty left wing position. >> left wing? this is very moderate speech. the fact the rich are getting richer. the poor are getting poorer. he has not raised taxes for 95% of the working families and pledged to continue to doing the same thing. this was a speech that looked forward, not backwards. if he had gone through all his accomplishments you would have called it a campaign speech. that is not what he did. this was forward-looking speech. martha: fascinates me to hear both of you. i spoke to people react ways you are reacting this morning to the speech. some thought it was great. it outlines the defining issue of our time because the president clearly said last night, alan, he believes the government should sweep in and should help everybody. >> right. martha: the government

should play that role. that they should make things better. then you have the other side of the fence basically saying no. get out of the way, government. you've done enough damage. and we'd like to go another route. that will have to be sort of, you know the mantle taken up by gingrich or romney or santorum or paul or whoever it nice we saw what happened the last time the government got out of the way, deregulated. fewer regulation. the economy imploded. yes there is a role for government. what the big left-right debate always been where government should be. should government tell what to do with their reproductive organs? should government have net for people where nobody has to suffer more than necessary in america. that is what the argument is. martha: tucker? >> the argument overs what works. you get a president stands up with a straight face what we need more job training programs for workers in the manufacturing sector to transitioning new. that has been tried 30 years. has it worked? we have a verdict on that. the answer is no. someone who believes without any evidence in the restorative power of

government would say that. you're right. if he gave a speech what he had actually done it would not have been a campaign speech. he is not running what he actually did. >> that is not true. we know what he actually done. had a series of accomplishments. he talked about bin laden. talked about health care. he talked about -- >> he did not talk about health care, alan. >> he did cover all those things. but it was forward-looking speech. >> no, he didn't. martha: we'll pick up this conversation in the near future. thank you so much for being with us. tucker carlson, alan colmes. bill: now the guys kiss and make up. in moments here, newt gingrich reacts to nancy pelosi. she says she knows something about the former house speaker. gingrich will respond. plus there is this. [engine noise] martha: buried alive. a desperate rescue after an avalanche comes crashing down. >> it's like, being in concrete. i guess i would always figured you could move

somewhat. you wiggle here or wiggle there create yourself an air pocket. there was nothing. are you receiving a payout from a legal settlement or annuity over 10 or even 20 years? call imperial structured settlements. the experts at imperial can convert your long-term payout into a lump sum of cash today. ♪ [ gong ] strawberry banana! [ male announcer ] for a smoothie with real fruit plus veggie nutrition new v8 v-fusion smoothie. could've had a v8.

♪ . the ♪ champagne supernova in the sky he ♪. martha: rock on. we told but the solar storm hurting communications. delta air lines ended up diverting airline flights on the arctic routes that is exactly what tom jones told us they would have to do. that is not "lord of the rings". that is actual nature playing out as a display of the northern lights.

exciting, excited star-gazers as far as wales, as far south as wales i should say, u.s. space experts haven't heard about any disruptions in the solar system. as we know, my phone was not working yesterday. we're relating it directly to the solar storm. >> i would blame it on that too. rock on. terrifying moments now. snowmobilers in washington state when an avalanche much catches one of them off-guard. it is on video. watch this here. [engine noise] you may have caught it there. that hill giving way overtaking one of the snowmobilers. the man's friends luckily were right there nearby and they rushed to help. >> where is he at? >> can you breathe?

we got you buddy. we got you. you're good. >> you got his head? we got his head. >> shovels. bill: they managed to get him out eventually. he then described, his name is john swanson, what it was like being buried alive by snow. >> hillside broke free and, i was running down the hill and i could hear rafael yelling. he was saying get out of the way. i can't steer. it was like being in concrete. i guess i always figured you could move somewhat. wiggle here or there and create yourself an air pocket. there was nothing. the snow filled totally in. filled my mask in. every time i tried to inhale, i was inhaling ice balls. russ was telling, where are you at. he stepped on my head and started digging there. once they got my arms free i said quit digging. pull me out of there. bill: right on. get out of there he escaped without injury believe it or not. he watched video several times and can't believe what happened. he will be more careful in

the future. that is a lesson learned. martha: let's hope so. bill: lucky guy. had one of helmet cameras. martha: you have to hear about one of those. i got one of those for bill for christmas. bill: it is awesome. love it. martha: search crews are on the scene of the wrecked italian cruise ship. we'll have coming up more details about the captain's conversation with investigators. new information once again on what he did know or didn't know and didn't do. bill:. keeps on trickling it out, doesn't it? getting the keystone pipeline back on the table without white house approval? is that possible? we'll talk to a the congressman pushing for that just today. >> this project would create thousands upon thousands of jobs both in the united states and canada and would contribute energy security in the united states. we continue to believe this project is in the best interests of both countries. let me tell you about a very important phone call i made.

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martha: we are getting brand-new details now on the seal operation, navy seal operation to rescue and american hostage, a brand-new hour starts now of america's news room. i'm martha maccallum, good to have you with us this morning. bill: i'm bill hemmer, good morning as well. an american hostage rescued late last night on the ground in somalia. this was not on a ship. we have confirmed who was involved. martha: jennifer griffin is back with the breaking details. >> reporter: we can confirm that it was navy seal team six that was involved in the operation, that is the same unit that was involved in the osama bin laden raid last may. we are told from the military source that the individuals involved in the somali raid are not necessarily the same individuals that were involved in the osama bin laden raid. the seal team six is larger than the team that went in to deal

with the hostage crisis in somalia. we were told there were more than 50 forces involved in rescuing jessica buchanan, rescued with a dane. they were both working for a danish mining group. there were other branches of the military involved. this is a joint operation of military, we are told. when the president was speaking at the state of the union last night the mission had not been completed. he did know when the president spoke to leon panetta and walked into congress and said good job tonight we do know that the two hostages had been rescued, they were safe at that point but the entire mission was not complete during the operation. the president authorized this mission on monday, we're told. we are told that the deteriorating health of jessica buchanan was one of the contributing factors as to why the military decided to go last night. another factor was the fact that there was not -- that it was a

dark night, and so the weather conditions were good. we are told that the hostages were taken to a camp where they are receiving medical treatment at this time. the dthe deteriorating health of jessica buchanan was a factor in why they decided to move forward with this raid, martha. martha: how grateful these two people must have been when they could feel that something was happening and they were about to be freed by this extraordinary team. is there any feeling for when we will get an update on her condition? >> reporter: not at this point. she is receiving medical care from the military. we can say that all nine of her captures were killed in the raid, all nine of them were killed by this seal team six. martha: wow, incredible. boy, if you're in trouble, these are the folks that you want to

show up at the door. that is for sure. jennifer thank you so much. jennifer griffin at the pentagon. bill: good thing they are on our side, right? martha: yeah. bill: the battle over the keystone pipeline is mee meeting up again. there is a hearing underway looking to sidestep president obama and giving the congress authority to authorize it. it would bring energy from a friendly ally. jim angle is on this in d.c. no mention of keystone last night by the president, but speaker boehner was trying to draw attention to it, how so, jim. >> reporter: he had guests in his box that was hurt by the decision. bright and early this morning republicans president bush expressing their displeasure over the latest delay in the pipeline process, listen. >> it's not often that congress can take a single step that will simultaneously help produce the

future price at the gas pupl be, strengthening the nation's energy and security and creating tens of thousands of jobs. >> we've fought in tporld worst ii in less time it has taken so far to evaluate the project. >> reporter: democrats offered a new objection today calling it a republican ear mark to help their political friends. congressman waxman pointed to the coat brothers, republican contributors and asked that they be subpoenaed. >> we are not going to be subpoenaing the coke brothers and he we are not asking the coke brothers to appear because the coke brothers have nothing to do with this project. >> reporter: the chairman said he was going to recess the hearing. waxman called pointedly, are you going to call the coke brothers during the delay. that's when he got upset and talked about solyndra and the money the president gave to what he charged were some of his political allies. so that is where we're going owe far this morning, bill.

lots of hot, hockey back and forth. bill: hot, hockey, that's right. try to follow the bouncing ball here. the state department gave environmental approval last tphaul but protestors raised concerned about the aquafer in nebraska, where does that all stand right now. >> reporter: the state of nebraska had a special session of the legislate usual to find a new route, they are choosing that new route and the governor tells fox he plans to move on it, listen. >> so, again, the state department had already approved the route that was much more environmentally sensitive, so in my view he should have said yes to allow this to move forward. there is so much at stake for our country. >> reporter: many think the president delayed the decision to keep from having to anger part of his political base, bill, either environment ta hr*eutss that oppose the hype line or unionists who favor it. he says he will send it to the president no later than september putting it right back in the president's lap just

before the fall election. bill: watch the price of gasoline and find out if that is significant. jim angle in washington. martha: we'll talk to one of the lawmakers who introduced the legislation that would allow congress to approve the keystone project. part of the pipeline would run through texas. texas congressman ted poe is in the district where it would be moving through. we'll talk to him why he believes congress has the legal authority to go ahead and eye prove the pipeline. bill: the chairman of the black caucus, emanuel cleaver says the black community would be marching on the white house over the lack of jobs if the president were white. quote, the point i was making is that black people hold the president in such highest team that they would not dare march on the white house even though unemployment is at 15% and higher, and if there was a white president we would do that because we've had white presidents since george washington. the reverend jesse jackson here to reablg react to all this.

good morning, reverend, how are you. >> fine, thank you. bill: what do you make of that statement. >> black people have a great investment in president obama. there is great pain. i any in the factor apart from the affection is you're not born here, you're not a christian, you're a muslim, or you're a liar, i mean these attacks have also had a fact in making people pull ranks out of fear. bill: what the missouri congressman is talking about the economy. look at these numbers, you talk about fear or great pain. that was your phrase. unemployment for african-americans 15.8%. if you're 20 years or older 15.7%. african-american teenagers 42.1%. is any of that acceptable? >> no, that's not. those are profbs historical

discrimination. we've suffered the most home loss was banks targeted us. countrywide for example, steering, clustering and targeting homes, that's our first business is our home. you had the impact of home foreclosures. it came out last week the disparent see in the bankruptcies by the banks. the banks got bailed out, the people got locked out because it was not linked to investment and lending. bill: what has this administration done for them, if anything? >> well first of all, we were losing another thousand jobs a month. that hemorrhage stopped. the second thing is that he promised to bring home a hundred thousand troops from iraq, they were black-and-white alike, they are coming home. he's raised progress, that's a big deal. student loan and credit card

debt. we have been coming out of a big deep hole together and i am rather convinced if this split was not eco logical there would be more on jobs. what is hurting us is this radical gap between the liberal republicans and liberal democrats. bill: the tkeubts enormous in your state. the unemployment rate is way off the charts. when you consider all of those factors in the middle part of the country, really a story that has not been told at the national level i think america will find out what great pain there rile is in places like i wil illinois when the vote comes around in november. can this president win reee lacks. >> i'm convinc convinced that he can. the republicans choosing the 10th amendment, the power of the state sovereignty, eupl proceedings on the minority. think about dismissing president barack as a food stamp

president. hoeupb sulting, it's also misleading. bill: nobody infers race when they talk about food stamps and make that argument. >> it's very much been inferred but it's not an accurate statement. and so when you go to south carolina, bill, as an african-american not one community was a single black community, church or school. people like colin powell, and michael steele watched two black congressman scott and west, not one reached out at all to a state 30% black in an open primary. why they turn their backs on us? bill: why do you think? >> well, because they ran a white primary at expense of a more perfect union. there is a new south. that new south you can have pwoeupbg and honda and toyota in south carolina, where alabama can play lsu in the south.

you can have the super bowl in atlanta or the olympics, that's because we opened doors for a new south -- bill: you know that the issues down there are the same in illinois, whether it's 10% unemployment in south carolina, or 10% in florida, this is the part of the country that is going to start telling us a lot of about how we feel. >> the voting rights that were founded have discriminatory impact on seniors. it seeks to circumvent and take away the number five which protects voting rights. in the states 25% of all children are in poverty. 47% of parents have a skwrofpb a job. bill: you're in new york for the wall street project, i want to wish you the best of luck on that. there is more to talk about down the road. >> we need to deal with banks. banks behavior is central to us

making progress. bill: thank you, jesse jackson in new york. martha what is next. martha: newt gingrich is getting ready to make a big speech. before he does that he will speak with us here in "america's newsroom" live. we're going to ask him a lot of questions about what is going on in his campaign, that is straight ahead. bill: also the captain of that ocean liner that r-p ran aground in italy made a phone call from the police station after his arrest. turns out he was recorded. wait until you hear what he said at that time. martha. martha: it is one of the most troubled schools in one of the world's biggest cities, so this probably isn't going to boost anybody's confidence. we'll be right back. ♪ teacher i, teacher i, teacher i. ♪ ♪

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martha: there is a very emotional moment unfolding right now on capitol hill. you're watching gabby give oer gabrielle giffords as she walks in for this day of her final term. she will be resigning. she wants to work on her recovery a little more, she says then she will return. what an inspiration. anyone who thought she could not be as determined and use as much perseverance as she has is wrong. debbie wasser man schultz is one

of her dearest friends and she is right there by her side as we watch this unfold. mike emanuel is standing by with more on this. >> reporter: very touching moment seeing gabrielle giffords walk on to the house floor with her close friend and colleague debbie wasserman schultz. we expect giffords will not speak today. she has expressed the feeling that she plans to returning i, it is not clear whether sheet run for the house again. her close colleague, jeff flague says it was very powerful seeing everyone come up and greeting her at the state of the union, including the president of the united states, supreme court justices and other dignitaries, and said frankly, and compassionately that congresswoman give ford has trouble expressing herself after that injury. a touching moment. her resignation letter will be

read shortly on the house floor, martha. martha: a touching moment. let's take a look at what is going on now. [applause] martha: there was debbie wasserman schultz as we mentioned. there was one bit of legislation that has gabrielle giffords' name on it and it has to do with cross border drug smuggling on light aircraft. that is the legislation that is at hand here as she gets ready to present her letter of resignation on capitol hill this morning. bill: i thought she looked great last night, really the best we have seen her in a year's time. she was on "america's newsroom" a year ago in january, and that was what turned out to be her last national interview that she gave before she was shot. i had an opportunity to speak with her then. even though as a democrat we were asking her about principles

conservative and liberal she was a beacon of optimism for her district, the country and the mission she had in washington and always struck me, no matter how hard the head winds were facing her be it in washington or arizona she was always right on it when it came to optimism and hopefulness for the future. martha: let's listen to john boehner as he prepares the statement. >> is laid on the table. the house will be in order. the members can take their sea seats. for what purpose is the gentle lady from california wide. >> i ask unanimous consent to speak out of ordered. >> without objection so ordered. >> mr. speaker all of us come to

the florida, colleagues of congresswoman gabby give ford to salute her as the brightest star among us, the brightest star congress has ever seen. [applause] >> when she came to congress, and in her service and leadership here guantanamo bay guantanamleader gabrielle giffords brought to washington and the capitol the views of a new generational leader. from this floor she has spoken out courageous lee and led boldly at times that demanded

both. since the tragic events of one year ago congresswoman giffords has become an inspiring symbol of determination and courage to millions of americans. she has brought the word dignity to new heights by her courage. [applause] >> congresswoman giffords message of bi-partisanship and civility is one that all in washington and in the nation should honor and emulate as guantanamo bayee said in he guantanamemulate. as gabby said in her video this weekend, we can do so much more

by working together. [applause] >> in that vane mr. speaker i want to thank you for the courtesies extended to enable this extraordinary ceremony to take place today. thank you, mr. speaker. [applause] >> with your permission i'd like to acknowledge gabby's mother who is with us today, tkpwhroer why and hegloria, and her father, spencer who is watching from tuscan. gloria. [applause] >> we thank you, and we thank commander mark tele, a hero in his own right as an astronaut.

[applause] >> a hero in his own right as an astronaut and a commander of a mission, but also our personal hero for the care and love that he has given to gabby over this past year, oh, and before that to help make her, as gloria and spencer has the person that she is. i join all, i think all of our colleagues join in thanking you gabby for the honor of calling you colleague and wishing you and mark much happiness and success. you will be missed in the house of representatives, but your legacy in this congress, and your leadership in our nation will certainly endure. so, thank you for being who you are, for lifting our country at

a very important and sad time, and we wish you again much success with great gratitude, admiration and affection we salute you, congresswoman gabrielle giffords. [applause] >> the judge seeks recognition now. my privilege to yield the floor to the distinguished majority leader of the house, representative cantor. >> i thank the leader and mr. speaker, a little more than a year ago america witnessed a heinous attack on congresswoman gabrielle giffords, her staff

and the citizens of tucson. this attack took six innocent lives, including gabe zimmerman's, injured 13, and shook all of us in the congressional community, and in fact our nation to its core. this attack was a stark reminder that even in this country where freedom of speech and public demonstration are the corner stones of our democracy, citizens and public officials can face violence and danger. we will never forget those who lost their life on that fateful day, or the brave efforts of our law enforcement community members and a very special intern who responded in the emergency. mr. speaker i know i speak for all of my colleagues when i say we are inspired, hopeful, and blessed for the incredible

progress that gabby has made in her recovery. [applause] >> gabby's courage, her strength and her down right fortitude are an inspiration to all of us and all americans. as gabby leaves the house today, mr. speaker, she's decided to focus her energies on recovery, but she has refused to give up her fight for the people of her beloved arizona, and her country. and as such today we will vote on her legislation to help security our nation's

southwestern border. gabby's bill gives law enforcement greater authority to penalize those who seek to do us harm by engaging in illegal activity along the border. i commend gabby for her commitment to work on this and her unwaivering commitment to a safer, more secure america. for the past six years congresswoman gabby giffords has served arizona's 8th district with dedication and dignity. i want to recognize her accomplishments here and thank her staff and their stepg exceptional service, dedication and yes courage during these difficult times. [applause]

mr. speaker i especially want to recognize her chief of staff. pia carazon. [applause] >> i know having met with pia personally, her having worked with our office she has demonstrated incredible dedication to her coworkers, to you, gabby, and mr. speaker she has demonstrated unparalleled leadership for the people of the 8th district of arizona. and to that i know and we are

very grateful. on sunday, mr. speaker, i received a call from captain markle leasecaptain mark kelly, who we all know is guantanamo bais gabby's husband. he has been always by her side as her best friend and partner. though gabby may be leaving washington today i know this won't be the last we see of her or mark. we wish you, gabby, we wish mark together the best as they continue the process of gabby's recovery. and i'll say once again, mr. speaker, congresswoman gabby giv giffords strength against all odds serves and will continue to serve as a daily

inspiration to all of us. thank you mr. speaker, and i yield back. bill: that's a great moment right there. and mark kelly, when a great american he is do, for everything he has done and continues to do. it's a love affair that has played out for the nation to watch, and gabby giffords with great courage. and once again she looks terrific. what a long way she has come. martha: she has. and her friend debbie wasserman schultz has beautifully stood by her side through all of this. a very emotional moment we saw for her as well there. coming up we'll take you back to the presidential race. we will speak with newt gingrich who has just given a speech in florida. a lot of questions to ask him about this morning. he joins us live moments away in "america's newsroom." we'll be right back with newt gingrich. settlement or annuity over 10 or even 20 years? call imperial structured settlements. the experts at imperial can convert your long-term payout into a lump sum of cash today.

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not quite knowing what the next phase was going to be, you know, because you been, you know, this is what you had been doing. you know, working, working, working, working, working, working. and now you're talking about, well you know, i won't be, and i get the chance to spend more time with my wife and my kids.

it's my world. that's my world. ♪ martha: we are back, and presidential candidate newt gingrich wrapping up a speech in florida this mourn. six day morning. six days to go until the florida primary. last night the man he hopes to run against had this to say, the president from last night. >> no one built this country on their own. this nation is great because we built it together. this nation is great because we worked as a team, this nation is great because we get each other's backs. and if we hold fast to that truth in this moment of trial there is no challenge too great, no mission too hard, as long as

we are joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward and our future is hopeful, and the state of our union will always be strong. martha: there you have it. part of the president's speech last night. joined now by presidential candidate newt gingrich. good morning, sir. good to have you here today. >> good morning. how are you? >> what did you think of the speech last night? >> well he has a disastrous idea buried in the speech to double the capital gains tax on everybody who invests and creates jobs. it would be literally lead to the largest bear market in american history. it would destroy the value of investments, drive people to create jobs outside the united states. i don't even think he understands it. when he proposes a -- martha: i'm interested that you're jumping in with that, i spoke about this a little bit earlier. basically there was no discussion last night of

doubling the capital gains tax but when you talk about taxing all that money at 30% that is exactly what you would do, correct. >> right, yeah, what you don't know with obama is whether he had a clue when he said it. he says he wants a 30% minimum tax on a people with a million dollars income. if you had capital gains that would double your capital gains tax. that would kill jobs and investments. discourage people tpreupb vesting in the united states. it would be an enormous blow to the economy. it would drive down the stock market which affects every person who has a pension fund, every person whose retirement account has stocks in it. i think literally the president did not have a clue last night what he was saying. if he phaoeupbts it is a proposal for a very deep recession, and that i think should over shadow the rest of the speech, because it is such a destructive concept. martha: it's something that i know you'll be talking about a lot more. and right now the way that you sound, and the way you sounded in south carolina, clearly you

are tough, you're a fighter, and that seems to be what resonated with folks in south carolina. we haded rollins here a number of moments ago and he said nobody should under estimate newt gingrich and his strength in this race at this point. one side of that i might say is what have some determined some ugliness that is surfacing you between you and mitt romney in the way that the two of you are speaking to each other. people have brought this up with me in the last couple of days. i saw those gentlemen up there the other night i wanted to turn away. it was getting ugly. what do you think about that. >> i agree. look i agree. here is the challenge. governor romney for six years thought he was going to be president. he spent i think 40 million of his own money last time. he's been out there campaigning. everybody told him he was doing fine. all of a sudden in gallop he's behind, in rasmussen he's behind. he loses south carolina in a landslide. and so he's desperate. so easy tacking every way he can. and that makes it, frankly

nasty. i'm very happy to run a positive campaign, i'm very happy to focus on barack obama. i don't need to pick a fight with governor romney. but i also can't stand on a debate stage and have him say things that are untrue and not respond to him. so in a sense he creates what i thought was the worst tone of any debate we've had was monday night, and i think it's because romney was desperate. martha: you know, there is a new poll out this morning that says that 33% of the voters out there would like to see a new candidate in this race. and there is talk now of this going for a very long haul, primarily the talk is between you and mitt romney at this point going for the long haul. what do you think the possibility of a third candidate, last-minute kind of thing entering this race? >> well they could. that happens when reagan ran there was -- as various candidates began to fail the establishment was desperate to find somebody to run against reagan. it becomes technically increasingly hard because so many states have passed their

deadline for filing for della indicates. della gates. it gets trick year as we go on. we set a record carrying 43 out of 46 counties. we swept every single demographic group except the very young that voted for ron paul. it strikes me unlikely that you'll see an effective third candidate at this point enter the race. i think governor romney or i are going to win. because his record in massachusetts is so liberal by republican standards it's very hard for him in a republican primary to defend being pro-abortion, progun control, protax increase, positions that he took there. martha: larry sabato talked about this last night and charles krauthammer talked about it as well. larry sabato says he expects you will fall back a bit in florida was he think the establishment will come right after you now that you're out in front. krauthammer said look, freddie mac will be a vulnerable spot for gingrich. he said make no mistake about

that. what do you think about that? >> well i think that was before we learned that mitt romney in fact is a stockholder in both fanny mae and freddie mac. the question has to be if romney is such a great manager how comb didn't do anything as a stockholder about these two companies? i didn't know until last night that he owns stocks in both companies. he's the guy who claims to be a great pherg. martha: sir this morning he had a chance to comment on that, because he heard what you were bringing up about that, he spoke to fox & friends this morning and he said, look, my money has been managed in a blind trust for many years. i am not an active investor in and out of stocks, so he claims absolutely no responsibility and he said the money that was invested in it he felt probably was a positive rather money being taken out of it to pay you $1.6 million. that's what he says about that. >> so in other words he did know or didn't know that he had money in fannie may or freddie mac. i can't tell with rom rewhich is the truth. did he know? or didn't he know?

it strikes me he probably knew. did he have any concern about fanny mae and freddie mac as a stockholder? did he go to any of the might inks? did he have any questions? he's a stockholder. he has told all of us he's a great manager, fine. what did he do about the two companies he had stock in. martha: i think the take away is that he didn't know that he had those investments. there is no doubt in my mind that you guys will hash this out in moments to come and the debates that are ahead and all of that. i want to ask you another question, though and i know you have responded to this a bit. this nancy pelosi comment which was very mysterious. let's play a little bit. you're laughing already. let's listen to that for a moment. >> let me make my prediction and stand by the. it isn't going to happen. >> why are you so sure? >> there is something i know. the republicans if they choose to nominate him, that's their prerogative. i don't think that's going to happen. martha: what does she know, speaker gingrich? >> look, i think if she knows

something she ought to say it. and if she doesn't know something she ought to quit saying this. but this is baloney. i don't think any republican is going to be threatened by nancy pelosi, and, frankly i'd rather have her fret enemy than endorse me so i feel pretty good about it. if she has something, bring it out. i'm happy for her to bring it out. martha: the romney folks want you to turn over all the documents of the inquiries inch to you as speaker of the house. >> come on, look, this is a guy who had a swiss bank account, he has cayman island bank accounts. he's never revealed a single thing about his business dealings, and he wants to keep staying on offense about transparency. would i love to have a transparency and accountability debate with mitt romney. i don't think he can answer all sorts of questions that he doesn't want brought up, including serious liabilities as a director of a company. let's make it a two-way street. these guys have been taking and throwing punches for weeks. the fact is they have a lot they can't answer and won't answer.

martha: speaker gingrich great to talk to you today. we hope to talk to you again as you continue your path here. big night on tuesday night. we wish you luck as we do everybody, thank you, sir. >> thank you. bill: reaction from romney's camp in a moment. this. though is the resignation letter from gabby giffords being read allowed from debbie washer man schultz from the floor of the house. >> that is at the heart of our greatness as a nation. they will be remembered always by their country and by their congress. i don't remember much from that terrible day, but i have never forgotten my constituents, my colleagues, or the hope or the millions of americans with which i share great hopes for this nation to. all of them, thank you for your prayers, your cards, your well wishess and your support. even has i have worked to regain my speech, thank you for your faith in my ability to be your

voice. the only way i ever served my district in congress was by giving 100%. i would add it's 150. this past year that's what i have given to my recovery. thank you for your patience. from my first steps and first words after being shot to my current physical and speech therapy i have given all of myself to being able to walk back on to the house floor this year to represent arizona's 8th congressional district. however, today i know that now is not the time. i have more work to do on my recovery before i can again serve in elected office. this past year my colleagues and staff have worked to make sure my constituents were represented in congress. but if i can't return my district deserves to elect a u.s. representative who can give 100% to the job now. for that reason i have submitted the attached letter of resignation to arizona governor jan brewer. amid all that was lost on january 8th there was also

hope and faith. this past year it is what i have often clung to, hope that our government can represent the best of a nation, not the worst. americans working together in our communities and our congress can succeed without qualify indication. hope and faith that even as we are set back by tragedy or profound disagreement in the end we come together as americans to set a course in greatness. every day am working hard. i will recover and will return, and we will work together again for arizona, and for all americans. sincerely, gabrielle giffords, member of congress. [applause]

bill: that's a moment. martha: there is not a dry eye in that house, or here either. what an incredible moment when you think back to that day, bill, and i remember as it crossed the wires and crossed the blackberries that there was a wong woman shot in arizona. mark kelly himself said when he first got word he thought she was gone. this extraordinary out pouring of affection and a beautifully handled moment on the floor of the house of representatives. bill: you saw her husband up there in the house rising to his feet, that is the astronaut,

markle leave. and now she returns home yet again to continue her recovery and her rehabilitation, which has not been easy by any stretch of the imagination. just watch her walk and the way she looks, that smile that has returned, halting lee across her face, but it is back and truly a sign and a mark of how far she has come. martha: an eloquent statement and a beautiful video that came out as well make it clear that she will play some role going forward. she wants to recover and return. we'll wait and see what that means, in what capacity. she has things to say about everything that happened to her and what she things should happen to the country. we wish her the very best as she continues her recovery. bill: we did not see this very often last night when both sides of congress were on their neat applauding at the same time, but you see it now and that is a moment.

speaker john boehner accepting her resignation. [applause] [applause] bill: john boehner has his handkerchief. he doesn't leave home without it. martha: they've always had a nice rapport, john boehner and gabrielle giffords. we had video of him swearing her in. it's a bittersweet moment, it's

her resignation. the fact that she is able to stand there and present it and be there today and speak out about that and about the future is just incredible, incredible. bill: when she came back to washington last year she stole the show. she was the story. now she is back in our nation's capitol. >> mr. speaker appreciation once again for your courtesies enabling this to happen i yield back the balance of my time. >> the chairman remind all members to be in proper business attire when you come to the floor of the house. without objection five minute voting will continue. the unfinished business is the vote on the motion of the -- bill: and off they go. martha: some people are wearing tank tops and flip-flops to work i guess. bill: you heard newt gingrich moments ago call mitt romney desperate. when we come back from this commercial break we'll talk to the romney team to get a

response to that. you name it. i've tried it. but nothing helped me beat my back pain. then i tried salonpas. it's powerl relief that works at the site of pain and lasts up to 12 hours. salonpas.

bill: a busy little morning here. we are trying to dip in and out of everything that is going on and keep you up to date from the late thaes we have. we heard from newt gingrich a few moments ago responding from calls to mitt romney's campaign to do a number of things that talk about certain aspects of his own life and gingrich as you would expect hit back. san tkraoandrea saul is mitt romney's campaign secretary. he calls your guy desperate, what do you say? >> no, speaker gingrich is a failed leader e. was forced to resign from his own party. and so what we see him doing now is scrambling. nancy pelosi says he knows things. he doesn't want any of that

information to get out. that's why he's been rejecting having the millions of documents released about his ethics investigation, and as florida citizens are hurting under the housing crisis almost more than any other state voters deserve to know exactly what he did for $1.6 million from freddie mac. bill: if pelosi has information he said she better bring it out or stop talking. you don't strike me as someone who puts a lot of stock in what nancy pelosi has to say. >> the point is he says he turned over a million documents detailing why he was pushed out of the house as speaker from his own party. and he hasn't presented those. so voters want to know, what is it that you did to get an ethical reprimanding from your own party? what is it that you did to lobby for freddie mac that helped lead to the housing crisis? bill: does he own, mitt romney does he own stock in fannie and freddie? >> no, previously a trusty for governor's blind trust had purchased, which has been sold,

it's like government bonds that that's included, this is what millions of americans have. the point is that speaker gingrich is trying to distract from his $1.6 million price tag as a lobbyist from freddie mac, and as mitt romney said this morning if he did invest in freddie mac that's money what was given to speaker gingrich and he needs to give it back to taxpayers. bill: you know this issue will likely come up in this debate tomorrow night on thursday evening. how is governor romney going to respond to that? >> governor romney will point out the truth, which is his assets have been made on a blind basis and speaker gingrich earned $1.6 million as a lobbyist for freddie mac. speaker gingrich says he produced these contracts that showed his work. they left more questions than they did answers. of it doesn't tell anything he's done knee told us a few moments ago that he was a rally in naples, florida, last night, that is the southwestern part of

the state, strong republican territory that went for mitt romney four years ago, he says he had 6,000 people at one rally. why do you think he's catching on like this? >> we've had thousands of people at our rallies. voters are interested in the process. i think it's great that we do have a process that is bringing republican voters in so that our nominee, which should be mitt romney, can beat president obama come november. bill: andrea saul thank you for your time. we'll speak again in a couple of days. >> thanks for having me. sounds good. bill: thank you for your time. martha: an op.edu piece has landed a 15-year-old high school student in some very hot water. now the school could be facing legal problems of their own for censorship. [ male announcer ] how about we make a big change for just a little money? let's start with a paint we know can do the job. new glidden duo paint plus primer. ♪ one coat does double duty. ♪ and fits our budget perfectly. so there's a brand-new room

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manager to howard dean, karl rove was deputy chief of staff to president george w. bush, both fox news contributors. karl, it's getting nasty in florida. are people seeing this process as destructive and the -- on the republican side that the this snoint. >> we've seen a dramatic increase in the negatives and decline in the positives and that's not good for the general election and they need to step back. they can criticize each other but they need to step back. speaker beginning twitch de cried nancy pelosi with dark warnings that she had secret stuff on him and he was right to do so, then he said that romney had a bank account in switzerland and did bad things as director of a board. stop. have disagreements but realize you're only doing damage to your own chances for the general election. we'll have a wounded nominee. martha: joe, is this good news for the president?

>> you really hate to see this. the prob is you can't have cayman islands swiss bank accounts, who lobbied for who, freddie mac, it's all negative and neither are getting out the positives on jobs or what they're going to do for the future of the canada it is hurting their numbers. for the first time both newt gingrich and romney are -- their favorability among independents is really plummeting and their support among independents is going down and obama's is going up right now. that's not good for the gop in november, and these two guys have got to figure out how they have this fight with each other but not as ugly as they're having it. every time you have an ugly fight it usually ends up with the other side winning. martha: you're right, you nailed it. that's all the time we have for that, so thank you very much. we're up against a break.