>> this is a fox news entertainment alert. i am geraldo rivera. on a night dominated by the oscars and nba all star game the third leg of the big event trifecta, the daytona 500 was postponed for the first time ever because of rain. it is scheduled forenoon tomorrow and will be televised by fox sports. the track tation 2 and a half hours to dry. the race is 4 hours long and the forecast tomorrow in daytona is... let's have maria. >> unfortunately doesn't look good for tomorrow either. we are looking at similar conditions to what we saw today. we are going to begin a drying trend later on in the day tomorrow. here is the future cast here.

join showers in the overnight hour you can see the pinpoint is where daytona beach is. showers around by 6:00 a.m. in the morning. the big question is will it be raining around noon? we will have batches of heavier rain and possible thunderstorms at least to the north of the city. if not over daytona during the race when it is supposed to start. aside from rain lightening is also dangerous temperatures tomorrow 73 degrees that should be the high temperature later on in the afternoon. that's normal for this time of year. there are four other times the race has been shortened because of rainfall. 1965, 66, 2003 and 2009 all due to rain. >> rain, rain, rain in the forecast. maria thank you very much. ladies and gentlemen, the oscars are on. pr pretty boring year. sasha cohen cracked me up when he arrived dressed as general

admiral muladene the dictator he plays in his movie. he dumped the ashes of kim jong-il on ryan seacrest who wasn't happy about it at all. the nba all star name isn't on the court today jeremy lin. here to put linsanity in perspective the veterans sports caster from cbs and nbc, jim gray joins us from los angeles. jim, welcome aboard. let me ask you a simple question? who is more important to the nba jeremy lin or blake griffin who made the la clippers a real team? >> well that's a tough question. but blake griffin. he has a huge future. already proven himself worthy of being in the game. he's in the game this evening right now. jeremy lin has come on the scene in the last three weeks it has been incredible see if he can sustain the test of time but it has been a phenomenal run and fun to watch.

>> 270 points scored so far between the two of them. what's the record? this -- looks like a dunk-a-thon. >> well, you know, it's really a celebration geraldo of basketball. not a competitive game. i think in the last couple of minutes it's tightened up here and they both want to win now. there is a lot of alley-oops a lot of dunks and outside shooting and very little defense even though duane wade did come from behind as you look at last night's all star slam dunk. evans winning from utah there. that was impressive. duane wade caused kobe bryant's nose to bleed. >> i saw that. in a fun game to hurt an all star great player like kobe bryant like that, the fact that injury -- back to jeremy lin, is he for real and will he expand the audience of the nba? >> well clearly he's ex paneleded the audience already, geraldo.

television ratings have been through the roof. knicks tickets are hard to get. it has been years since they have been in demand like this. china is enthralled. not since yao ming has there been this much attention in china. can he sustain it? difficult. put the defense on him from miami he wasn't ready for. there will be more tape on him to get his tendencies and the second trip around the league will be more difficult. he's a guy who has proven he can play. he has gone from where he was to where he is tonight it is incredible. he has done it because of the way he has played. he hasn't done it because you are lucky. you can't get lucky in the nba for 10 or 12 games. he hit a bit of a wall against miami but they are the best team in the league. he also has been turning the ball over too much. he's going to get better. i think he's with the right coach mike dan tony.

he had nash all those years there's a big future for jeremy lin. whether or not he can live up to all of this, we will see if it is possible. >> appreciate it. >> i like that you are doing a sports show. perhaps you should start competing against sports center nba all star games all those things. why not? >> here is jay leno. >> i saw the worst reality show last night. have you seen this one. it's called the republican debate. anybody watch that? did you watch? it was on cnn. you know who the big winner was? american idol on fox. that's what i watched. >> jay is a funny guy. he is flat out wrong if next wednesday's gop debate which will be the defining moment in the race for the republican nominati nomination. mitt romney over came rick santorum the last rival standing to seal the deal.

if i am right senator santorum has nobody to blame himself coming off big wins in missouri, colorado all eyes were on santorum in the debate. let's face it. he was terrible. he seemed unprepared. he looked like a deer caught in the headlights. you can watch how the february 22nd debate cost him. here is the politics track. on the 22nd the day of the disastrous debate he was still up on romney by a point and a half 33.5 to 32 percent. the next day santorum's lead strong to half a point. 33.8 percent to 33.2 percent. by friday the 24th it was all romney 35.2 to 33.6. friday romney's lead stretched to two full points where it remains today according to the real clear average. >> detroit free press michigan's largest newspaper hassan tore

rum up by 3 but it was polish the poll on thursday before the full impact was felt. why is santorum even that close to romney in michigan a state where romney was born and his dad was a popular governor? >> let's ask the washington reporter for the detroit free press which has endorsed romney despite the opposition to the bailout. why does the paper support him even though he was against the bailout? >> all candidates were not for the bailout. romney has taken positions the editorial board agreed with in some cases. they think he is more moderate and exec diff experience sthan tore rum. that's why they backed him. >> why do you think in michigan of all places where they know the romney family so well he has had trouble sealing this deal?

>> i think it's for the same reason he had in other places. this time around he is not being seen as the conservative he was in 2008. the very conservative base is rallying around senator santorum as they did in the season that was the rise after the sweep out west. >> as governor romney brought more forces to bear more resources for the state got a lot more in advertising. tightened up a great deal. >> i haven't been in michigan the last week or show? is romney really dominating the airwaves with negative ads about santorum? what's going on? >> they are both having their own ad. the romney folks as i understand are pushing a little harder. by that i mean governor romney's campaign and restore our future his super pact are really

hitting hard. there have been surrogates for senator santorum that have been out there pushing ads as well. their campaign has been making calls to a lot of democrats a lot of independents from our reports as well as republicans and they have been hitting robo calls very, very hard. governor romney has been absolutely working. >> can you give me a report on tuesday? >> i can't. in terms of turnouts if it was something like it was in 2008 which was 860 thousand then governor romney is going to do okay. if people are kurned off by negative advertising. it may be senator sn tore rum's life. coming up we will hear from

the santorum and romney campaigns. image being convinced your brand new son-in-law killed her daughter and the judge decides he is innocent or not guilty before he allows the police to go to a trial you will hear from tommy thomas. a movie that should be up for

>> i have to admit voighted for that. it was against the principles i believe in. but when you are part of the team sometimes you take one for the team for the leader. i made a mistake. >> senator santorum said something he mentioned he voted for something he didn't agree with. he did it because now and then you have to take one for the team in washington. i thought no. it's about time we have someone who goes to washington who takes

one for washingto -- for the pe. >> you have to look at what his objective is. is it to fundamentally change washington why is he a wing man for mitt romney through out the course of the campaign. >> i think he was exposed on the last debate where he wasn't the conservative he was pretending to be. when ron paul asked why he called him a fake during that wednesday debate paul replied because santorum is one i thought the senator the former senator from pennsylvania wilted. he tried fighting back but i think he has been on the defensive ever since that's my take at least. i think he disagrees he is the press secretary and joins me from washington. thank you for being with us. especially on oscar night. i appreciate it. do you disagree with my assessment your man has lost

that momentum he had in missouri? >> he had tremendous movement today in livonia and kalamazoo and lansing. that is where this race will be won or lost out? the streets of michigan and arizona. he demonstrated more than anything that he is the true conservative. while he was instituting the model for obama care with romney care he was embracing cap and trade while supporting the wall street bailout rick santorum is doing the opposite opposing obama care. he was fighting against cap and trade. >> you thought he was the true conservative? seemed like he was defending being a conservative. at that debate i didn't come off

as the real conservative. >> he has shown he is the most consistent conservative he had in the race. there was one issue where he was call to do the carpet. he showed the american people what they want with an elected official makes a mistake american people want them to admit it and fix it. that is what he did in that debate. unlike mitt romney when he makes a mistake he doesn't admit it. romney care was a tremendous mistake he still supports it. cap and trade a tremendous mistake he still supports it. rick santorum has the guts to look at the american people and acknowledge when he could have done something better and promised he will do something better in the future. >> did he make a miss step by emphasizing social issues? i know the wrap he constantly

asks them about it but he does relish getting involved in the issues like the birth control insurance mandate. isn't that a fact? >> he goes out across the country and talks about the issues that his people talked about and what they asked him about and what the reporters ask or in the debate he simply is responding to them. i can tell you what resinates with the people is his plan for creating jobs and uncertainty in in environment. he unveiled his 100 days in office. the made in america plant. concluded a wide array of ways he will help restore confidence in our economic system and involves economic issues and involves obama care but most importantly pro family policies which include eliminating the marriage tax and tripling the deductions for children. those are things that connect to the people. that's the problem with mitt romney. he doesn't resinate to the american people. >> out of time. thank you very much for coming in again. alice stewart. we will hear from the romney

camp and arizona as well as michigan after this.

>> the question is there a misconception. >> you get to ask the questions you want i get to give the answers i want. >> i drive a mustang and chevy pickup truck. ann drives a couple cadillacs actually. >> can you understand why some voters who be put off by those things? >> i can't be perfect. i am who i am and i can tell you this with regards to the cars we have that is something that tauz talked about. we have a car we have in california. we have a car we have in boston

where our other home is. that's the way it is. if people think there's something wrong with being successful in america better vote for the other guy. >> mitt romney trying to dig himself out of an i will add vised comment. he governor brew enjust endorsed him. romney is over santorum by over 10 points. 39.5 to 28.8. scott rasmussen has him 42-29. tom more see the chairman of gop and former senator gym cal lynn for mitt romney. welcome. how did santorum win in your state? you endorsed romney. what happened? >> well, geraldo, i said at the time it was like an exhibition game where only one team showed

up. we picked the delegates and the caucuses next march. that's what we are focusing on and what all of the dance are focusing on. >> i bet he would have been proud of it. if he won you would have been saying great. >> the primaries, we are in the primary we are not tipping it but we are going to focus on the topic. governor romney's message beating obama and turning the economy around will be a strong message. >> good to see you tom. unlike michigan you are a winner take allstate and romney looks like he's going to win it all unless something happened in the last few hours. is that the polls that you are seeing romney well ahead in arizona? >> yes. in most of the polls, geraldo. good to see you again, too. you know, this has been a real roller-coaster. just to use the word i have heard a lot the last few days. the thing is, it looked like

governor romney has surged again, but i will tell you, this is unlike anything i ever seen in my political memory. it changes from hour to hour. also minute to minute. the way it is now it looks like governor romney is out front. tomorrow it might be a completely different story. >> last time in 2008 the republicans won in arizona yet the home town champ john mccain running and still he only beat obama by 8 percentage points. now you have this ugly immigration thing going on there, tom. i know my audience hates when i bring this up. but you have 20 percent of the electorate in november november will be latino. they are kind of urked by what they have seen. are you afraid you might lose your home state where i proudly went to college come november?

>> no, i am confident in gillespie and our community. they believe in standing on the same principles as the republican party. love of country and love of god, jobs and a safe and secure environment. the thing that i would like to get out to the latino community, three of my grand kids are laugh hat teen no and my late brother in law is quarter latino. i do identify with the culture. the message is this, up until now it is timid we tried to bring them into the house for the state. >> but we are reaching out to them. there are things i would like to see happen like what do we have next. >> i think that's a great idea. let me end it with you this segment trying to compress it with everything going on here. do you think mitt romney is successfully portraying rick

santorum as a liberal? >> i think you said it yourself in the last segment. rick santorum is doing a pretty good job at that. when you have a debate a big bill like no child left behind it was against the principles you believed in it but you voted for it anyway. that is business as usual. that's what we need to change. governor romney will change it. he has a record of turn around every organization of which he has been a part. i think the governor and santorum are a big help. >> thank you. tom thank you. we are three minutes away from

"geraldo at large." >> prime time and crime time alert. thank you for hanging in there with us. image if your daughter was drown on australian honeymoon by her husband who pleads guilty to neglect manslaughter in her debt. because of the tireless actions of your family he's also finally on trial in the united states when suddenly the judge steps in and declares him not guilty before the jury has a chance to render its verdict. frank has the exclusive with the heartbroken father and prosecutor who tried to bring her husband of 11 days watson to justice. >> the curl minute nation of--

culmination of a 9 year fight for justice it was the opinion of one man. >> when you heard the judge say the evidence is sorely lacking and dismissed the case against your former son-in-law gabe watson what went through your mind? >> for a judge to take it upon himself to do that and acquit him without giving the jury the opportunity, it just destroyed us. >> the long battle to bring their son-in-law 34-year-old gabe watson to justice in the ladies and gentlemened murder of tommy's beautiful daughter gina began shortly after her honeymoon drowning in october 2003 while scuba diving on australia's great barrier reef. >> we didn't want it to be murder. we wanted it to be an accident. the last thing i wanted was the picture in my mind that my daughter had been murdered. >> her arms out stretched up almost like looking at me reaching her arms up to grab.

>> thomas says the alabama jury was denied the opportunity to decide whether watson was denying to investigator when is he gave multiple versions of what happened the day his wife died. >> every time his story was challenged he would tend to change the story. what reason would he have to do that? >> i went down started kicking down but as far as i was kicking down to get her, she was going down just as fast. >> or decide on testimony from this man a diver from a separate dive boat who said he saw gabe on tomorrow of tina in a bear hug. >> dr. stutts what he saw as a partial eyewitness for the last part of what happened was totally contradictory to anything in any one of gabe's 16 different versions. he never put himself in position to help tina in an almost

lifeless or near unconscious weak state that dr. stutts put it. dr. stutts actually thought that gabe was coming down to save tammy. one of two things happened there. he either came down to save tina and did which we know he didn't or he came down on top of tina to finish what he started which is what we believe what the police believe what the courts believe up until we saw the case. >> tommy says the judge's decision was a flash back to a june 2009 decision by an australian prosecutor who accepted a plea deal with watson's foreman slaughter. he was in jail for just 18 months. >> i look at his conduct once he came back to the states after her death. i look at the way he conducted himself at the funeral looked at the way he tried to collect insurance proceed.

i listened to what the parents had to say about the relationship. all of it rises to the level that i believe the jury should have heard the evidence and sifted it out. >> the attorney general is angry. for years troy cane fought to have watson extradited to face a jury of his peers reluctantly agreeing not to seek the death penalty so authorities down under would release him. >> when the australian prosecutors politicians stepped in and thwarted to get justice i never dreamed the thomases would come to alabama and have another politician stand in the way of tina thomas's memory. >> the jury would deny an opportunity to see a damming reenactedment of the death conducted by a video of gabe desiccating tina's grave site or testimony will a disturbing conversation she had with her

father before leaving on her honeymoon. >> little stressed out when gabe was talking to her about the fact that she needed to increase her life insurance coverage at work to the maximum and change the beneficiary to him. >> he went to try to make that claim how long after your daughter was dead? >> he came back and i think it was shortly after the funeral that he went. it was either later in the week of the nfuneral or the followin week. >> what went through your mind when you heard the judge's decision, you watched gabe watson hug his attorneys and hug his new wife kim? >> i felt betrayed but statement i felt like i let her down. >> he didn't let her down. he did everything he could. >> how is the watson family faring? >> emotion natalie they are devastated financially they are ruined. he spent his entire savings

taking multiple trips halfway around the world to see the investigation through. he hired investigators and attorneys. he paid for a wedding then a funeral. he would do it all over again if he had to, but obviously he wishes for a different outcome. >> obviously. too bad, our condolences to him. such a nice guy. it was so great to talk to you. thanks. tina watson told her best friend and bridesmaid melinda that she was going to try scuba diving on her honeymoon. melinda is joining us right now. thank you very much under the circumstances for coming on the program. how did tina tell you she felt about the prospect that she would be scuba diving on her honeymoon? >> she was very excited about going to australia to see the animals but she was nervous about learning how to scuba dive for sure. >> it was a prospect that gaye

her some reason for fear? >> right. yes. she let me know she was nervous. it panicked her a little bit to learn how to scuba dive here in town but like i said she was excited to go over to australia. >> you can tell us how you feel about the verdict. i think i know. what do you think about gabe watson? >> it really makes my stomach sick. i don't know. all we ever wanted was for this to go before a jury to hear the evidence, the things that i know, the thing that the family know. that is all we ever wanted was for it to be heard by a jury. it enrages me that this judge felt he needed to take it upon himself to go ahead and dismiss the entire case. >> aside from him dismissing the

case what evidence do you think should have been admitted that was not admitted? >> i think definitely the reenactment. i think definitely the videotape of him cutting the flower arrangements off of the grave. i think a lot of things said a lot about his character that they tried to cover up. i believe. >> tell me about the vandalizing the grave. what really happened there? we see the video of him taking the flowers off the grave. what in the world was he doing? >> well, i have been told that since that they had been watching the flowers on the grave to see where they were going. and the local police department had set up something to watch to see exactly who was taking them off. once he took them off the detectives and helena don't go back up there because we don't know what his motive is.

we don't know if he is dangerous. i mean why would you do that to someone aels grave? >> it's disgusting. linda, why did he do it? >> one reason maybe was the fact that the thomas family placed the flowers there placed them there numerous times. the family they placed you flowers there, he was against them doing that. he was against them having any type of visitation rights. now there's a fight oufr where tina lies and rests. they could all be together and rest in peace. >> he wants roll of the dead body. he plead guilty of manslaughter. the creep. i don't know -- as a lawyer i have to tell you folks what the judge did is outrageous. i will tell you why next.

>> kel come back everybody. they ended the trial of watson by declaring him not guilty i think is a question of jurisdiction more than a question of proof. but let me suspend my opinion give that to lis wiehl garnd

reja -- gary jackson. >> what do you think of the judge's actions? >> pleat complocompletely wrong. these motions are made all of the time. >> motions to dismiss. >> everybody does that. never have i seen this happen like this. >> i have never seen it either. >> our system is founded on a jury decides. i don't know what this prosecutipros -- whether they would have won or lost but let the jury decide not the judge. >> it never happens but -- >> in new york we call it trial order dismissal. we do it pro form ma. what ends up happening the prosecution puts in the case we stand up. >> you make the motion. >> people have not established this case there is no legally sufficient evidence for this case to go to the jury based upon the facts that the people have not presented it. >> all of the time you made that motion how many times have you won it? >> very nice.

now have a seat. >> there's another why you they are trying to establish intent. >> they agreed not to go for the death ten ality. >> still a murder case. >> the other viewers did a job. >> the judge's job is to zal wait whether there's judgment. what they are attempting to establish is not that he murdered her but it was intentional. >> intended the jury decides when it gets to the jury. the fact that they take it away from the jury it doesn't make snins. >> that i glant you. >> here is my ruling. i think that it is the same. why did alabama have jurisdiction at all? the crime was committed in in australia. the reason alabama had jurisdiction is he wanted to get

the insurance before he even left alabama. the truth of that was really lacking. >> he didn't let it in. >> the group before the jury as a matter of law allowed it to because the plotting of dave watson to get the insurance there was not even proof he was the beneficiary of the policy. there was proof that the beneficiary was actually tina thomas's moms. her mom. the bride's mom not her husband. the insurance policy motive the only thing that happened in alabama the plot in its own mind to kill her and collect the insurance. once you don't have the insurance policy you don't have that. >> the 11 are included. >> it could be manslaughter or

homicide. >> when he was interviewed the judge said based on your conjecture he spoke to the issue of the crime itself not only the insurance policy but he said it was pure spec ration and he had the duty of a judge if there's no legally sufficient evidence supporting that charge to dismiss it. that's what he did. >> lesser included they should have always brought that to the jury. wouldn't have to be first degree or capital punishment. could have been less. >> they agreed it was very unusual. >> they can't even sue him. >> no. >> right here geraldo. two years statue of limitations. >> i hope he has bad karma the rest of his life. thank you both for coming in. forget the artist. those other oscar movies. we highlight the best film in the country. biggest film in the country biggest film doesn't even have

>> clear. all clear. >> my heart is pounding i am in a cold sweat. the u.s. navy seals legendary

fighting. my next guest had the idea of exploring in a movie that could tell the story of what the warriors do. then osama bin laden got popped and the movie act of valor became a major motion picture playing in theaters coast to coast. the directors of act of valorer. nice to see you. >> nice to see you. >> you are in the company of heros there. excellent. >> true american heros. >> and they can act. >> who knew. >> actually playing themselves was really cool. most films we are always watching an actor portray a character. they are not playing somebody else. >> they are indeed themselves. but how are they even playing themselves? they have to recite lines? >> they were fantastic. they are such competent people overall. they are the most professional talented men. >> were you with them when osama bin laden got killed? >> no. >> the reaction think had must

have been spectacular. they take down the number one men on earth. then they made a movie. >> they had the highest moment last year and lowest moment in august when the helicopter went down they lost the squadron. this showcases the sacrifices that have been laid down for these men and their families. >> but the sustained combat is wearing on people. it is so dangerous. how did they maintain any equilibrium in terms of balancing their home life with some of the most high stake adrenaline rushing action you can image? >> the reason we use navy seals in the film they are at a whole different level of manhood than any one could really comprehend. we all think they are just

terminator rambo. their ability is far superior than we thought. the relationship with their wives and films was something we loved to film. it is neat how order nash rethey are doing an extraordinary thing. after the disaster must have been a mood -- >> the film is about sacrifice they have laid down. everything you see has happened on the battlefield. you get to meet mark over here and he went through it. we want to communicate to the american people we want to have appreciation. >> i think they are getting that now. the u.s. public was hip to that. although they don't get an insider view of exactly what it is they do. i heard on fox and friends they wanted to use live ammo for the shoots? >> wanted to show how they train

and operate. they don't train with blanks. they train the same way they operate. hasn't been done on a film since 1929. almost 100 years later you you see the film it's truly remarkable. >> you mentioned rambo and some of the fictional characters. it is easy to be a hero on film. but this is the real deal. these guys really stuck their neck out and having seen them in action that is something i really admire. >> absolutely. the operational finding was done by the guys. we show a presenting point to them. did she hit the target? how old you do it? they would write it off we would have the cameraman and hit the target for real. it is so important it is like the leads in the film are in the middle of the action. you are not cutting away close to the movie stars or reverse shot to the stunt double.

you are seeing the guy in the middle of it. you have the football movie p and the giants on the field. >> tonight the oscars any of these guys go ing to get the bet actor category? >> they are active duty back to what they do. some are already back on deployment. no. no chance of them being an actor. >> good luck with act of valor. good luck with some of the great warriors. hope it is sold to millions of people. they deserve all of the gratitude and respect and praise they get. >> thank you for watching. see you next time. good night.

>> good morning, everyone. hope you had a fantastic weekend. it's monday, february 27th already. i'm gretchen carlson. fox news alert for you right now. because the taliban has taken its revenge, more u.s. soldiers under attack in afghanistan. did president obama's apology do any good or would this violence have erupted anyway? >> meanwhile, here stateside, voters are at the ready in michigan and arizona with dozens of delegates up for grabs tomorrow and one of these republican presidential candidates just landed a key endorsement. we'll tell you about that straight ahead. >> can't wait. whether you loved it or hated it, it's being called the moment of the night. >> interesting thing is actually -- no. sorry.