>> mike is a real journalist. he wanted to get out there and experience it and have experiences to draw from. >> mike to bein is the only guy i know who ski races up hill. >> thanks for joining us. >> america's news headquarters starts right now. >> mike is staying warm. tens of millions, record low temperatures, way below 0 and the blast of artic air freezing just about everything inside. i am bill hemmer. >> and i am alisyn camerota. and hitting more than the usual places. and chicago and minnesota and northeast and even the deep south is feeling the deep freeze today. and we have them standing by outside of the fox world head quarter ares and rick and carter in new jersey in feels like minus 12 degrees, rick.

why did you take off your face mask. >> i wish i didn't. i can't feel my face anymore. i don't know how many people would normally be out in the streets. there is no one here now and it is so bitter cold. it is colder here than in much offantartica. it is colder in georgia than alaska. it is so cold in kentucky, a prisoner who escaped from a lock up on sunday turned himself back in on monday night when it was 20 below 0. tennessee, people are feeling the artic blast. and utility companies are asking customers to cut back on the power usage to avoid blackouts. losing heat could be deadly. and there are tens of thousands of customers without power today because of the chilling cold.

and there are transportation troubles. icy roads and there are frozen trains on the tracks causing delays. and the bitter cold caused the cancellation of thousands of flights in the country. meanwhile, there are people who have to work outside besides journalist and that includes fuel delivery guys here in new jersey, folks realizing they are out of heating oil. and guys like steve bow an are filling tanks and jumping back in their trucks to warm up. and sanitation workers are out making the rounds this morning wearing several layers to try to city warm. >> does your face hurt at all? >> no. pretty much everything else is all right. i have been doing this for a long time. i am dressed for it. >> as long as the truck moves forward i am okay. don't do this at home. you all standing still. >> i would attest to that.

you spent a now minutes out here and feel it in your face and fingers and tows and couple of layers of socks and gloves, you >> checking back in into prison is great exhibit a. thanks for sharing what it is like out there. put that face mask back on. >> and meteorologist just outside of our studios. can you read a map out there? >> i can whether or not i can press the clicker to advance maps is left up for grabs. we'll see how we do. it is six degrees. 4, 4 in central park and oh, actually, these are the morning actual lows. this is what it felt like when we woke up this morning and much of the country except for los angeles and san francisco and phoenix below freezing as well as seattle.

it is an epic chill in most of the country. and let's see if we can advance my math. here we go. daily record lows that we set. dozens of them. four dozens and big cities of new york and atlanta and pittsburg and detroit, we continue to have airport delays. and they are the daily record lows. and in some cases it is temperatures that we felt in the century and a temperature change it is 35 degrees warmer this time in new york yesterday. and that is a nice shade of it is warm air that is fixing. a quick shot and snapshot of the colder artic air and polar vortex and all of the media dubbed it. we are into a little bit of

a warm up and showing you the maps here. going into wednesday and thursday. look at. that look at that. no sub0 temperatures for anybody. and it is actually going to be warmer than average. and just got to get through today and tomorrow and we'll be wearing t- shirts and shorts. >> you look like a jumping bean out. there >> you have to keep warm. you do what you got to do. >> rick mentioned it was so cold in kentucky, an escaped prisoner turned himself back in. >> police say the inmate escaped in lexington on sunday. as the temperatures plummeted in the frigid temperatures. he went to a holtz and asked the clerk to call police. he was treated for hypothermia and back to three meals a day.

>> it is so cold you fill in the blank. >> don't use a witch's a natamome. >> and we have great ones all right. and we'll share the best later this hour. >> fox news alert for you. proposal to extend long- term unemployment benefits passes the test vote in the senate. six republicans joins the democrats. and the future is far from certain in the house. the president making the issue the central point of the first speech of the new year. bret baier has more now and joining me now. >> hi, alisyn. >> is the democratic battle cry extension of unemployment benefits and income inquality. >> it is going to be a set up for 2014, and they believe it is

a powerful issue for them as they head to the midterms and this battle will continue. you heard the president today saying that this is about people and not just statistics. but it is about your neighbors and friends and family. and some of them don't have jobs and we wants a bipartisan bill and three- month extension pass the senate and house. it went through the 50 hurdle. 60 to 37 today and the six republicans. nevada, new hampshire and maine and alaska. and ohio, all senators signed on to cloture. the final vote for that bill is expected to pass the senate. the outcome in the house is another question. >> brett, what does it tell you that six republicans signed on? >> it tells you that 1, 3 of those republicans come from states where the unemployment

rate is higher than the national average. and so they are dealing with a situation in those states where they have unemployment rates that are high. and two, you have a situation where republicans have a divergence of views about this. and some of them believe they need to move forward. and some believe they want to go forward and see if they can make the bill better. and in other words foip a way to get the extensions paid for. 6.4 billiop dollars and fund cuts other places. that is what may happen in the house. >> as you know, unemployment benefits run out for one.throe million americans. the president said by the end of this year, he believes that that number in terms of how many affected was 14 million. he was grouping in spouses and children of those unemployed. and so do we think that this

issue. unemployment benefits will eclipse obama care which has traction for republicans? >> democrats are hoping it does. but listen, it is important to point out that this is the president's fifth year. and this is the economy that the president obama has been sheperring. and they talk about unemployment issues it is important to have that perspective. and the bipartisan budget deal struck between senator patty murray and paul ryan did not enclude unemployment benefits and democrats signed on to that deal. all of the partisan back and forth. there is enough blame to go around. i don't think that republicans feel it will eclipse the health care issue as they head to the

midterms. >> bret baier thank you for that. and great it so you. >> all right. >> white house crediting obama care for slowing health care rise. and spending for medical care saw the slowest growth ever recorded. and administration critics say not so fast on that. and the brand new book. lou dobbes on the fox business network. >> good day to you. >> what was the government's find about this? >> it was sort of fun if i can put it that way to think of all of the excitement that is in the rate of health care in this country. we have soap a decline if we rely on the statistics from 17.throe to 17.2. and fill out to 2.8 trillion

authorize. it is not something that i think we should start looking for a parade to be going by in celebration of this development. >> and many have argued that obama carry is the reason why health care costs are going lowered. that is countered by senators and also known as cm s. they say a slow economy is to blame for this. what are republicans saying over time? >> over all health care costs are rising and i love the fact that the cm s is the same folks who couldn't bring an accounting to obama care itself and had so much trouble in implementing the program and those who are excited about the change from 2010 to 2012, would do well to remember that obama care is not fully implemented until this year, maybe. we don't know the impact or

cost. we know they have shuffled 50 billion in a side account to make sure it is hunky dory by this administration's terms. but the reality is medicare is going up in costs and rising at a slower rate and none theless still rising about four percent. >> and so if the math doesn't add up, premiums go higher. you have to get the money somewhere. >> the money is coming obviously from the government and the second part. seeing the higher taxes kick in for obama carry. this is the full on shot now that is taxes that are being added and we'll not have the conversation next january. very simply, costs will not be going down because of the costs of obama care will be going much hi

higher. >> we'll see you in 2015. >> check out the book. >> a federal judge striking down one of the toughest anti- gun law in the country. >> lindsay vaughn took home the goal in 2010 and a big decision about her future in the next month's winter games. >> surf's up. >> it is golfers that got too close to the action. we'll have the rest of the amazing video for you.

how cold is it? check it out. so cold in michigan the detroit river has frozen. this is new video in hq moments ago. the ships are moving through the ice to try to break it up making sure other ships can

follow-through. >> that looks likantartica. >> but it is not. it is detroit. it is so cold fill in the blank. send a tweet at bill hemmer or alsimcamerota. >> i am getting a lot of body parts. >> as expected. a federal judge striking down chicago's ban on gun sales saying the law violates the second amendment. it pushes back against the toughest gun control laws in the nation. judge napolitano is here. judge, great to see you. >> alisyn and bill, happy new year to you. >> what did the judge decide about chicago's strict gun control measures? >> the judge appointed to the bench by president obama wrote a 54 page opinion in which he reminded the government of the city of chicago they have two

obli gayings one to protect safety and the other two to protect freedom. freedom to purchase a gun and to license the gun and use the gun in your home. the case standing for this proposition, alsip is the city of chicago. it is a case that is about two years old. and when the government makes it difficult for you to exercise your freedom like. you have to go 25 miles away to buy the gun and 30 miles away to buy the ammunition and 40 miles to use the gun. it is interfering with your freedom and struck down the laws that used zoning to prevent purchasing guns and ammunition and firing ranges within the city limits. >> this ruling was about sales. six monthsing on the chicago city council approved a ban on assault weapons and stiffer penalties for people who carry

guns near schools. did this touch on those? >> no. those challenges are before another judge and they will make their way up the system. i will tell you if you don't mind my opinion. the city of chicago cannot enact laws that are stricter than federal laws. when there is no federal ban the city of chicago can't either and they know that. >> chicago is a interesting case study. it has had in 2013, had more homicides than any other city in the country, however that was 412. that is down from what historically been chicago's murder rate. and so people in favor of gun control can say it is working in chicago because the murder rate plummeted. >> mark 29 said there are lies and dam lies and statistics. you can do anything you want with statistics.

professor john lott, wrote a great book called more guns equals less crime and demonstrates that in cities where people can oen gups and the crooks and bad guys are afraid to break in the homes because people might use them. statistics will go either way. it is interesting to see what happens in chicago. if this judge's opinion is up held. it is the first time in the modern era from 1955 to the present that people in the city of chicago have been able to own, buy and keep guns in their homes in that city. it would be very telling to so the murder rate plummet or not plummet as a result of that. >> judge, thank you for explaining all of that. >> body parts, huh? >> that's what i am getting. >> i don't know what you are getting. >> the fbi launched a massive manhunt after this man was left for dead on the highway.

road rage clues that led to murder. >> what would you do if you saw this? >> a state trooper. it was 30 feet a head. and i probably wont be going home to that night. it shook me up a bit. so my dog and i we're going to go find it. it's out there somewhere spreading the good word about idaho potatoes and raising money for meals on wheels. but we'd really like our truck back, so if you see it, let us know, would you? thanks. what?

this is a terrifying scene caught on camera state troopers in utah shoes a distracted truck driver losing control and nearly hitting another trooper responding to a separate incident. that is dash cam video and luckily no one was injured. meanwhile, the fbi is joining a manhunt for a suspect in

a fatal road rage incident looking for a driver of a pick-up truck believed to have shot and killed a man in a pick-up truck. 20-year-old timothy davidson made a frantic 911 call saying that a truck tried to run him off of the road and the driver was shooting at him. he died at a local hospital. mark furman is a former homicide detective. mark, one of the disturbing things. the victim was on the phone with 911 while it was transpiring and trying to give them a description of a pick-up truck trying to run him off of the road and shooting at him. how helpful will that be? >> it is hopeful they will have a type of vehicle and color. the vehicle ran into the victim's vehicle intentionally. they have a color.

you have a paint transfer. you can find out the manufacturer if it was the original color. they might be looking at a ford ranger or another vehicle. this is the neicallious of the lead recovering the video. >> the victim was able to say it seemed to him like a ford ranger- type pick up. you say that is what they have to go on. this happen on a stretch of i- 81 in pennsylvania. doesn't that stretch of highway have cameras and surveillance cameras that might have picked upon up license plate? >> i would assume so. i have no idea of pennsylvania and their freeway system. i read that the state police said they have cameras but used for monitoring density of traffic and at night they can't pick up a license plates. and so that will be difficult.

but let's remember, the vehicle got off of the main highway somewhere. there is traffic lights that have come ras. the vehicle could be stolen and need to look at stolen vehicles that match the color and size and type of vehicle. and could be other crimes involved before and after, and basically they need to find the vehicle and hopefully, they find the vehicle intact and not burned or in water. >> you mentioned other crimes that might have preceded this. there was another rod rage incident seven hours earlier that involved shots and a black pick-up truck. the investigators are wondering if they are connected. that person survived and they have a witness account. are you surprised they haven't found the truck and driver yet? >> no, this is very difficult.

the other crime described a black nissan. this is the same type of vehicle and size and shape. and most likely in the same era of 80s or 90s or 2,000. you don't pay too much attention to the make and model. this vehicle ran into the vehicle's vehicle and might have left something on the rod way. a head light or tail light or marker of trim from the vehicle. so we don't know what they know, but certainly a victim under stress is not going to be 100 percent on the vehicle make and model and color. lighting changes the color. more lighting is more obvious. and some change in street lamps and highway lamps and so they need to get an mo connection with another crime or find the vehicle and that is one reason

they have gone state wide. they don't believe it was a local person. >> let's hope they fine the pick-up truck, son. mark, thank you. >> call 911 if you see the truck. >> democrats pushing income inequality in 2014. is that a winning tactic. >> and the country experiencing dangerously cold attaches. we'll talk to emergency vehicles. >> families and victims in benghazi making a new push for answers and the mother of shawn smith will tell us about that. >> every time i see this on tv, i see bloody finger prints crawling down that wall. i keep asking everybody. do those belong to my son. and no body has told me anything.

>> time for a quick check of the head lines, 25 al-qaeda militants were killed in the balth with the troops in the battle for ramadi. they are trying to avoid an all out battle for control of the city. >> north carolina investigating the shooting death of a mentally ill teacher. the police responded to a desturbance in the family home. he was tazed and a shot rang out

seconds later. >> and on a lighter note. an ohio woman making new friends. she saved ducks that might have froze to death. her husband needs earplugs to sleep. the good news is they have dinner for the next few days. >> you are not making that up. >> i did make it up. >> that did happen? >> the story i did not make up. >> but they had ducks and they brought them inside and now they can't sleep because they are too loud. >> quacking. >> and extreme weather alert now. artic blast pummelling the country and minneapolis and new orleans and memphis and maine.

balmy and this morning it felt like minus 20 and the folks were used to the brutal conditions. and forcing schools to close and cancelled more than half of the flights out of o'hare. >> woa tht h. >> camera rolling when that happen. >> and in springfield illinois. sir, good day to you. what are you telling folks. >> it is a trying 48 hours. . and we are trying to let everybody know that even though you are adapted to the cold make sure you are not tempting fate and we encourage people to stay indors and if they have to travel take necessary

precautions and certainly be careful on the roads. >> obviously chicagoans are hearty people and why did you have to cancel school? >> if the wind chills are low enough it can be dangerous. and knowing that our bussing systems to get kids to school. but some walk to school. we really don't want to expose them to the cold. >> and given the history in chicago where you get the lake- effect snow and weather off of lake michigan. this is truly historic. how long does it last for you folks? >> we are looking at hopefully get out of the wind chill advisories by the end of the day today. and yesterday the low in chicago was lower than the low in the south pole. that is the indication of what we were facing. as the temperatures warm up and i use that word relatively.

we are dow for another round of snow and freezing rain and sleet. >> you can deal with anything after this. >> no rest for the weary. we are certainly prepared for it and it is wearing down the nerves and energy of everybody involved. >> thanks for taking time for us to paint a picture of what your city is going through. >> you are not alone. a lot of schools are cancelled today. too cold outside. simply put. >> meem, the september vote on unemployment benefits. first shot across the bow hitting hard against the republicans on the issue. >> democrats plan to make that a top issue. is that a winning strategy? >> johnathon is a republican strategist and director of super pac. and marjorie former consultant of obama campaign. and good day to you. my esteemed colleague has the

first question of the year. >> do you think the issue of unemployment will resonate for the next year and effective for the democrats? >> the democrats have stumbled from one obama care debacle and they are trying to change the conversation. they think they found it over income inquality. we'll hear approximate raising the minimum wage and extending the unemployment insurance. and raising taxes on high earners. it is a reprisal of the 2012 obama class warfare playbook. >> that means it could work. they think it works? >> politically it may. but the issue is that it doesn't create jobs. it is the slowest economic recovery that we have had since

world war ii. and nothing had going to do with creating jobs and it was focused on jobs and inequality. >> and marjorie, i guess the base buys into it. do you think that the simple majority do? >> it is a winning issue for republicans and democrats and being in washington d.c., it would be exciting to see everybody agree on something. there are two imperatives on the war on poverty and income inequality gap. there is a economic case. and johnathon was saying we don't jobs and we maintain jobs if we expand the coverage for unemployment and 55 percent of the americans actually support extending the benefits and if they are in the boat, they want that coverage, to. >> if you want to help them out, improve the economy. unemployment is at or above seven percent for 60 consective

months. >> right. >> but if you look at long- term, how am we solve the issue of income? they are talking about minimum wage and a 40 year period and if we maintained minimum wage with the rate of inflation, and right now, if we actually have a working class of people that are not working poor, all systems benefit. we are not having to rely on social security. >> it is seven percent unemployment, i am sorry. >> i am bringing in johnathon. the president had an applause line. the critics were critics of extending unemployment benefits that it is a disincentive for work. it is resonated with the people. i never met anybody who got an unemployment check than go to work. it is it a line that is touching

people. it may not be true but worked in the room. >> everyone agrees that a permanent unemployment benefit like in france or socialized countries is a disincentive for work. and another issue here that the president doesn't want to get into is how they pay for this. they have debates and the president hasn't offered to pay for. there is an opportunity for the republican to tie it with welfare reform and social security reform. there is ram pant fraud and abuse. and it could be turned into a productive thing for the economy moves forward. >> and marjorie got to run. >> if we do have a class of people that are able to work and afford to live, we don't need the extra programs. >> we have to skedaddle. >> and thank you. great talking to you. >> families of the victims of

benghazi. >> patricia smith lost her only son shawn. and she is our guest. >> bitter cold temperatures today. across the country when is the warm up? >> in las vegas, adam housely. >> it is warm inside. and opened half an hour ago. this is a polaroid prints out a picture and denialing dig at the same time. we'll have that coming up after the break. nnouncer ] nearly 7 million clients. how did edward jones get so big? t me just put this away. ♪ could you teach our kids that trick? [ male announcer ] by not acting that way. it's how edward jones makes sense of investing. i'm here to get the lady of the house back on her feet. [ all gasp ] oj, veggies you're cool. mayo? corn dogs? you are so outta here! aah!

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>> coming up on the real story. did you catch senator john mccan't on jay leno. who does he like for president on the republican side in 2016. should a satanic group be allowed to put up a stat u of a bearded demon surrounded by kids in oklahoma? and did you know the nfl is an

nfl organization that pays no tax its and one senator is trying to change that all in the real story in the top of the hour. >> and we'll see you 15 minutes away. new push for answers in benghazi and families of the victims of the terrorist attack. that you were murdered more than a year ago. and they are writing to house speaker john boehner asking for a special committee to investigate what happened that night. patricia, hello to you. unfortunately we are speaking about the topic and i appropriate your time today. what do you think or what do you think a special investigation would do in your search for answers. >> we would get answers. from what i understand. hillary is the one person who

can give me answers as to what happened to my son. she is not required to answer anything. she just sits there and said she doesn't want to talk about it and she's not made to say it. i want to know why she didn't give security, eight times they asked. eight types, and i know that because my son called and told me that. and there was no security. they called back to security that was there. and i said the same thing over and over and over again, where was the security? why won't hillary talk & maybe she is the one person to give me answer. if she is running for president and wants to be president she has to give me answers. >> you think hillary clinton holds the answers to what happened to your son? >> she was the boss, it was her

department. i don't know if it is hillary or not. i am surmeasing it was because i have no other information. and if it is not hillary, why doesn't somebody tell me somebody? no one will. and i therefore assume i am probably right. i do believe it is not hillary. and if it is not hillary it is obama and probably both. >> and there are five separate house committees on this matter. why is it so stubborn and difficult? >> that is my question. i feel, i feel, that i am acting as a mother. asking what happened to her son? why didn't they have his back like they promised? that's what i want to know. >> i don't know who is at fault. i want to know and i want them to stand up and say i blew it.

i shouldn't have made that decision and it was made and my son is dead and nothing has been done since then and i am so terrified that the rest of our sons and daughters will be sent out there with no back up and no one watching your back. >> he was your only son and my heart goes out to you. and the attitude you have today the same as you were a few monthsing on when we talked. do you feel differently than a year ago that you will get the answers that you are looking for? >> i don't know. i don't know. it depends on the government itself. if they require, and if they ask the right questions at the right time i will get the right answers if they want to cover it up, then i suppose i will not find out anything. i wake up everybody morning that i probably was talking to my son

and he's saying go for it. and so i am going for it. >> good luck. good to speak to you again. patricia smith from san diego today. thank san diego, today. thank you. a brutal cold as you know across the country. temperatures dropping to single digits in many places, shatdering records, paralyzing transportation. we have the latest on the dangerous deep freeze. giant waves catching spectaculars by surprise. why these were no ordinary waves. well another great thing about all this walking i've been doing is that it's given me time to reflect on some of life's biggest questions. like, if you could save hundreds on car insurance by making one simple call, why wouldn't you make that call? see, the only thing i can think of is that you can't get any... bars. ah, that's better. it's a beautiful view. i wonder if i can see mt. rushmore from here. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance.

at a company that's bringing media and technology together. next is every second of nbcuniversal's coverage 0f the 2014 olympic winter games. it's connecting over one million low-income americans to broadband internet at home. it's a place named one america's most veteran friendly employers. next is information and entertainment in ways you never thought possible. welcome to what's next. comcastnbcuniversal. the olympics kick off a month from today but american skiing star lindsey vonn is not going to sochi.

the gold medal winner says she needs surgery on her knee and can't compete net game. >> such a shame. check it out, spectators watching incredible waves brought on by recent storms in portugal. it flooded the parking area. four people were injured. >> well, exciting new technology revealed today at the consumer electronics show kicking off in las vegas. new gadgets that can apparently help us with every day tasks and help us stay healthy. adam is there live. that's a fun assignment. what have you got? >> a lot of healthy stuff we've been showing everything from heart monitors to things that track how far you walk. this is really cool. we've had recent coverage of the tragedy in the philippines. these by the thousands. they are also in africa, solar charger for your phone.

on the other side provides light up to two days. they are like $50 and last for several hours. bluetooth headphones, $49 from craig. also about capturing your life, whether you're out for a walk or whatever. this is from polaroid. they are how much? >> $99. >> look how cool they are, small, light. remember polaroid cameras. take a picture. on the back it shows up like a card on the normal camera. but like the old days, that's keith our photographer, it's not a sticker so you can stick it on the wall and have a picture at the same time. one final note, these things are starting to become afrdable. this is a three-way charger 14 feet from the wall. you can charge ipad and phones at the same time. it's about affordability and accessibility these days, guys. >> awesome stuff. i could use all those things. >> all we need are more

pictures. >> or gadgets. >> thank you, adam. how cold is it? it is so cold -- you fill in the blanks. >> we're going read best tweets next. >> there's good ones, too. >> very funny. >> hear me?

>> that looks like a nice day. >> it does. it's misleading. >> we asked how cold it is and boy did your answer. great answers. >> so cold apple has introduced the ipark, a. >> so cold our cows are getting ice cream. >> politicians putting their hands in their own pocket. >> so cold i'll resist the temptation of putting my tongue on a light post. >> good thinking.

i said no body parts but that one allowed. >> christmas story. >> remember that? >> don't do that today. >> don't do that. thanks so much for watching us. i'm allison camerota. >> i'm bill hemmer. we've got great ones we can't say on television. tomorrow, ciao. >> hi, everyone. we start with a fox news alert. i'm gretchen carlson. the polar vortex now freezing eastern and southern suns. in fact, it's colder in parts of the u.s. riot now than the coldest parts of sibera and over half the flights at one of the world's busiest airports, o'hare in chicago canceled because low temps are freezing fuel supplies. thousands of flights delayed around the country and lowest temp recorded today, guess where it is? in my home state, minnesota, 45 below zero without the windchill. fo