causing dust trail behind in beautiful and fascinating ways. that is a beautiful picture. bill: the hubble just keeps on going. have a great weekend. martha: you will have a great day and a great weekend. "happening now" is happening right now. jenna: braking is on top headlines and brand-new stories you will see here first. jon: five people injured now in a court of law. he turned himself in. the charges he is facing. and the trial of the utah doctor accused of murdering his wife now ramping up. the drink to get the case sometime today. we will tell you what they might decide. our legal panel is here. and look at this forklift bursting into a ball of fire, and the driver walks away. it is all "happening now."

happening now, president obama is heading to new orleans a day after telling the american people he is sorry. sort of. hello, everyone. >> mr. obama issuing this semi-apology to those moving the health care coverage despite his repeated promises that they would not. made the remarks during an nbc interview. president obama: i am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me. we've got to work hard to make sure they know we hear them and we will do everything we can to deal with folks who find themselves in a tough position as a consequence of this. patti: senior white house corns foreign affairs with us.

it does not seem to have solved the problem so far. speak out not it is late as well since it has been cleared for weeks. people an individual market getting cancellation notices and for some of that time the white house continues to say if you like your insurance, you can keep it. president is headed to an orleans to talk about the economy in his nbc interview he said he wanted to make sure with obamacare the insurance people buy is worth having. president obama: i want to make sure the insurance people buy is effective, it is going to deliver what they think they are purchasing because what we know is before the law was passed a lot of these plans people thought they had coverage and then they find out the huge out-of-pocket expenses. >> traveling with the president aboard air force one supporting a bill that would have companies

inform consumers their policies and fall short of current standards and tell them what is available that is better. patti: how are republicans reacting to the president's apology? spea>> they want the president o make good on his original promise. it is not clear that is even possible now. mitch mcconnell said in a written statement "if the president is truly sorry for breaking his promise to the american people, he will do more than just issue a halfhearted apology on tv." and mike lee agrees. >> i look forward to seeing action by the president to make sure these people who have been harmed as a result of his actions and incorrect words. i want to know what he is going to do. >> both the house and senate have bills to keep insurance plans that in many cases are no longer offered by the insurance companies because they don't meet the minimum standards of the affordable care act. patti: thanks.

gregg: for more on this, let's bring in monica crowley, a fox news contributor and author. good to see you. >> hi, gregg. gregg: a promise all along was unequivocal. he even punctuated it quite often with a "period" leaving no question in doubt. now all of a sudden we're getting word his aides knew all along it wasn't true and yet the president kept saying it over and over again. is that the kind of deception if not dishonesty that makes it hard for americans to get over? >> i think yes. any presidential life once it is expose is tough for any president to overcome because your bond with the american people is your credibility, the trust you have with them. once it is shattered, it is difficult to get restored. the presidential lie affects

millions of americans, probably tens of millions of americans and maybe every american in one way or another. this is echoing across the board, which is why you saw him sit down yesterday and attempt an apology. but let's get real. as you just mentioned, he has repeated this lie over and over again for years. he and this white house new millions of people were going to lose their health plan and still he perpetuated the lie, which is what makes yesterday's statement from him so empty and so meaningless. what he said essentially is i'm sorry you feel that way. gregg: or i'm sorry you misunderstood me. >> i'm sorry you are losing your plans because you believe me. that is not an apology. gregg: is used to get over it, get something better. so far anecdotally is things are not necessarily getting something better, they are getting something more costly,

which they don't want and they can't afford. >> that is even assuming they can get on the website to do the shopping he is telling them to do. gregg: he outright denied they would lose their coverage. writing as recently as a few days ago and blamed insurance company it is all their fault. he began to spin this caveat with the word "if." is this sort of clumsiness on the part of the white house? >> i'm not sure clumsy is the right word. i don't think he intended this to happen all along because he is on the record along with harry reid, kathleen sebelius, tom harkin saying obamacare is a way station on the way to single-payer. i don't have a thought the disaster would have been the way it did and probably happened so fast. if this president was really

sincere, there is an immediate fix making its way through congress right now in a bipartisan way which is a bill that would restore the health plans allowing americans to keep the plans they like and they can afford. back in 2010 republicans put forward a bill to do exactly that, making sure guarantees were in place. they said absolutely not. they may change their tune now, but i'm not so sure they will move in that direction. gregg: you saw jay carney a moment ago, you almost feel sorry for him because he is trying to justify that which is arguably unjustifiable are. he minimizes it, it is just a small% of american people. that small comfort to the millions of folks losing their policies and paying something bigger.

this is only going to get worse? >> it is. this just affects about 15 million people. 15 million people is still a lot of people. we're talking just about the individual market so far. the next wave of this would be the coverage provided by employers. i got a letter this week saying your plan is still intact but we cannot guarantee, 2014 that this plan is still going to exist. talking tens of millions of people who are going to be directly affected by this. gregg: treasury, labor and health predicted as many as 93 million people could lose their coverage because of obamacare. >> the number could be even higher. i saw 129 million people. that is all part of the objective. move them into government exchanges and ultimately single-payer. they want to see this happen, they just have to tough out the

political heat. what democrats are now breathing down their throat because they are up for reelection and vulnerable will have to be how they deal with the pressure. gregg: looking for life rafts. monica, good to see you. patti: there are new call to raise the minimum wage in this country. liberals in congress stepping up their pressure on the white house. they argue an an increase would provide immediate economic stimulus. one of those in washington. a push for national minimum wage over $10 per hour? >> democrats in the senate met with the chief economist behind closed doors yesterday in the senate to consider just that. that is $1 more than what president obama proposed in the most recent state of the union address. president obama: today a full-time worker making minimum wage earns $14,500 per year.

even with the tax relief we put in place. a family with two kids earning the minimum wage still lives below the poverty line. that is wrong. gregg: the president said it would mean more money in their pocket and fewer people dependent on handouts from government, but would it? business owners we have spoken with said that is not the way it works in the real world. >> doe it is not race because of productivity or because of good work by somebody, it just takes away from the bottom line. reducing already small margins even further. >> for many businesses, those heavily dependent on minimum wage workers such as restauran restaurants, that is a have to cut back, there's already a strong push of heavily unionized states for increases, voters in

new jersey voted on tuesday to increase the minimum wage by $1. and voters in washington went beyond anything we've seen in the u.s. increasing the minimum wage for workers in the airport town and surrounding large hotels to $15 per hour. patti: what you are just talking about, a "wall street journal" reporting $15 minimum wage and see taxes making one prominent distress somewhat skittish? >> that is right. the "wall street journal" and reuters reporting seattle-based boeing is reconsidering a new assembly line for and advanced stretch he had negotiated contract. the union is resisting the offer and first of all workers are paid a lot more than minimum wage. the atmosphere created by the $15 minimum wage vote puts added pressure on the airline to consider lower-cost sub states

like carolina weather turning out 787 dreamliner's. patti: thanks. >> you bet. gregg: brand-new developments in the bullying scandal. could that mean the miami dolphins football team new allegations that richie incognito was not the only player harassing teammate jonathan martin. and a victory for the prosecution against accused colorado shooter james holmes. new evidence that a judge will allow in court when he goes on trial for murder. hey, we got our cards, honey! great.

[ male announcer ] aarp members get a lot. [ ding dong ] like discounts on gifts from 1-800-flowers.com... oh... [ male announcer ] savings on roadside assistance from allstate, and exclusive offers from avis, budget and budget truck. aarp has great deals all in one place. aarpdiscounts.com. popcorn, your favorite. [ male announcer ] find offers from regal cinemas, norwegian cruise line and walgreens. hotel savings at hilton, hyatt and best western. and everyday discounts from denny's and kellogg's. they're great! [ male announcer ] find deals on electronics and technology. and save on tickets to exciting concerts and shows. [ taxi whistle ]

come on, guys, the millers just got their cards, too! [ male announcer ] check out the possibilities. aarpscounts.com. right now, sign up for roadside assistance from allstate and get $20 off the premier plan and a one-year aarp membership free! coverage includes towing, emergency service, and more. call or go online now. gregg: some new information and prime stories we are following. a judge ruled james holmes online profiles can be used during his murder trial. he's accused of the attack on the movie theater killing at least 12 people. he is pleading not guilty by

reason of insanity. the search is on for missing girl in wisconsin. investigators said the 15-year-old texted a friend saying she was late to school because she missed her boss. a trial underway for canadian actress accused of stalking alec baldwin. he denies the claims expected to take the witness stand next week. patti: new information in the scandal gripping the miami dolphins. claiming richie incognito harassed him repeatedly in the attorney has released a vulgar message that the player received from another teammate. live now from miami. any chance of resolving this outside of court? >> looks like multiple lawsuits.

the attorney issued a blistering counterattack saying his client was not softcome in fact he was harassed for a year and a half on the dolphins, it went way beyond any traditional hazing. beyond about publicized voicemail with the racist epithet, he received physical attack by teammate and daily vulgar comments. according to martin's lawyer, does more than one player involved in these attacks, they were physical, not just verbal. suggesting that threatened gang rate his sister. patti: and we're learning more unsavory details about the already suspended player richie incognito. >> that is right. voted 2009 dirtiest player in the nfl, the latest player has been a report filed to police in florida in 2012 a charity golf event, accused by a 34-year-old volunteer african-american woman

that he inappropriately touched her with the golf club and molested her from behind and no charges were filed in this case, the woman has since signed a nondisclosure agreement. patti: thank you. gregg: new developments in the state fair accident that left five people injured. a second person now facing charges. the latest on the investigation and what went wrong. medical examiners in the doctor's mistress have all weighed in and now the murder trial is about to go to a jury. did the state prove its case or will martin mcneal walk free?

gregg: will come back. brand-new developments in the investigation into what went wrong recently at the north carolina state fair. five people were injured on a ride, and police have now made one arrest and perhaps the biggest turn of events yet. following this breaking news. >> the man who owns that ride where people were hurt lawyered up and turned himself into police and in fact moments ago learned he was in court already for the first time on charges related to that state fair incident. his attorney is confirming charged with two foia counts of assault with a deadly weapon among other things. in the past few minutes, reportedly set free on $225,000 bond. investigators discovered safety equipment was disabled on that

vortex right. a pendulum swing thrill ride. last month the right had stopped and fairgoers were getting off when it suddenly started up again tossing people. 5-hertz, three of them were still hospitalized including a 14-year-old. first arrested a man who was operating the ride at the time, he is facing charges as well. and the issued warrants for the owner in court today. we still have not exactly heard how he is involved in the incident. due back in court in 10 days. back to you. gregg: thanks. patti: right now closing arguments today in the murder trial of a utah doctor. martin mcneal iqs of killing his wife, michelle, so he could continue an affair. willis has testified it was never very serious and mcneal's

own daughters believe he is guilty and they have taken a stand against him. other key witnesses included medical experts to disagree how she died, so let's bring in our panel. criminal defense attorney and a forensic pathologist and fox news contributor. we're going to start with a sniff and problem for the prosecution is it was never classified as a homicide. they said it is possible she died of natural causes. what do you make of that? >> that is what happened with casey anthony. they did not accept it was a homicide largely because of that. the outside medical examiner concluded that the death was drowning and he saw no evidence of heart disease or drug overdose which was attributed by the initial medical examiners, and i think he showed pictures

of the microscopic images of the heart, just normal. the cause of death is of dispute. patti: let's go to the top arguments of each side. for the defense, michelle died of natural causes. another argument is he does not have an alibi, and number three, he could not have lifted his wife out of the bathtub. back to you once more. he told police he was not able to lift his wife from the tub. prosecutors say that is ridiculous. but yesterday they had an ergonomic expert who said it was highly unlikely dr. mcneal could pull his wife out. does that add up to you? >> my impression would be that an adult male can pull an adult

female who is not overweight out of the bathtub. even if it doesn't make sense ergonomically. however, the cause of death i think is drowning and i think that normal adult people don't die from drowning in a bathtub as with drew peterson with close unless you have an overdose of drugs or a heart attack. even without the ergonomics is that it was homicidal drowning. patti: they are saying the guy seems like he is a jerk, but the case is circumstantial. did they create reasonable doubt? >> they are saying that is a bad dude had a vile individual is not a conviction made. the state has a big problem.

three forensic pathologists, heart disease, and others as heart disease and drug or both, that is a big, big problem giving a murder conviction with the exact cause of death. >> i'm sorry, this is not casey anthony because there is evidence tying this guy to the crime. two things, drew peterson. a lot more evidence. his own testimony, his own words and his own actions have come back to kill him. basically said his wife wanted the surgery, that is not true. people testified it is not true. mcneal asked him for more from his wife, screaming and yelling on the 911 call and he is a trained professional. the neighbors testified he was trying to give them cpr.

offered the doctor $10,000 to keep her alive and two days later text messaged his mistress. he is not a jerk, he is a murderer. the circumstantial evidence, the test might they guys in prison. guys can get up and say these guys are convicted felon. prison is full of convicted felons, that is why they are there. this guy met these people in jail. i think the guys testimony actions. patti: the key prosecution evidence here. she died after the legal drugs. said he was not trying to save her life. and the behavior in the days after his wife's death regarding as many as strange.

the alleged murder was this affair with willis, how important is that in this case? >> this guy is a bad dude, one of the worst motives i have seen. this guy is a terrible, terrible individual. he is an awful person. the state has not provided one witness that can say he was at the murder scene or gave this overdose that caused him to die. it is showing he is a terrible person, did not like his wife, but nobody links him to the murder. >> that is the same argument scott peterson tried and he is still in jail. with all due respect, what the guy said was i killed her in such a way so i could get away with it. that is what he did, those were his words.

patti: what about the doctor's own daughter testif testifying t him publicly stating they do believe he killed their mother? it is irrelevant to the case, but how compelling. >> it is kind of a push because the eldest daughter is so adamant he killed her mother. she did a lot of things. if i was a prosecutor i'm not so sure i would have called the eldest daughter. the testimony from the family members, did not do anything a nanny would have done is all you needed from that perspective. a little bit too much. less is more. patti: the case probably going to the jury later today. we will keep you posted. thank you all. gregg: president obama is showing what some are calling a partial apology. he says he is sorry so many

americans are losing their health insurance because of obamacare. what is the administration going to do about it and how is the mainstream media reacting to that news? plus, israel utterly rejecting outlines of what could be a deal on iran's nuclear program. is the u.s. giving up too much in the negotiations with iran? and is just how is iran from building a bomb? if you think a prune is a prune, you haven't tried sunsweet, the amazing prune. enjoy plum amazins, diced prunes. i'd put these on a salad. these would be perfect for cookies. delicious and nutritious

sunsweet, the amazing prune. that's a good thing, but it doesn't cover everything. only about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. so consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement insurance plans, they pick up some of what medicare doesn't pay and could save you in out-of-pocket medical costs. call today to request a free decision guide to help you better understand what medicare is all about and which aarp medicare supplement plan works best for you. with these types of plans, you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients... plus, there are no networks, and virtually no referrals needed. there's a range of plans to choose from, too, and they all travel with you anywhere in the country.

join the millions who have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp... an organization serving the needs of people 50 and over for generations... and provided by unitedhealthcare insurance company, which has over 30 years of experience behind it. ♪ call today. remember, medicare supplement insurance helps cover some of what medicare doesn't pay. expenses that could really add up. these kinds of plans could save you in out-of-pocket medical costs. you'll be able to choose any doctor who accepts medicare patients. and there are virtually no referrals needed. so don't wait. with all the good years ahead, look for the experience and commitment to go the distance with you. call now to request your free decision guide. this easy-to-understand guide will answer some of your questions and help you find the aarp medicare supplement plan

that's right for you.

patti: a quick look out of what is still to come this hour. president obama offering an apology for the botched rollout of obamacare. and the cancellation of some insurance, but wait until you hear where "the new york times" placed the story. our media panel will weigh in. and entering nuclear talks with iran as the west considers easing sanctions that has crippled iran's economy. and a forklift operator caught in a giant fireball when a propane tank explodes in a flash of flames. gregg: president obama appearing on nbc's saying he is sorry that people are losing their health insurance plans due to obamacare, but he doesn't apologize for misleading the american people by stating

everybody who likes their plan can keep it, period. here's the front page of "the new york times." you have to go below the fold and there is a tiny little one sentence box that says the president apologizes that people are losing their health care plans. how is the media reacting to the presidents pseudo-apology? a pulitzer prize-winning reporter and author. columnist for "the daily beast." fox news contributors. you first, this was your old newspaper. are they apologists for obama? this was a three-year deception. >> are they apologists for the apology? what we can all agree on is you underplayed the story. this was a little blurb at the bottom of a front page story

that talked about all the new benefits that will be for those with mental disabilities and need mental help. i think however fox news and others who say the president is lying may have information that i do not have. i know that he told people they could keep their plan, but we don't know for fact even the department said 90 million would not be able to, we don't know he knew that. the first step of a recovery program is to admit your mistake. gregg: he knows it now. there's little doubt about that. apparently there is evidence he

knew it was untrue, he went ahead and sent it anyway. so finally after the myriad of denials and excuses and caveat and what if this week, it is this half apology. what do you give about "the new york times" reference on the front page? >> even in this case i would have expected a little bit more. the way the story was framed was put in the context of the president is bowing to all this pressure to have response to this. it is the fundamental facts it is a lie or not a lie, he may promise over and over again that

wasn't true. gregg: and that was a core promise to his signature achievement, which affects every american as we know through the mandate. senator john cornyn said it is a crime to lie to congress but it is not a crime to light the american people. ironically enough. so i wonder what the fallout is for the president, i read one columnist today saying this is the end of his presidency and any agenda he hopes for a second term. >> once again, that is getting way ahead of what we know right now. what troubled me about the presidents apology as he did not propose any way to fix the problem. that he alluded to. there are at least two solutions that have been offered and one of them is legislative form

going through the house but he did not endorse those, he just said i'm going to fix it. accused of making an empty promise oath he american more than to make them perhaps another empty promise. but let's see the way this health care debacle plays out. if he does fix a problem and people wind up with health care they like six months from now, he will climb out of it. gregg: rationalizations tend to beget other false claims, those who lost the plane wil plan wilt cheaper rates. there's little evidence of that. i read some data today, this is coming from the states showing rates for healthy, young men are rising by 99%, 55% to 62%. so that other claim of you will get a better rate, i am not sure that is true either. >> there is a key word he used

in there, he said most. we don't know what most is. what he considers most, but we do know a lot of people have in the opposite experience. i personally have had the opposite experience, spent a lot of time on the phone with blue cross, blue shield figuring out why my premiums doubled when i'm getting new benefits that i already have. i know i have used the benefits, i am not sure what i am paying double for them now. i guess it is younger, healthier people probably picking up the cost. they will have to say your costs are going up not because you're getting a better plan, it is because you are offsetting the cost for unhealthy people. it is not that you are getting a better plan. gregg: good to see you both. thank you.

patti: six world powers holding high-level talks with iran over its nuclear program. are we close to a deal with the rogue nation, and can we trust them? a forklift sparks a ferocious fireball, planes shooting into the trees rattling windows, the entire thing caught on video. we will show you where it all happened next. >> jumped out of my seat with the noise, the explosion. when i saw the propane tank underneath, just took off running. honestly, as much as i love this job, i plato do a lot more.

i need a new laptop for my pre-med classes, something that runs office and has a keyboard. but i wanted a tablet for me, for stuff like twitter and xbox, so my downtime can be more like uptime. that's why i got a windows 2 in 1 which does both -- works as a laptop and a tablet. so i can manage my crazy life, and also have life. [ beep ] gotta go. ♪

gregg: an incredible fiery explosion caught on camera in ohio. surveillance videotape showing a forklift with the man behind the wheel and seconds later the machinery goes up in flames. in golf and area. officials say it happened when a

propane tank fell off a vehicle on a forklift and rolled right over it. remarkably the driver walked away with minor burns to his face and hands. patti: talks are underway in an effort to stop iran's nuclear program. there is evidence of a possible deal that would cap some of iran's nuclear programs. in exchange for limited release from economic sanctions. already israel has condemned the outline but says it does not go nearly far enough to keep israel safe. as "new york times" quotes an expert who suggests iran could produce a crude nuclear explosive in two or three months. as reports surfaced just in the white house may have already been softening the sanctions against iran for months now. former spokesman and fox news contributor. author of the new book "nuclear nightmares, securing the world

before it is too late." "the new york times" quoted a former official with international atomic energy agency saying iran could produce a nuclear explosion in two to three months. iran does not have the means to deliver it on a ballistic missile yet but still, joe, how concerned does the world need to be? >> you want to stop iran's program. it looks like a good deal that will do exactly that. it will free key parts of iran's program, making it longer, harder for iran to build a bomb and in exchange for you iranian assets, some minor sanctions. this is what has got people so excited. the deal we have been trying to get four years that we could not get up until now is within rea reach, that is why you are

seeing foreign ministers from all over the world flying into geneva right now. it is good for us, good for the region. patti: these talks going on right now between iran and the u.s., britain, france, britain and germany. the u.s. and others in the west prepared to soften some sanctions in exchange for iran suspending its nuclear activities for possibly six months or so, but now we have this report in "the daily beast" today saying the u.s. started doing this months ago, in fact back in june. they say it was done very quietly, so what is your reaction to that? >> people like joe and other liberals really ignoring the u.n. security council because the u.n. six times has said very clearly and by the way russia was included in that six times security council passage that

iran must stop enriching all uranium. so what we have now are obama and wendy sherman, lead negotiator and others who are really eager to undermine the u.n. and try to negotiate a new deal. they are rushing to pretend like we have some sort of a deal. iran hasn't done anything yet and i have already taken the pressure off by relieving banking sections. if you want iran to adhere to the resolutions are demanded of it and you just have to have action from iran to have hope their acts are going to do someday. patti: the u.s. is handing iran the deal of the century. so can we really trust this regime at all?

>> there is no military option. the only way to convince iran's leaders it is not in their interest, that is what is happening. their economy is collapsing, they need to get out of the sanctions the only way they can do that is to give up their nuclear program. we do want iran to do much more than this, the deal is just the first step, a confidence building measure. they do a little, we do a little. anything after tha that is a step-by-step process, we probably will not get a big deal for six or seven months. we can put the pressure back on. patti: thank you both for joining us. >> thank you. gregg: a new exhibit in

new york city. what it has to do with the artist. they are pretty close. the fox 411.

female narrator: through veterans day, it's posturepedic through veterans day, it's posturepedic versus beautyrest with up to $400 off. serta icomfort and tempur-pedic go head-to-head

with three years' interest-free financing. mattress price wars end monday at sleep train. gregg: and new art exhibit's opening in new york featuring the work of isabella huffington. and she is planning to donate part of the sales of her art to charity. here now with the fox 411. >> have to say talent runs in the family. like mother, like daughter, she built a successful career becoming one of the most influential women in the media world as we all know.

her daughter at 22 years old is already paving her own path to success. isabella huffington's celebrated the opening of her art exhibition last night in downtown manhattan. there are a few of her pieces of work. fulfilling a dream she has had since she was a kid on display at these fashion store made into a makeshift gallery for the night. with 13 of her intricate works of art so in between 3000-$6000. they feature her style of repeating a simple form to follow a rhythmic display of colors and textures. a technique she honed in her bedroom as a child using a sharpie. >> any mother would like kids to draw all over the wall, i didn't like it, so it covered up and color it again. >> her proud mother, media mogul arianne huffington was at the opening of the exhibit. named by forbes as one of the

most influential women in the world's of the proudest of her career was building "the huffington post" but her biggest life success is her two daughters, both with whom she was with last night. i very proud moment for mom. >> whatever it is they love. they wanted to become a nurse, a teacher, a scientist, whatever. i would love it because of what they love and they're willing to devote and work hard. that is all that matters for me. >> following in her mother's footsteps, isabella is giving 20% of the proceeds of her artwork sales to harlem children's zoneeducation to povn children. beautiful pieces of artwork. she really did use a sharpie for many of those pieces. i am going to go up to my office and go crazy. maybe i can make $3000-$6000 for my artwork. gregg: great.

>> you should see some of gregg artwork, he is also very talented as well. patti: president obama offering something of an apology to americans losing their health insurance. we will have reaction. so we could be a better, safer energy company. i can tell you - safety is at the heart of everything we do. we've added cutting-edge technology, like a new deepwater well cap and a state-of-the-art monitoring center, whe experts watch over all drilling activity twenty-four-seven. and we're sharing what we've learned, so we can all produce energy more safely. our commitment has never been stronger.

patti ann: new developments on our top story and breaking news this hour. gregg: that's right. the president is offering an apology of sorts for the awful rollout of obamacare as kathleen sebelius says the administration hopes to help people kicked off their plans but no specifics on how they're going to do it. and a landslide win for a high profile republican in a very blue state. the mainstream media loving chris christie for a hot second and then, yeah, the backlash begins. we'll break down the coverage of the new jersey governor and his possible run for the white house. and as america's debt grows every day, there's a new report

out that the irs doled out billions of dollars, yes, billions in bogus tax refunds. we're going to tell you what's behind that big blunder. all "happening now." ♪ ♪ gregg: welcome back. after weeks of heavy criticism for his broken health care promise, president obama extending his sympathy to millions of americans directly impacted by it. hello, i'm gregg jarrett in for jon scott. patti ann: and i'm patti ann brown in for jenna lee, and welcome to a brand new hour of "happening now." by now it's crystal clear that the president's promise simply is not true. after trying a clumsy spin that blamed insurance companies for canceling millions of policies, he is now offering an apology of sorts, saying he is sorry that people are finding themselves in this predicament. >> i am sorry that they, you

know, are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me. of we've got to work hard to make sure that they know we hear 'em and that we're going to do everything we can to deal with folks to find themselves in a tough position as a consequence of this. patti ann: well, meanwhile, lawmakers are offering up their own proposals to try to fix the problems with the botched obamacare rollout. chief congressional correspondent mike emanuel live on capitol hill, chief white house correspondent ed henry on the north lawn, and we begin with ed. so how are the president's remarks, ed, playing with his critics? >> reporter: well, it's interesting because it's very clear that the president's allies were watching these comments closely as well, pause they came just one day after he sat down with 15 senate democrats here at the white house who are facing re-election in 2014 and were, frankly, venting frustration about how the rollout went, but also that they were not getting enough

sort of air cover from the white house to explain to their constituents why it's taking to long to fix it, why the cancellation notices have gone out. so that's the reason why the president did the interview in the first place, to try to go further in suggesting he has regrets for how this has started out. republican critics were saying it was a good first step, but he has to go further. take a listen. >> it's refreshing that the president's acknowledging that this is a problem, that he's acknowledging that he made promises that people relied on to their detriment, because those promises were based on inaccurate information. he wasn't telling us the truth. it's also refreshing to hear the president say he's going to do everything he can to take care of this problem, and so i look forward to hearing what that is. >> reporter: and what's interesting is because of those 15 senate democrats being here this week, pressing the president, it's not just republicans like mike lee who are now demanding changes. there are a significant number of democrats doing the same as well, patti ann. patti ann: and the white house now saying that the administration may act

unilaterally to fix some of these issues. >> reporter: yeah. they're talking about potential executive action privately, that the president could take to deal with these folks who have cancellation notices. president down in new orleans right now. he wants to be talking about the economy but, of course, health care is still the dominant issue. they're looking at various options to sort of fix this problem, but he was not specific on what they exactly will do. that's the question, and that's why for mike emanuel on capitol hill we've all been pressing to see what lawmakers are going to come up with and what the white house may accept, patti ann. patti ann: ed henry live on the north lawn, thank you. gregg: president obama's not getting a whole lot of sympathy over the health care debacle even from democrats. an editorial in the wall street journal says it's because he radiates bad energy. here's part of that piece. he shoots out negative vibes not merely by force of personality,

but because that's his default political strategy, the game plan has always been diminish the opposition and then divide and conquer. well, the chickens are coming home to roost, because just now it's looking more like divide and founder. well, the coverage o. obamacare -- obamacare meltdown invokes memories of what happened to richard nixon during watergate. the almost-daily front page bombshells about watergate turned into an irresistible bipartisan blood sport. as with nixon, it's hard to detect any personal sympathy for mr. obama's plight. what loyalty he's getting is strictly pro forma. dan henninger is the deputy editorial page editor for "the wall street journal." thanks for being with us. >> gregg? gregg: tell us a little bit more about what i just read. >> well, i think the president, gregg, is in a very lonely place right now. he's obviously given this

apology because he has to somehow stop the bleeding. the stories were just overwhelming. and i likened it to watergate in the sense that you have this steady daily output of stories that are negative, that are eroding the presidency, and you get to the point where people are looking forward to seeing what the next big, bad story is going to be. it's like an avalanche rolling downhill that creates mass, it creates velocity, and the presidency is at the bottom of it. so i think barack obama has found himself in kind of a maelstrom right now, gregg, and they're really struggling to figure a way out of it. gregg: and his personality, you point out if your column, his ever-aloof personality is unsuited for the crisis. he's sort of a bystander president? >> well, he's always kept the congress at arm's length. he hasn't done a lot of negotiation with them. and i, when i talked about divide and conquer, it has been his political modus operandi for

his entire presidency to find up opponents and diminish them. and during the passage of the affordable care act, it was the insurance companies, the service the medical community, and it was constantly criticizing them. and the whole process has created a kind of anxiety in the country. there's a lot of bad feeling. republicans and democrats really don't like each other at this point. and now that the president has found himself in a genuine political crisis, a presidency needs political support. and i just don't see that it's coming to the president. in fact, democrats are now sort of deciding whether they want to be close to this president -- gregg: right. >> -- because the problem so great. gregg: yeah. they seem like they're bailing off the titanic. >> well, the 15 who met with him are almost hitting the panic button. gregg: he campaigned on hope and change, and then you write this:

>> well, i'm afraid that's ru k and it's a little hard to see how he can turn that around right now because what's going on now is not simply politics, gregg. the substance of this law, obamacare, has been designed in such a way that events like these cancellations and people not being able to get their doctors is going the continue to happen. next year there are a series of taxes that are come into place on very cadillac-type plans. so there is nowhere to hide from it. and the idea that the president through executive order is somehow going to make this all go away is very unlikely. these insurance policies have been canceled. you can't call them back. you can't put humpty-dumpty back together again. gregg: right. >> so he is in kind -- it's kind of the hurricane katrina of entitlements. it's just an ongoing, blowing disaster that's -- gregg: the canceled policies, he said we'll fix it. well, tear canceled. you can't -- they're canceled.

you can't get the genie back in the bottle on that. >> no. insurance is very complicated, and that's what these democrats are finding out. the white house knew some of these things were going to happen to people. gregg: sure. >> but the democrats, you know, as nancy pelosi said, we have to pass the bill to find out what's in it, that is the chicken that's coming home to roost. they are now finding out what was written into this law, and they're not liking it. gregg: dan henninger, "wall street journal," thank you very much. >> thank you, gregg. patti ann: right now on capitol hill, leading lawmakers from both sides of the aisle trying to fix major problems with obamacare. house republican fred upton pushing an option allowing americans to keep their plans and senator mary landrieu backing a new bill giving consumers more information ahead of cancellations. mike emanuel is live in washington right now. hi, mike. senator landrieu now supporting change to a law that she supported? >> reporter: well, that's right. senator landrieu, who faces a tough re-election bid in next

year, said the president promised people who had their private insurance in the individual market could keep it, so she's trying to adjust that with her bill. the senate told me this health care transformation is going to require some patience. >> moving from a system where nobody can find insurance or the rates -- or hardly anyone -- where the rates are going up and up and up, people are dropping insurance to a place where everybody has insurance through the private market unless you're on medicaid or medicare, it's difficult, and so it's going to take time. >> reporter: she's one of the democratic senators to attend wednesday's white house meeting and recognizes this law caulk the central issue -- could be the central issue her re-election issue. patti ann: so what are some republican proposals to address the obamacare issues? >> reporter: there are several ideas out there. the house is planning to vote on a bill chlz authorize insurance companies to keep offering plans the administration says need to be canceled based on obamacare's new insurance standards. a senate republican has offered his own fix as well.

>> what ours is focused on doing is just actually providing a true grandfather clause. as best as possible, allow people if they had a health care plan that they liked, they would be able to keep that same plan without having to, basically, comply with all the mandates that are driving up the costs from obamacare. it's, again, it's very difficult this late stage, but this is a good first step toward honoring those promises. >> reporter: senate republican leader mitch mcconnell says if the president would like to keep his promise to the american people, he should support senator johnson's proposal. patti ann? patti ann: chief congressional correspondent mike emanuel, thanks. >> thank you. gregg: the most powerful storm in 30 years showing no sign of slowing down right now, and it could be the strongest storm ever to make landfall. where it's already brought death and destruction and who's still at risk? we'll tell you. and check this one out, an asteroid unlike any other.

we're going to explain what makes this one so incredibly strange. [ coughs, sneezes ] i have a big meeting when we land, but i am so stuffed up, i can't rest. [ male announcer ] nyquil cold and flu liquid gels don't unstuff your nose. they don't? alka seltzer plus night fights your worst cold symptoms, plus has a decongestant. [ inhales deeply ] oh. what a relief it is. to share with family. [ woman 2 ] to carry on traditions. [ woman 3 ] to come together even when we're apart. [ male announcer ] in stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and more, swanson makes holiday dishes delicious.

♪ ♪ gregg: chaos erupting in the west bank, palestinians and israeli forces clashing after the funeral of a young palestinian man. mourners hurling rocks at troops who responded with tear gas. defense force spokesperson says troops shot and killed the victim because he attacked soldiers at a west bank checkpoint with a knife. this is the second such kill anything palestinian territory in two days. patti ann: world health officials springing into action after a polio outbreak in syria. a campaign to vaccinate millions more displaced children is underway just one week after syria confirmed its first poll owe case in the more than -- polio case in more than 14 years. health workers trying to stop

the spread of the crippling disease. so far ten children have been paralyzed and millions more are at risk. immunization rates in syria plummeted since the civil war began there. gregg: "happening now," more than a million people impacted by what experts say is the strongest typhoon since 1979, possibly the most powerful ever to hit land. the super typhoon smashing into the philippines killing at least four people so far, forcing thousands of other people out of their homes while causing landslides and flooding. that storm flattening homes, knocking out power to entire provinces. and it is now headed for vietnam and china. david piper streaming live from bangkok. david? >> reporter: hi, gregg, yes. this is a truly massive typhoon. it's packing winds as strong as 200 miles per hour. now, typhoon haiyan swept in from the western pacific to hit

the philippines earlier today. it's the equivalent of a category five hurricane. millions of people have had to seek shelter there. officials say three people have died so far, but there are fears that could rise because many places can't be contacted, the phone lines are down. aid agencies say the death toll could rise considerably, and the devastation could be extensive. it's been reported that some buildings, including a hotel, have collapsed. trees have fallen across roads hampering the relief effort. eyewitnesses also say there has been a storm surge with 5-meter waves hitting the coast. some areas haven't been in contact since the typhoon hit such as mendora island. around 12 million people are at risk from the storm. the authorities have been stockpiling medical and food supplies to help those affected. the central philippines is the worth affected with the country's second largest city hit by high winds and heavy

rains. the central region was already trying to recover from a powerful earthquake last month. there has been a storm warning issued for the capital, manila, but it's believed it will miss the worst, and we understand that a this powerful typhoon is now heading towards vietnam and will probably peter out, gregg, over the weekend. back to you. gregg: david piper streaming live from bangkok, thanks. patti ann: new jersey governor chris christie's landslide re-election victory created ip instant big buzz -- instant big buzz in the mainstream media, some already proclaiming him the 2016 gop presidential nominee, but others say he doesn't have a chance. howard kurtz will weigh in. and the dow reacting to today's new job report. what does it really mean for wall street, the economy and your bottom line? we'll have that. and los angeles international airport preparing to hold a moment of silence in honor of tsa officer gerardo hernandez, the father of two murdered in cold blood during last week's senseless rampage.

he is the first tsa officer ever killed in the line of duty. hundreds of airports across the country are joining in that tribute. so there i was again, explaining my moderate to severe

chronic plaque psoas to another new stylist. it was a total earrassment. and t the kind of attention wanted. so i had a serus talk with my dermatologt about my treatment options. this time, she prescribed humira-adalimumab. humira helps tclear the surface of my skin by actuallrking inside my body. in clinical trials, most adults with moderatekin to severe plaque psoriasis saw 75% skin clearance. and the majority of people were clear or almost clear in just 4 months. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reaions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a regionhere certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had t hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have symptoms such as feve fatigue, cough, or sores.

you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. make the most of every moment. ask your dermatologist about humira, today. clearer skin is possible.

patti ann: right now new jobs numbers giving us a brand new snapshot of the economy. the labor department saying employers added 204,000 jobs last month. that is better than expected, but the jobless rate ticked up to 7.3%. be doug holtz-eakin is a former director of the congressional budget office and president of the american action forum. thanks for joining us. >> my pleasure. patti ann: so the numbers was higher than expected, but the jobless rate still went up .1%, so some good news/bad news there? >> yeah.

this is yet another mixed report on the labor market. the top line number's a good number, and the revisions are promising. but when you look inside the report, there's not the components of income growth. to get income to grow, you need more jobs, more hours on the job and increased hourly earnings, and we're not seeing that. it was pretty flat again this month, and we've got a lot more part-time work. the jobs picture is mixed, and the income growth is exceptionally poor. patti ann: yeah. all good points. we should note that part of the reason for that increase in jobless was because of the furloughed federal workers being counted as unemployed. but as you mentioned, that unemployment rate does not count people who drop out of the job market, the percentage of americans who are working or looking for fresh work actually fell to a 35-year low. >> yeah. this is the lowest since march 1978 at 62.8% of population looking for work. the discouraged worker syndrome is one of the characteristics of

this slow recovery. and today was especially bad news on that front. it is important to recognize that the shutdown probably affected this report, but the directions of some of these changes, the sharp drop in the labor force, the sharp drop in the fact that people are looking for work, that's bad news. patti ann: yeah. and, again, to the underemployed people who are working part time when they really need full-time jobs and those are a lot of people taking jobs below their skill level, beau their pay grade -- below their pay grade. so what would you say is the, quote, real unemployment number? >> well, if you look at the measure of people unemployed or underemployed and out of the labor force without hope, you're looking at something that looks like 13.8%, very close to 14% of the population. it's a big number. patti ann: yeah. meanwhile, stock futures fell right after the report was released. the market's up right now. is there a suggestion, though, that investors will become concerned that the federal reserve is going to pull back on its stimulus efforts if the

jobless numbers seem positive? >> i don't see any real hope of the fed pulling back quickly. the unemployment rate remains elevated, they've committed to not pulling back until unemployment comes down, and so investors are going to watch this month to month, and today's report went the wrong direction. they shouldn't be nervous about the fed tightening very quickly. patti ann: yeah. doug holtz-eakin, thank you as always for joining us. >> thank you. gregg: a very bizarre discovery in space leaving scientists mystified. astronomers say the object was found in the asteroid belt between mars and jupiter. but they say they've never seen anything like this before. we'll tell you about it. harris faulkner is live in our new york city newsroom with more. hi, harris. >> reporter: you know, gregg, my favorite part of the story is that it has scientists talking like the rest of us do. skip the technical jargon, they say this thing is just plain weird, freakish. this asteroid has six tails.

apparently, that's a big deal because when they first spotted it, astronomers immediately began trying to explain it. although they say they didn't at first see the tails. cameras at a telescope facility in hawaii captured it in space, and what happened 13 days later really caught them by surprise. it started to change shape and spew dust. and you can see it best on that picture to the right. well, you can see it again as the arrows are coming out, that trail behind it, they say, is dust. it's estimated to be 1400 feet wide and based on computer models and other technical gizmos that they're using to monitor this thing, it's already shed possibly some 1,000 tons of this mysterious dust. they're not really quite sure what the origin of it is. for now they're doing what the rest of us would do without their impressive, fancy science degrees, they're watching it for any developments. gregg? gregg: it's not going to develop in our direction, is it, harris? >> reporter: no, that doesn't

appear to be the case. but if it does, i mean, you and i will be on the job. skippy. gregg: oh, don't you know. harris faulkner, thanks very much. patti ann: well, it's an irs problem that costs taxpayers billions of dollars, how many refund checks are being sent to thieves using stolen identities. and we'll analyze the media fascination with republican chris christie following his crushing victory in a very blue state. is he the candidate they love or the one they love the hate? [ male announcer ] did you know that if you wear a partial, you're almost twice as likely to lose your supporting teeth? try poligrip for partials. poligrip helps minimize stress which may damage supporting teeth by stabilizing your partial. care for your partial. help protect your natural teeth.

gregg: welcome back. the presidential hype surrounding new jersey governor chris christie exploding this week after the republican cruised bigtime. it was a landslide victory in one of the nation's bluest of all states. much of the media immediately dubbing him the gop's best chance for winning the white house in 2016. but our next guest, fox news media analyst howard kurtz, says the backlash kicked in real quickly. he writes, quote:

gregg: howard kurtz joins us, host of a buzz. that was well written, i enjoyed it. >> thank you. gregg: you know, it's so true that this guy does have cross-party appeal, but the problem is that's not how you get the gop nomination these days with so many activists, conservative activists and tea party activists. can a guy like chris christie, a moderate, actually win the gop nomination? >> well, we'll find out. it's been a lot of fun, gregg, to watch in this budding romance. because, look, let's face it, chris christie is fun for journalists to cover, he's colorful, he's unscripted, he's in your face, he's jersey shore. so in that sense journalists like him. he gives them mity of access. --

plenty of access. he's going on four sunday shows this week, including fox news sunday. and at the same time you did have that moment where everybody he might haveforeheads and this great appeal in new jersey, but how is he going to play in the iowa caucuses or some of these early contests where some of the most conservative voters in the republican party turn out. are they really going to buy what chris christie is selling? gregg: ted cruz is a rock star in iowa, at least not yet chris christie. want to put on the much-talked-about cover of "time" magazine. "salon" magazine has accused them of making a fat joke for its cover. there you see it, "the elephant in the room." there was more. what do you think? >> well, it was clearly a fat joke. it was a gratuitous slap at the governor's weight designed to create buzz. here we are talking about it. i thought it was unfair, but with i don't think it was that big a deal. it didn't show a big picture of

christie looking overweight, and he's endured a lot worse on "saturday night live" and elsewhere. the thing it reminds us of as we saw when chris christie was flirting of running for president last time is that his weight will be an issue, perhaps too much if it keeps getting chatted about. gregg: well, he did have some surgery, it does look like he's lost some weight. michael duffy, who is the executive editor of "time," went on television to defend the accusations of the fat jokes. take a listen. >> he's obviously a big guy, a big republican, but he's also done a really huge thing this week, he stood astride the republican party and said, stop, we don't have to make our whole appeal about narrow base issues. and that campaign showed up with the dem graphics we talked about. gregg: big, big and huge many one sentence, howard. >> nice try, michael, but they compared the governor of new jersey to an elephant which, yes, is, of course, the party's

symbol. i do think one of the reasons that journalists like this guy, want him to run, are practically casting him against hillary clinton in 2016 three ridiculous years in advance is that journalists, particularly inside the beltway, they like bipartisanship, today like what christie says about working with democrats. his views are more palate able to those of report r reporters -- reporters than ted cruz. gregg: obama's cool, he's analytical, he's a distant figure, he's been criticized for vacillating, syria might be a prime example. i wonder if chris christie might actually be the sort of anti-obama, which invites the question does he have the temperament to be president? >> oh, you'll be hearing and read ago lot more about. chris christie's temperament because the thing people like about him that he is so blunt and sometimes curses and things like that can also come back to bite him when he wags that figure as he did at a teacher a few days

before his election. so we'll be hearing a lot more about that, but sometimes voters tend to elect the president who's very different in style than the predecessor, so he could come across as a guy who could connect with joe plumber, joe average than the current president of the united states. gregg: style and substance. he endorses gun control, path to citizenship for undocumented workers. he concedes climate science, expanded medicaid under obamacare. so there's a lot there for cross-party appeal but, boy, you come back to getting that nomination, and a lot of conservatives. that's a tough one. >> will we need to focus more on chris christie's record if, indeed, he does run. i think that we will. and some of those positions that you rattled off are not going to go down well with the more conservative wing of the gop. gregg: howard, thanks very much. >> good to see you, gregg. gregg: be sure to catch howard

this weekend, "media buzz." it airs sunday at 11 a.m. eastern time and again 4:30 of course right here on the fox news channel. patti ann: well, bombshell revelations concerning the irs. according to a new treasury inspector general's report, the tax agency issued refunds totaling some $4 billion last year to people using stolen identities. molly henneberg is live in washington with that story. hi, molly. >> reporter: hi, patti ann. these thieves, for example, will get the social security number of someone who normally does not file an income tax return. think children or high school students or the very old or the dead, and then they take those numbers, and they file a fraudulent return with the irs. for the 2011 tax year, according to this new report by the treasury department's inspector general, it appears 1.1 million of these possibly-fraudulent tax returns were filed. and the irs paid out $3.6 billion. but that is down from $5.2

billion paid out the previous tax year. let's look at where the money's going. the report says these are the top five cities in the u.s. where the tax returns, the fraudulent ones, were sent. miami was the top spot followed by chicago, detroit, atlanta and houston. the money's flowing out internationally as well. the top five countries where the potentially-fraudulent tax returns were paid out, topping the list bulgaria followed by lithuania, ireland, china and canada. now, the irs contends it has improved its antifraud effort and, quote: >> r eporter: but some tax policy analysts say while the $3.6 billion that was paid out for tax year 2011 is an unacceptable number, it's not all the irs'

fault. >> congress has given the irs an impossible job to administer an unwieldy and complicated tax code. to fix the problem, we really need tax reform that simplifies the tax code, otherwise we're going to keep getting issues like this because the tax code is just so complicated. >> reporter: the irs can only do so many audits, and the thieves who perpetrate this kind of fraud are really good at it. patti ann? patti ann: molly henneberg in washington, thanks. gregg: right now diplomats from six world powers are in switzerland for nuclear talks with iran. the united states is largely looking for iran to take the first is step in curbing its nuclear activity. secretary of state john kerry acknowledges all sides have a long way to go in finding a deal. iran wants punishing sanctions eased up, and israel flatly rejecting any deal that would lift those sanctions unless iran is totally stripped of technology that could lead to

nuclear weapons. leland vittert live in jerusalem with more on that. hi, leland. >> reporter: hi, gregg. be we get anything out of these meetings over the next couple of days, it would be a deal the make a deal where both sides give a little bit. the u.s. and its allies would loosen the thumb screws on those sanctions that are crippling iran's economy while iran would agree to more inspections and perhaps not enriching any more of that high-grade uranium. the secretary of state, who flew from israel to geneva on an unscheduled stop to try to move these talks, says both sides are pretty far apart. >> i want to emphasize there is not an agreement at this point. i don't think anybody should mistake that there are some important gaps that have to be closed. >> reporter: the real wildcard here is, of course, israel who says anything short of a total end to iran's nuclear program is unacceptable to them. in the past they have threatened

military strikes against iran, and iran -- israel has spent a lot of time talking to the united states about what kind of deal they want. today prime minister netanyahu, though, was hot, he was angry, essentially saying the u.s. secretary of state should stay a long way away from signing on the dotted line. >> iran got the deal of the century, and can the international -- and the international community got a bad deal. this is a very bad deal. israel is not obliged by this agreement. >> reporter: saying he's not obliged by this agreement is a very thinly-veiled threat that israel still views the military option as one that they put on the table. obviously, gregg, we've been talking about the idea of an israeli military strike for a long time. if there was a deal between the united states, its allies and iran, that may complicate things dim lomatically for israel, so whether the prime minister's words were just rhetoric or a

real threat he will make good on, only time will tell. back to you. gregg: leland vittert in jerusalem can, thanks. patti ann: so is twitter the new tool for diplomacy? israel's prime minister now tweeting in hopes of persuading the world not to ease sanctions on iran. what could this mean for nuclear negotiations and in the now- and for the now-public social media giant? and bird strikes are a huge problem, but one young man is doing something about that. we'll hear from the eagle scout whose inventions is helping to save the lives of birds and passengers. >> the president's trying to pivot to the economy, we'll see whether or not the strength is there in the economy coming up. >> and it's friday, so you're going to see our blooper reel from the week, all the mistakes bill and i make. >> which there are countless. [laughter] >> true. up! i'm re-workin' the menu. mayo? corn dogs?

you are so outta here! aah! [ female announcer ] the complete balanced nutrition of great-tasting ensure. 24 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and 9 grams of protein. [ bottle ] ensure®. nutrition inharge™. ♪ [ male announcer ] laura's heart attack didn't come with a warning. today her doctor has her on a bayer aspirin regimen to help reduce the risk of another one. if you've had a heart attack, be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen.

this is a test. this is a test. this is a test 246789 is a test. rrn this is a test. this is a test.

♪ ♪ patti ann: "happening now" as twitter takes wall street by storm, it's also becoming a key diplomatic tool in resolving some very important issues. jonathan hunt joins us now with the latest. jonathan, even israel's prime minister on there. >> yeah, this is fascinating, patti ann. prime minister netanyahu of israel doesn't have a seat at the table for these nuclear negotiations with iran, to he's making his voice heard via diplomacy's latest tool, twitter. take a look at this tweet that the prime minister sent out earlier this week. a picture of anti-american protesters apparently in tehran with the words "retweet and show the real face of iran," hash tag stop the charm offensive. now, the charm offensive he was referring to were tweets from the president rouhani who tweeted earlier that same day, quote: iranian nation has never hated any nation, including

american people. what has been and still is of concern are hostile policies which we condemn. now, president rouhani, of course, started his twitter attack while he was here in new york for the united nations general assembly earlier this year. that prompted none other than america's newest billionaire, dick costolo, the ceo of twitter to write the this via tweet: of course, i feel like i'm witnessing a tectonic shift in the geopolitical landscape reading @hasan rouhani tweets: fascinating. a former u.s. ambassador to the u.n. said to me today, look, nobody is going to solve the details of any of these diplomatic issues via twitter, but it can be, as he put be it, a useful tool for breaking the ice. of course, prime minister netanyahu seems less intent on

breaking the ice than shattering the rose-tinted glasses that he feels the obama administration is using to view these negotiations with iran. but this is it, hash tag the new diplomacy, patti ann. patti ann: yeah, for sure. the war of ideas really. gregg: what was that fellow's name again? >> reporter: i'm not going to even try, but thank you for reminding everybody that i made such a mess of it. [laughter] happy friday. gregg: all right. this never gets old. touching home coming for this military dad and the surprise he gave to his kids. and rick leventhal is in lower manhattan as a group of soldiers in training makes a special visit to ground zero. rick? >> reporter: that's right, gregg. a lot of the cadets at west point were in elementary school during the 9/11 terror attacks, so they wanted to come down and see it for themselves. we were ready to watch it with them. pretty compelling story coming up right after this.

♪ ♪ gregg: welcome back. a group of west point cadets studying to fight terrorism are in new york city getting a reminder of what they'll be fighting for and why. a nonprofit group founded by a west point graduate taking the cadets to ground zero. rick leventhal is standing by there. rick? >> reporter: well, gregg, a very strong connection between the military and ground zero. many of our service members signed up for the armed forces because of what happened here on 9/11, and those terror attacks also prompted the west point military academy to create a school within a school, the combating terrorism center offers several classes including homeland security and counterterrorism strategy. and yesterday the school brought 50 cadets down here to the world trade center site so they could experience it firsthand. and we spoke to the cadets and

the program director about tear goals. their goals. >> where the country has come since 9/11 and then looking forward where we need to go in order to best combat the threat to our national security. and so the education program that they have is just unmatched, and it really prepares us for our service in the military upon graduation. >> one, to reflect on terrorism and counterterrorism, but also to think critically about how we've responded to terrorism in the past and how to improve on it in the future. >> reporter: meanwhile, a very important decision will be made this afternoon regarding the official height of 1 world trade, the cornerstone of the rebuilding effort here. the architects say it's 1776 feet tall including that spire on top of the tower, but if that spire is ruled an antenna, it won't count, and the actual height will beless than 1400 feet. there's an organization that determines the official height, it's the council on tall buildings. they're located in chicago, and

this afternoon the architect is making a presentation to the council's height committee, and then that council will meet behind closeed doors in this afternoon and come up with its official decision. that decision will determine the official height of 1 world trade. they'll release their findings sometime early next week, gregg, but it's obviously a significant number. if it's 1776 feet, then it's the tallest building in america, and if it's not, it's the willis tower, the former sears tower, in chicago that will maintain that honor. gregg: and the board is in chicago. couldn't we have gotten a neutral venue? [laughter] >> reporter: that's a good question. but they're meeting this afternoon behind closed doors, and they will render a decision in the next few days. gregg: rick leventhal, ground zero. thanks very much. patti ann? patti ann: well, get out your handkerchief. a u.s. service member surprises two of his children after a tour in afghanistan. >> ethan, i'm home. [laughter]

megan, i'm home. [applause] patti ann: well, that is navy commander tony erickson making a surprise visit to his kids' high school. there were hugs all around, a few tears can -- i'm crying. before he took off to another school to see his two other children. commander erickson says the family kept in touch through skype while he was away, but nothing beats coming home. gregg: isn't that so great? hugs and kisses all around. patti ann: gets me every time. [laughter] gregg: good for them. san jose international airport seeing a surge of dangerous bird strikes over the last ten years, but that could soon change thanks to an eagle scout's invention. that's right, it's called the raptor trap. raptors and hawks really love this airport. the grassy areas are home to tasty squirrels and gofers and all kinds of good stuff. there is hope the trap will work

when a bird goes in to take the bait, well, it trips the beam making the trap close safely around it. the boy that came up with it needed to invent something. he decided to go bigtime. >> most eagle candidates don't build something like this. so this was very unique that no one has ever done before. it does feel a little better that i'm doing this to help at least one or two hawks that that might actually hit a plane. gregg: caleb says the raptor trap took more than 130 hours to build. good for him. patti ann: great. all right, scientists finding the granddaddy of north american dinosaurs. we'll introduce you to the new species that would have t-rex shaking in his boots. ♪ ♪

vo: it's that time of year again. medicare open enrollment. time to compare plans and costs. you don't have to make changes. buit never hurts to see if u can find bettoverage, save money, or both. and check out the preventive benefits you get after the health care la open enrollment ends december 7th. so now's the time. visit medicare.gov or call 1-800-medicare

so get this. scientist? utah identified a dinosaur that no one knew existed until now. it is the oldest one in north america. a distant relative of t- rex. >> he will eat anything he wants. >> have a great day, folks. bill and allyson are up now. >> it is a down saur. >> fox news alert. he said he's sorry but is that enough? here's what the president had to say about keeping your plan compared to the past. >> i regret very much what we intended to do, to make sure that everybody is moving into better plans because they want them as opposed because they are forced into it, that we weren't as clear as we needed to be.