>> reporter: i'm sure this has nothing to do with the fact that this could be mitt romney's biggest night of the process. i'm sure the president isn't even aware. megyn: total coincidence. >> reporter: total coincidence. megyn: didn't this happen before when he tried to schedule the big spaoefpl on the night o speech on the night of the debate. >> reporter: john boehner said actually i'm going to be watching the republican debate that night, we can't do it then. megyn: a news conference he can do what he wants to do and he plans on doing it today in a matter of moments. what is he trying to do get on record on the issues that we'll be hear from the g.o.p. candidates on tonight. >> reporter: he's trying to split the headline. he wants in your local paper tomorrow to split the headline with mitt romney. doesn't want mitt romney to have a headline that says, romney wins, yeah, mitt romney. he wants a headline to say romney wins, obama talks about

po*r -- threatens to blow something up or give saw money. megyn: is president obama getting worried about the gop field? the conventional wisdom is, it stings, it's a mess, the projected primary is terrible for the republicans. >> reporter: that all can be true and still they can be worried about it. the proceed trabted process may be baprotracted process may be bad for the republicans, but the sooner it ends they start fighting with obama. the obama campaign and the white house have been romney centric. megyn: democrats are taking out ads against him. in florida they had a million dollar ad buy. >> reporter: they are romney folks. they are afraid he can take moderate voters away from him in suburbs of swing states. the president is maybe too smart on this. he's having a press conference today, yeah he may seal the line from romney. remember one that president obama does he often shoots

himself in the foot by talking about henry louis gates and the cambridge police. megyn: we see him usually with a teleprompter. that was a shift from george w. bush. he wasn't so wetted to the teleprompter. there was a thought that this president got married to the teleprompter. you don't even remember the gaffes because it's been a longtime because he does use the teleprompter so often. the news conference he doesn't have a teleprompter. it's back and forth with the members of the media. the members of the media not eve enamored with the president as they once were before about. >> reporter: thatted henry, you never know when they are going to throw out. he's coming out at a time when there are difficult topics, contraception, sandra fluke. megyn: there is a question about why he called this woman -- >> reporter: yeah. megyn: and hasn't called certain families of, you know, military veterans who are injured and so on. i mean, look, why, why would you

call this person and not so much other americans who are suffering or target ned other ways. faifair & balanced press will ask that question. that is the least of our worries right now, about sandra fluke and her birth control. it's iran, sear yeah, the nation's unemployment rate, our debt, i mean all of that will come up. the white house has talking points on those, they want to get their talking points in the news. >> reporter: those questions author easier, the tough questions are the ones that are in the marginal gap shots. the questions the president is not expecting and that he may create a headline he doesn't want. he wants to step on mitt romney's line but he has to be careful in this press conference that he doesn't say or do anything that hurts himself tomorrow. megyn: is there any thought that the white house is getting concerned about this g.o.p. race? because we talked about the conventional wisdom, that it's not good, it's going on forever. now more and more you're getting a few folks who know politics popping up and saying, this actually isn't so bad for the republicans, it's keeping them in the news. it's hard to get someone fired

as president. >> reporter: right. >> right? it's hard to fire somebody. it's probably easier to run as a republican in an open field. >> reporter: status quo, hauf. megyn: they need to get mitt romney fired. is there concern now that actually the protracted process, where every tuesday night we hear another three or four republicans bashing president obama is reach the point of saturation now. >> reporter: well there is the saturation thing, then there is this other factor, this mitt romney had clinched the republican nomination let's say in south carolina, if he had won in south carolina in florida and the thing went away you're right, that the discussion would have been all about president obama. like today he's going to talk about giving free mortgage -- mortgage assistance to veterans. stuff like that. yeah, that sounds great, that is something to talk about. and all that there would have been is bashing, you would have had the stabment presents and the white house bashing mitt romney. romney has been part of a dynamic process. it's been corrosive. it's been corrosive, but it's not all bad. nothing in politics is generally

speaking all bad. so there is some good in this for the republicans. now if romney gets a big win beings a two state win tonight, there is ohio and tennessee, maybe something else, if he does that tonight and the process starts to conclude democrats in the white house know that, look at how they are hoarding cash. they want the money, they are afraid of what is going to happen and they'll be concerned. megyn: chris stirewalt. thank you for being here. this is the super tuesday set. b r-rbs et and i will bret and i will be here tonight. those are big shoes you're filling over there. >> reporter: i know, 14's. megyn: we'll see you later tonight my friend. fox news alert as we await the president we turn to the big news today about iran. the european union now saying the world powers have agreed to a new round of talks with iran over its nuclear program. a development welcomed by our administration here. this is iran today is saying it will allow u.n. nuclear

inspectors into a high level military complex. the site is where iran is suspected of carrying out secret atomic work. according to a leaked data from a u.n. report this is the site where it's believed iran has tested the kind of high explosives used to trigger a nuclear weapon. leland vittert live for us now from jerusalem. >> reporter: there is a general consensus here that this is more of the same from teheran, they will do anything, say they will allow inspectors in, say they will talk in order to buy some more time to continue work on their nuclear program. when it comes to the inspection it's a cat and mouse game. the inspectors ask to be let in. iran says know. they have time to cleanup and all of a sudden the inspectors can come in. this is parchin, 20 miles south of teheran. western intelligence agencies have long thought this is a facility that could be used to carry out some timing tests on conventional explosives, but the

very types of high explosives that are needed in order to trigger a nuclear weapon. that would be a big step forward if indeed iran is carrying out those kinds of tests towards the red line that israel always talks about that would then bring about an israeli military strike on the iranian nuclear program. just as soon as iran says okay we'll allow inspectors all of a sudden they started walking that back. maybe under these preconditions, maybe we'll do this or that. the same kind of rhetoric we're hearing about from iran when it comes to this latest round of nuclear talks. it's still unclear what is on the table, exactly what anybody is going to be talking about. but for the iranians, as long as they are talking it gives their allies a little bit of cover to keep the sanctions from really tightening down and the u.s. and other western allies from staoeut evening the screws down on the iranians in terms of their oil programs. the war drums are continuing to beat. prime minister benjamin netanyahu are, president obama met yesterday in the white house. just after that meeting a local israeli television station came out with a report saying for all

intents and purposes prime minister benjamin netanyahu had made his decision and there will be an attack on iran. today when the prime minister visited capitol hill a reporter asked that question, said mr. prime minister, have you made a decision in the only thing that the prime minister benjamin netanyahu would say is, it's my decision not to talk about that. it will be very interesting to see what comes out of this presidential news conference when the president of the united states is asked that very same question, as obviously he and the prime minister talked about that yesterday in their meeting. megyn back to you. megyn: thank you so much. as leland just mentioned, the white house is now saying it is ready to restart talks with iran in the hopes of convince being the iranians to drop their nuclear weapons ambitions. questions about that will likely come up in the president's news conference which we are awaiting right now. you will see it here live when it happens. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu is making the rounds meantime on capitol hill right now meeting with key congressional leaders and

backers of israel's right to defend itself from a nuclear iran. joining me now ambassador dan gil a man, a former ambassador to the united nations and a fox news contributor. ambassador, so good to see you. i want to ask you about the latest headline that is just crossing, that the administration sees a chance for diplomacy to work in iran and it's willing to restart nuclear talks with them because it believes diplomacy plus strong pressure with work here. >> well, megyn, it's very good to be with you, and i must tell you that i'm amazed each time anew at the great excitement in the administration, both in the u.s. and in europe whenever the iranians are willing to talk. the iranians are masters at fooling the world, at wasting time, at working the clock, they've done it before, and maybe now when they feel a bit more pressure they are saying, okay, let's talk. those talks will serve no purpose except wasting time.

and i cannot understand how when a country that blows up people in damascus, and in georgia, and in thailand and india all of a sudden says we are coming to talk, guess who is coming to dinner, the iranians and the secretary of state is dance tpoerg joyfor joy, i just don't understand that. you must understand the iranians have been fooling the world, doing it for years. it's deja vu all over again. it's the case of pakistan becoming nuclear and the case of north korea becoming nuclear. they all talk and at the end we woke up to nuclear rogue regimes. to the president this may be foreign policy. to us it's a life insurance policy. and i would much rather have the u.s. criticize israel's foreign policy than pay for its life insurance policy if something really goes wrong. megyn: ambassador i know that you believe the meeting between

president obama and prime minister benjamin netanyahu yesterday at the white house was perhaps the most important meeting between the world lead tkerbgs the men wh leaders, the men who fill those roles in 65 years. what does it tell you that the day after that meeting the administration has come out with this response saying we are willing to restart talk with iran and believe that diplomacy can work? >> megyn, i do believe that that meeting yesterday was probably the most important meeting between an israeli leader and an american president since harry truman was asked to recognize israel. that was about recognition. the meeting yesterday was about existence. the recognition of israel is against the existence of israel. and i'm, frankly quite disappointed by the response to the iranian by this joy at them willing to talk a day after the president has said, and quoted

teddy roosevelt saying, you know, walk softly and carry a big stick. it looks to me as if the president, and the administration, and maybe even the europeans will be walking into that conference hall where they will be meeting those devious iranians and leaving the big stick behind. and it is only a big stick if the iranians believe the u.s. president is carrying that will make them stop. it will not be additional talks. those talks will do nothing. the clock will keep ticking, and we have to understand, megyn, this clock is ticking very quickly. this is all about timing, this is all about the moment of no return, at which moment iran will have the capacity and the knowledge to have a nuclear -- to produce a nuclear weapon. we cannot wait for them to have it. by that time it will be too late. therefore i do believe that those talks will do nothing but waste time, and what the west,

the international community led by the united states should do is make the iranians realize that they mean business, and if they don't stop that stick will be proceed tkaoeusd, that is the onlproduced. that is the only way to make those people understand and hopefully regress and stop that quest for a nuclear weapon. which will be a threat not just to israel but to the whole world and civilization as we know it. megyn: i want to get a quick answer if i could, ambassador. we are within the two minute warning of the presidential presents conference here. reports today that benjamin netanyahu has made his decision and israel is planning on striking iran. i know you're not going to reveal anything confidential and that sensitive on the public air waves, can you give us any sort of guidance on what still remains to be discussed before the decision is made? >> well, megyn, i can only imagine the weight, the enormous

burden that prime minister benjamin netanyahu carries on his shoulders. this probably may be the most crucial, important, historic, decision ever taken by an israeli prime minister. i don't envy him. but i do believe that he has decided that he will not preside, and was not elected to preside over a second holocaust of israel. i believe once he realizes that time is running out he will take the right decision. i'm sure he still hopes the u.s. as leader of the free world will do it. if they don't israel will have to do it, because it cannot afford, and the world cannot afford a nuclear iran, and we will not live with a nuclear iran, and the time to make sure it doesn't become nuclear is far nearer than anybody really realizes. megyn: ambassador dan gillerman, thank you so much. fox news alert we are getting

word now that we should expect president obama any moment. we are within the two minute warning. a look here at the white house briefing room. here comes the president. we will have full analysis from ambassador john bolton and others on the opposite side of this. >> i understand there are some political contests going on tonight, but i thought i'd start the day off by taking a few questions, which i'm sure will not be political in nature. but before i do i want to make a few announcements about some steps we're taking to help responsible homeowners who have been struggling through this housing crisis. we've clearly seen some positive economic news over the last few months. businesses have created about 3.7 million new jobs over the last two years. manufacturers are hiring for the first time since the 1990s. the auto industry is back and hiring more than 200,000 people over the last few years. confidence is up. and the economy is getting stronger. but there are still millions of

americans who can't find a job. there are millions more who are having a tough time making the rent, or the mortgage, paying for gas, or groceries. so our job in washington isn't to sit back and do nothing, and it's certainly not to stand in the way of the recovery. right now we've got to do everything we can to speed it up. now congress did the right thing when they passed part of my jobs plan and prevented a tax hike on 160 million working americans this year. that was a good first step. but it's not enough. they can't just stop there and wait for the next election to come around. there are a few things they can do right now, that could make a real difference in people's lives. this congress should once and for all end tax breaks for companies that are shipping jobs oversees and use that money to reward companies that are creating jobs in the united states. i put forward a proposal that does just that and there is no reason why congress can't come together and start acting on

it. this congress could hold a vote on the buffet rule, so that we don't have billionaires paying a lower tax raeupbts their secretaries, that is just common-sense. the vast majority of americans believe it's common-sense, and if we are serious about paying down our deficit it's as good a place to start as any. and finally, this congress should pass my proposal to give every responsible homeowner a chance to save an average of $3,000 a year by refinancing their mortgage at historically low rates. no red tape, no run around from the banks. if you've been on time on your payments, if you've done the right thing, if you've acted responsibly you should have a chance to save that money on your home. perhaps to build up your equity or just add more money in your pocket that you can spend on businesses in your community. that would make a huge difference for millions of american families. now if congress refuses to act i've said that i'll continue to

do everything in my power to act without them. last fall we announced an initiative that allows millions of responsible homeowners to refinance at low interest rates. today we are taking it a step further. we are cutting by more than half the refinancing fees that families pay for loans insured by the federal housing administration. that is going to save the typical family in that situation even aebgs tra thousand dollars a year on top of the savings that they'd also receive from refinancing. that would make refinancing even more attractive to more families. it's like another tax cut that will put more money in people's pockets. we are going to do this on our own. we don't need congressional authorization to do it. we are also taking a series of steps to help homeowners who have served our country. it is unconscionable that members of our armed forces and their families have been some of those who have been most susceptible to losing their homes due to the actions of

unskru banks and mortgage lenders. over the last few years that happened a lot. so as part of the landmark settlement we reached with some of the nation's largest banks a few weeks ago, here is what we're going to do. if you are a member of the armed forces whose home was wrongfully foreclosed, you will be substantially come pen compensated for what the bank did for you and your family. if you are a member of the armed forces with a high interest rate who was wrongfully denied the chance to lower it while you were in active service, which banks are required to do by law, the banks will refund you the money you would have saved along with a significant penalty. the settlement will make sure that you aren't forced into foreclosure just because you have a permanent change in station, but can't sell your home because you owe mourn its worth. some of the money will also go into a fund that guarantees loans on favorable terms to our

veterans, and there will be more foreclosure protections for every man and woman who is currently serving this country in harm's way. as i said before, no amount of money is going to be enough to make it right for a family who has had their piece of the american dream wrongfully taken away from them. no action, no matter how meaningful will entirely heal our housing market on its own. this is not something the government by itself can solve. but i'm not one of those people who believe that we should just sit by and wait for the housing market to hit bottom. there are real things that we can do right now that would make a substantial difference in the lives of innocent, responsible homeowners. that is true with housing and that is true in any number of different areas when it comes to insuring that this recovery touches as many lives as possible. that is going to be my top priority as long as i hold this office, and i will do everything i can to make that progress.

so with this i'm going to take some questions, and i will start with mike. >> on the middle east, as it relates to american politics a little less than a year ago moammar qaddafi gave a speech an said he would send his forces to be bengazi. he was going to route people from their bedrooms and shoot them. in syria, sad r-rb i bashar al-assad is killing people, there is a massacre underway. john mccain says you should start air strikes now. on iran mitt romney on sunday went so far as to say that if you are reelected iran will get a bomb and the world will change. how do you respond to those criticisms? >> you asked a couple of questions there. let's start with the iran situation since that's been the topic of the news for the last few days. when i came into office iran was unified, on the move, had made

substantial progress on its nuclear program and the world was divided in terms of how to deal with it. what we've been able to do over the last three years is mobilize unprecedented crippling sanctions on iran. iran is feeling the bite of these sanctions in a substantial way. the world is unified, iran is politically isolated. what i have said is that we will not countenance iran getting a nuclear weapon. my mol see is not containment, my policy is to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon, because if they get a nuclear weapon that could trigger an arm's race in the region. it would undermine our nonproliferation goals and potentially fall into the hands of terrorists. we've been in close consultation with all our allies, including israel in moving this strategy forward. at this stage it is my belief that we have a window of

opportunity where this can still be resolved diplomatic lee. that is not just my view, that is the view of our top intelligence officials, it's the view of top israeli intelligence officials. and as a consequence we are going to continue to apply the pressure, even as we provide a door for the iranian regime to walk-through where they could rejoin the community of nations by giving assurances to the international community that they are meeting their obligations and they are not pursuing a nuclear weapon. that is my track record. now, what is said on the campaign trail, you know, those folks don't have a lot of responsibilities. they are not commander-in-chief. and when i see the casualness with which some of these folks talk about war, i'm reminded of the costs involved in war.

i'm reminded that the decision that i have to make, in terms of sending our young men and women into battle, and the impact that has on their lives, the impact it has on our national security, the impact it has on our economy. this is not a game, and there is nothing casual about it. and, you know, when i see some of these folks who have a lot of bluster and a lot of big talk, but when you actually ask them specifically what they would do, it turns out they repeat the things that we've been doing over the last three years. it indicates to me that that is more about politics than actually trying to solve a difficult problem. now, the one thing that we have not done is we haven't launched a war. if some of these folks think that it's time to launch a war they should say so, and they should explain to the american

people exactly why they would do that and what the consequences would be. everything else is just talk. with respect to syria, what's happening in syria is heartbreaking, and outrageous, and what you've seen is the international community mobilize against the bashar al-assad regime, and it's not a question of when bashar al-assad leaves, or if bashar al-assad leaves, it's a question of when. he has lost the legi legitimacy of his people, and the actions that he is now taking against his own people is inexcusable and the world community has said so in a more or less unified voice. on the other hand, for us to take military action unilaterally as sun suggested someone suggested or to think

there is a simple st. louis i think isolution i think is a mistake. what happened in libya is there was a security councilman date, had the full cooperation of the region and the arab states and we new we could affect that within a short period of time. what we have done is work with the arab states, key international partners. hillary clinton was in tunisia to come together and to mobilize and plan how do we support the opposition, how do we provide humanitarian assistance. how do we continue the political isolations, how do we continue the economic isolation, and we are going to continue to work on this project with other countries. and it is my belief that ultimately this dictator will

fall as dictators in the past have fallen. the notion that the way to solve every one of these problems is to deploy our military, that hasn't been true in the past and it won't be true now. we have to think through what we do through the lens of what will be effective and our security interest. jake. >> what type of assurances did you give prime minister benjamin netanyahu about the role that the u.s. would play if diplomacy and economic sanctions failed to work to convince teheran's leaders to change their behavior and israel goes ahead and prepares to strike the nuclear facilities? what type of assurances did you tell them, and shouldn't we, i recognize the difference between debate and bluster, but shouldn't we be having in this country a vigorous debate about

what could happen in the case of a middle east war in way that sadly we did not do before going into iraq? >> i think there is no doubt that those who are suggesting, or proposing, or beating the drums of war should explain clearly to the american people what they think the costs and benefits would be. i'm not one of those people, because what i've said is that we have a window through which we can resolve this issue peacefully. we have put forward an international framework that is applying unprecedented pressure. the iranians just state they'd they are willing to return to the negotiating table, and we've got the opportunity, even as we maintain that pressure to see how it plays out. i'm not going to go into the details of my conversation with prime minister benjamin netanyahu. what i said publicly doesn't differ greatly from what i said privately. israel is a sovereign nation

that has to make its own decisions about how best to preserve its security. and as i said over the last several days, i am deeply mindful of the historical precedents that weigh on any prime minister of israel when they think about the potential threats to israel and the jewish homeland. what i have also said is that because sanctions are starting to have significant effect inside of iran. that is not just my assessment it's a uniform assessment, and because the sanctions will be tougher in the coming months, because they are starting to affect their oil industry, their central bank, and because we are now seeing noises about them returning to the negotiating table, it is deeply in everybody's interest, the united states, i israel and the world

answer to see if this can be resolved in a peaceful fashion. so this notion that somehow we have a choice to make in the next week or two weeks, or a month, or two months is not born out by the facts. and the argument that we've made to the israelis is that we have made an unprecedented commitment to their security. there is an unbreakable bond between our two countries, but one of the functions of friends is to make sure that we provide honest and unvarnished advice in terms of what is the best approach to achieve a common goal, particularly one in which we have a stake. this is not just an issue of israeli interest, this is an issue of u.s. interests. it's also just not an issue for consequences for israelf action is taken prematurely, there are consequences to the united states as well.

and so i do think that any time we consider military action, that the american people understand there is going to be a price to pay. sometimes it's necessary. but we don't do it casually. when i visit walter reed, when i sign letters to families whose loved ones have not come home i'm reminded that there is a cost. sometimes we bear that cost, but we think it through. we don't play politics with it. when we have in the past, when we haven't thought it through, and it gets wrapped up in politics we make mistakes, and typically it's not the folks who are popping off who pay the price, it's these incredible men and women in uniform and their families who pay the price.

and as a consequence i think it's very important for us to take a careful, thoughtful, sober approach to what is a real problem, and that's what we've been doing over the last three years, that's what i intend to keep doing. doing. >> you might not be beating the drums of war. but didn't you say we have israel's back? what does that mean? >> his forrically we have always cooperated with israel with respect to the defense of israel just like pea do with the whole range of other elements. just like we do with great britain and japan. and that broad statement, i think, is confirmed when you look at what we have done on iron dope that prevents missiles from raining down on their small towns along border regions of israel that potentially land on schools or children or families.

and we are going to continue that unprecedented security commitment. it was not a military doctrine that we were laying out for any particular military action. it was a restatement of our consistent position that the security of israel is something i deeply care about, and that the deeds of my administration the last three years confirms how deeply we care about it. that's a commitment we have made. >> the news this morning that the u.s. and its allies are returning to the table or taking up iran's offer to talk again more than a year after those talks broke up in frustration, is this iran's last chance to negotiate an end to the nuclear

question? you said three years ago, nearly three years ago in a similar one-on-one meeting with prime minister netanyahu that the time for talks about it even of that year 2009, you would be considering whether iran was negotiating in good faith. you said at that time, we are not going to have talks forever. here we are nearly three years later. is this it? did you think you would be here three years after those first talks? >> there is no doubt that over the last three years when iran has engaged in negotiations, there has been hemming and hawing and stalling and avoiding the issues in ways that the international community has concluded we are not serious. and my expectations given the consequences of inaction for

them, the severe sanctions that are being applied. the huge to it's taking on their economy. the degree of isolation they are feeling right now which is unprecedented. they understand that the world community means business. to resolve this issue will require iran to come to the table and discuss in a clear and forthright way how to prove to the international community that the intentions of their nuclear program are peaceful. they know how to do that. this is not a mystery. and so it's going to be important to make sure that on an issue like this, there are complexities. it obviously has to be

methodical. i don't expect a break through in a first meeting. but i think we'll have a good sense fairly quickly about how serious they are about resolving the issues. and there are steps they can take that would send a signal to the international community and that are verifiable that would allow them to be in compliance with international norms, in compliance with international mandates, abiding by the non-proliferation treaty, and provide the world an assurance they are not pursuing a nuclear weapon. they they know how to do it. the question will be whether they show themselves moving clearly in that direction. ed henry. >> i wanted to follow up on israel and iran because you have said repeatedly you have israel's back. i wonder why three years in office you have not visited

israel as president. and related to iran and israel, you have expressed concern about the talk of war driving up gas prices further. your critics will say on capitol hill you want gas prices to go higher because you said before we the american people -- >> from a political perspective, do you think the president of theouts going into reelection wants gas prices to go up higher? is there anybody here who thinks that makes a lot of sense? here is the bottom line with respect to gas prices. i want gas prices lower because they hurt families. because i meet folks every day who have to drive a long way to get to work. them filling up the gas tank gets more and more painful and takes money out of their pockets books and paychecks.

a lot of folks are already operating on the margins. and it's not good for ought overall economy. when gas prices go up, consumer spending beforen times pulls back. and we are in the midst right now of a recovery that is starting to build up steam and we don't want to reverse it. what i have also said about gas prices is that there is no silver bullet and the only way we are going to solve this problem over the medium and long term is with an all of the above strategy that says we are going to increase production, which has happened. we are going to make sure that we are conserving energy. that's why we doubled fuel efficiency standards on cars which will save consumers $1.7 trillion. and take about $12 billion barrels of oil, you know, off line, which will hope to reduce prices. and we are going to develop

clean energy technologies that allow us to continue to use less oil. and we made progress. the good news is. 2010, first time in a decade our oil imports were below 50% and they kept on going down. and we are going to keep on looking at every strategy we can to reduce the amount of oil we use while maintaining our living standards and maintaining our productivity, and maintaining our economic growth. and we are going to do everything we can to make sure the consumers aren't hurt by it. there are some short-term steps that we are looking at, with respect to, for example. there are potential bottlenecks in refineries around the country we have been concerned about. we are concerned about what's happening in terms of production around the world. it's not just what's happening in the gulf.

in sudan some oil that's been taken off line that's helping to restrict supply. so we are going to look at a whole range of measures including making sure that my attorney general is paying attention to potential speculation in the oil markets. i asked him to reconstitute the task form examining that. but we go through this every year. we have gone through this for 30 years. and, you know, if we are going to be competitive, successful and make sure families are protected over the long term, then we have got to make sure we have got a set of options that reduce our overall dependence on oil. with respect to israel, i'm not the first president who has been unable because of a whole range of issues, not to visit israel as president in their first term. i visited israel twice as senator.

once right before i became president. the measure of my commitment to israel is not measured by a single visit. my commitment to israel is seen in the actions i have taken as president of the united states and it's indisputable that i have had israel's back over the last three years. >> do you believe rush limbaugh's apology to the georgetown student is sufficient and heartfelt. do you agree with the number of sponsors who agreed to stop supporting his show. is there a double standard on this issue? liberal come men tier toes have made similarly provocative and distasteful statements and there hasn't been the same out rage. >> i'm not going to comments on what sponsors decide to do or

the economics and politics of it. i don't know what's in rush limbaugh's heart so i'm not going to comment on the sincerity of his apology. what i can comment on is the fact that all decent folks can agree that the remarks that were made don't have any place in the public discourse. and the reason i called her is because i thought about malia and sasha, and one of the things want them to do as they get older is to engage in issues they care about. even ones i may not agree with them on. i want them to be able to speak their mind in a civil and thoughtful way. and i don't want them attacked. or called horrible names because

they are being good citizens. i wanted sandra to know that i thought her parents should be proud of her. and that we want to send a message to all our young people that being part of a democracy involves argument and disagreements and debate. and we want you to be engaged and there is a way to do it that doesn't involve you being demeaned and insulted particularly when around private citizen. all right. jessica yellen. >> mr. president, house

democrats said republicans on a similar issue are engaged in a war on women. some top republicans say it's more like democrats are engaged in a war for the women's vote. as you talk about war in another arena and women -- it could raise concerns among women. do you agree with the chair of your democratic national exit he that there is a war on women? >> here is what i think. women are going to make up their own minds in this election about who is advancing the issues they care most deeply about. one of the things i learned being married to michelle is i don't need to tell her what it is she thinks is important. and millions of strong women around the country will make their own determination about a whole range of issues.

it's not going to be narrowly focused just on contraception, it won't be driven by one statement by one radio announcer. it is going to be driven by their view of what's most likely to make sure they can help support their families, make their mortgage payments, who has got a plan to insure middle class families are secure over the long term. what is most likely to result in their kids being able to get the education they need to compete. and i believe that democrats have a better story to tell two women about how we are going to solidify the middle class and grow this economy, make sure everybody has a fair shot, everybody is doing their fair share, and we got a fair set of rules of the road everybody has to follow. i'm not somebody who believe

women will be single issue voters. they never have been. but i do think we have a strong story to tell when it comes to women. >> should the language be changed? >> jessica, if i start being in the business of arbitrating -- what i do is i practice it. and so i'm going to try to lead by example in this situation as opposed to commenting on every single comment that's made by either politicians or. you did. i would be very busy and i would not have time to do my job. that's your job to comments on what's said by politicians and pun did. lori. >> mr. president will be the polls are showing latino voters seem to be favoring your reelection over a republican

alternative, yet some of them are still days pointed and others upset about a promise you made on immigration reform that has yet to come to pass. if you are reelected what would be your strategy, what would you do different to get immigration reform passed through the congress, especially if both houses continue as they are right now? >> first all, substantively, every american should want immigration reform. we have a system that's broken. we have a system in which you have millions of families here in this country who are living in the shadows. worried about deportation. you have got american workers that are being undercut because those undocumented workers can be hired and the minimum wage laws may not be observed, overtime laws may not be observed. you have got incredibly talented

people who want to start businesses in this country or to work in this country. and we should want those folks near the united states. but right now the legal immigration system is so tangled up that it becomes difficult for them to put down roots here. so we can be a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. it's not just an hispanic issue. this is an american issue we need to fix. when i came into office i said i'm going to push to get this done. we didn't get it done. and the reason we haven't gotten it done is because what used to be a bipartisan agreement that we should fix this ended up become a partisan issue. i give a lot of credit to my predecessor george bush and his political advisors who said, you know, this should not be just

something the democrats support, the republican party is invested in this as well. that was good advice then, it would be good advice now. and my hope is that after this election, the latino community will have sent a strong message that they want a bipartisan effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform. that involves making sure we have got tough border security, and this administration has done more for border security than just about anybody. that we are making sure that companies aren't able to take advantage of undocumented workers. that we have got strong laws in place. and that we have got a path so that all those folks whose kids often are u.s. citizens who are working with us, living with us, in our communities, and not

breaking the law, and trying to do their best to raise their families, that they have a chance to be a fuller part of our community. so what do i think will change? what i will do -- look, were going to be putting forward as we have done before, a framework, a proposal legislation that can move it -- move the ball forward and get this thing done. but ultimately, i can't vote for republicans. they are going to have to come to the conclusion this is good for the country and that this is something that they themselves think is important. and depending how congress turns out we'll see how many republican votes we need to get it done. norah. how are you. >> today is super tuesday, i

wonder if you might weigh in on some of your potential republican opponents. mitt romney criticized you on iran and said hope is not a foreign policy. he said you are america's most feckless president since carter. what would you like to say to mr. romney? >> good luck tonight. >> no, really. >> really. >> lynn, maybe it a good one. >> i-question is about the g8 summit. the reason given is you wanted a more intimate summit. the people from chicago would like to know what do you know now that you did not know when you booctd hometown chicago when

you booked the switch. >> we'll still be showing up with a whole bunch of world leaders. we have a nato summit. we try to attach the g8 summit to the nato summit so the leaders in g8 summit don't have to travel twice. so last year in france we combined a g8 with a nato summit. we'll do so again. i have to say this was an idea that was brought to me after the initial organizing of the nato summit. somebody pointed out that it hadn't had of any my counterparts how worked with now for three years up to camp david. g8 tend to be a more formal setting in which we talk about a wide range of issues in a pretty intimate way. and the thinking was that people

would enjoy being in a more casual backdrop. i think -- you know, the weather should be good that time of year. it will give me a chance to spend time with mr. putin, the new russian president. and from there we'll then fly to chicago. i always have confidence in chicago being able to handle security issues. whether it's chicago or championships. we know how to deal with a crowd. and i'm sure you your new mayor will be quite attentive to detail in making sure everything goes off well. all right? okay. go ahead, last one. last question.

>> when the nato leaders gather in chicago in may. do you expect that they will be able to agree on a transition strategy? and are you concerned the koran burning threaten your ability to negotiate? >> keep in mine the transition policy was established at lisbon. and we have been following that strategy that calls for turning over increasing responsibility to afghans. and a full transition so our combat role is over by 2014. our coalition partners have agreed to it. they are sticking with it. that continues to be the plan. what we are now going to be doing over the next -- at this nato meeting and planning for the next two years, is to make sure that that transition is not a cliff. but that there are benchmarks

and steps that are taken along the way in the same way that we reduced our role in iraq so that it is gradual, afghan capacity is felt. the partnering with afghan security forces is effective. that we are putting in place the kinds of support structures that are needed. in order for the overall strategy to be effective. now, the situation with the koran burning concerns me. i think it is an indication of the challenges in that environment. and it's an indication that now is the time for us to transition. obviously the violence direct at our people is unacceptable.

and president karzai acknowledged that. but what is also true is president karzai is eager for more responsibility on the afghan side. we'll be able to find a mechanism whereby afghans understand their sovereignty is being respected and they will take a bigger role in their own security. that's in their interests and our interests. i'm confident we can execute but it won't be a smooth path. there will be bumps along the road as there were in iraq. >> are you saying a deterioration due to the koran burning that inhibits your ability to half on the detention center? >> none of this stuff is easy. obviously the most recent riots

or protests against the koran burning were tragic. but remember this happened a while back when the pastor in florida threatened to burnt korann while we were making this transition in iraq. and there would be occasional setbacks. but what i tried to do is to set a course, make sure that up and down the chain of command everybody knows what our broader strategy is. and one of the incredible things about our military is that when they know what our objective is, what our goal is, regardless of the obstacles they need along the way, they get the job done. and i think that president karzai understands that we are interested in a strategic

partnership with the afghan people and the afghan government. we are not interested in staying there any longer than necessary to insure that al qaeda is not operating there. and that there is sufficient stability it doesn't end up being a free-for-all after we have left. we share interests here. it will require negotiations and there will be time where things don't look as smooth is a would like. that kind of deal internationally on a whole range of these issues. all right? thank you, guys. can i just make one other comment? i want to publicly express our condolences to the family of allen payne. a congressman from new jersey. a wonderful man did great work domestically and internationally.

he was a friend of mine. and so my heart goes out to his family and to his colleagues. all right? megyn: there you have it, president obama touching on a range of issues pertinent to the american people including iran, syria, gas prices, the controversy over sandra fluke and contraception. ed henry was there in the room as the president made news. in particular on iran. would seem to get the most attention today. ed. >> reporter: no doubt about it. i think the bottom line is the president had some tough talk for iran. saying that he believes the sanctions have been crippling on them. in his words they are feeling the fight from those sanctions. but he reiterated we have a window of opportunity to resolve this diplomatically. i thought it was all sainting he took after some of the republican presidential candidates in that context saying they were being in his words casual about loose talk on war and basically said they are

not being held accountable for that. he didn't want to engage later on directly in some of the criticisms from mitt romney and some of the other presidential candidates. but he did seem to be taking aim at them for talking about the potential for war in iran. something he repeatedly said he is trying to avoid. obviously the question moving forward in the wake of this visit of israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu, he had stark words, the prime minister did at that aipac conference. the prime minister spoke last night after he met with president obama for several hours. prime minister netanyahu was talking about the current situation in the context of the holocaust. comparing essentially the nuclear program of iran to the concentration camps of nazi germany. that is heavy, heavy stuff. other officials do not seem to

share the president's confidence diplomacy is going to work. it sound from his comments that he's edging closer to launching some kind of war. megyn: it sounded that way when the former israeli ambassador to the united nations dan gillerman joined us as well. ed henry, thank you, sir. fox news alert. president obama just concluded a news conference running a little less than an hour. the bulk of the questioning on the showdown with iran and our relationship with israel. i'm megyn kelly. perhaps the strongest statement on iran came early on when the president responded to criticism from his republican rivals on how he is handling the iran issue. listen here. >> now, what's said on the campaign trail, you know, those folks don't have a lot of responsibilities. they are not commander-in-chief.

and when i see the casualness with which some of these folks talk about war, i'm remind of the costs involved in war. i'm reminded the decision that i have to make in terms of send our young men and women into battle and the effect that has on their lives, the impact it has on our national security. the impact it has on our economy. this is not a game. there is nothing casual about it. megyn: joining me now, john bolton, former ambassador to the united nations and a former fox news contributor. your reaction to the sound bite there and what the president said air. >> that was a conscious falsehood by the president. none of the republican candidates have been casually talking about war with iran.

they have been strongly critique can the president's failure over the past three years to do anything to stop iran from getting nuclear weapons. if there is anybody who is casual in this discussion over the past few days, it's the president's apparent unwillingness torin ability to size up the threat of a nuclear iran. the compare signs not the world as it is today and the world after a possible israeli strike. the comparison is the world where iran, the leading funder of terrorism around the world has nuclear weapons versus what the world looks like after an israeli strike. he just doesn't want to talk about that. megyn: he seemed to suggest that those who are willing and ready to go to war with iran over his issue now are not being as

careful as they need to be. and he made reference to what happened when we went into iraq. and the president went on to say we don't play politics with going to war. we take a careful, thoughtful, sober approach. do you believe then that that criticism is unjust, that his republican rivals are not doing that? >> i think it's false and it's a misrepresentation of the national debate we are trying to have. nobody who believes as i do that we do need to use military force to prevent iran from getting nuclear weapons takes it lightly at all. and the people who take it most seriously right now are the people of israel who face the prospect of a nuclear holocaust if iran gets nuclear weapons. i thought something was very telling in the president's press conference when he said he understood israel's sensitivities because of the historical precedent.

he didn't talk about the holocaust or 6 million dead jews. that's true. that's a historical precedent. i think it shows the blind spot in the president's thinking and as i say his inability or unwillingness to understand what a nuclear iran means. megyn: he continues to say there is a diplomatic way out of this. and said something i'm sure you heard as well as we heard here because it contradicts a point you have been making citing someone in his own administration for several weeks when he talked about how we have time to work this out diplomatically, and we can. listen here. >> waive also said is that because sanctions are starting to have significant effect inside of iran, that not just my assessment. that's a uniform assessment. because the sinces will be tougher in the coming months.

because they are starting to affect their oil industry, their central bank, and because we are now seeing noises about them return together negotiating table, that it is deeply in everybody's interests, the united states, israel, and the world's to see if this can be resolved in a peaceful fashion. and so this notion that somehow. megyn: the tape froze. this notion that somehow we have a choice to make in the next week or two weeks or month or two months is not borne out by the facts. am bass doir want to get your reaction to that first part where he says the sanctions are starting to have a significant effect in iran. he says that's not just my assessment it's a uniform assessment. >> not shared by his director of intelligence james clapper. he testified all the existing

sanctions failed to change iran's behavior or policies on the nuclear front. the prospect these new sanctions coming into play could have that effect. the fact is, iran is very close to achieving nuclear weapons, his own defense secretary said that and the prospect of return together negotiation table gives iran the opportunity which it has utilized to great advantage before to drag out negotiations, to give it that extra time and extra political cover that it needs to cross the nuclear finish line. this is like a bad dream all over again. i thought one of the most interesting moments of the press conference was when a reporter said, mr. president, back in 2009, you said iran didn't have forever to negotiate and here we are three years later and he's

repeating essentially the same point. this is the sleepwalking past the graveyard kind of policy that's going to lead to iran getting nuclear weapons. megyn: the reference there is to news that broke today that the united states seize the chance for diplomacy to work with iran and the white house is saying that we are willing to restart nuclear talks with iran, believing diplomacy and strong pressure can work to curtail the nuclear efforts there towards nuclear weapons. ambassador john bolton, thank you, sir. >> thank you. megyn: it's super tuesday. might have heard the president's reference to that at the top of the news could be forensic. and indicted is a critical day in the gop race for the white house. the four men still vying to take the *'s job will head -- vying to take the *'s job are heading

to the polls in 10 states. more than a third of the delegates needed to clinch the republican nomination. we keep hearing it's all about ohio tonight. a key battleground state where the race is very tight between mitt romney and rick santorum. steve brown is live in stubenville, ohio with more. >> this race tightened up considerably the last week. let many start with mitt romney putting in three campaign events in the state of ohio. his campaign very happy where they are. vis-a-vis where they were a week ago where it looks like a neck and neck sort of race. rick santorum will be here in stubenville. this is where he will be holding his rally later tonight. they hope they are celebrating a victory. he was the front runner in this week as of three weeks ago and

that race tightened up considerably. voting turnout is described as light to very light. that may bode well for the romney folks because they have been very good at making sure that their backers submit absentee ballots where available very early. they took a decided edge in michigan and basically we are seeing slight turnout. so that may bode well for the romney campaign. we'll see later tonight when the polls close. megyn: keep it right here all day for indepth reporting and analysis of super tuesday with our special coverage beginning at 6 p.m. eastern. anchors by bret baier and yours truly. hope to see you there. during the president's news conference you may have heard the reporter suggesting president obama is pulling ahead in this election effort. michael reagan takes us back to a couple recent presidential campaigns and some predictions that did not turn out exactly as expected, including the one of

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>> really. megyn: before norah o'donnell asked that question another reporter suggested president obama was doing well with his reelection efforts. in 1980 poll.taken around this time of year showed president jimmy carter would easily win reelection against a gop candidate considered a sure loser. ronald reagan. didn't turn out that way. michael reagan is the late president's son and chairman of the reagan group. they didn't think your dad would win it was january 1980. jimmy carter 63% in the hypothetical matchup. and ronald reagan 32%. 63% to 32% and we know how that ended. are people counting out mitt romney, other candidates on the gop side a little too soon?

>> what you in fact for wishing for with jimmy carder is wishing for ronald reagan in 1983. he was an actor, governor much california with hollywood, i can easily beat this guy and it was a landslide 50% to 40% in notch of that year. but you might also remember during that process we were going through a rough primary. four or five different candidates vying for the nomination. megyn: it sound familiar. four or five would-be nominees vying for the nomination. it turns out that the former president gerald ford told the "new york times" reporter every place i go, everything i hear there is a growing sentiment that governor reagan cannot win his election and there was talking about a late entry into the race to save the gop. talking about how that race back

in 1980 looked a lot like this race. and many people at this point in that race considered your dad an impossible candidate. >> they did. it's interesting to watch this play out. my father fired his campaign staff on the morning of the new hampshire primary. gerald ford did not like the idea that he didn't win in 1976 an was look for another position. he wanted the party to run him again in 1980. then when ronald reagan won the nomination he fought to become the vice presidential nominee. the republican party is going through the same process. and i think part of the reason is because people are getting tired it am not that the elections have taken so long. but they are starting now the day after the election of the last president of the united states. people are getting worn out it many only march.

we have a long ways to go here. everybody agrees all the candidates are in fact getting better at this point in time. but you look at mr, from what the president said today in his press conference he may be what ronald reagan was to jimmy carter mitt romney may be to barack obama. megyn: some have been saying the long protected nomination process has revealed so much baggage from these candidates. baggage. and that baggage is going to hurt them in the general election contest. as they point out in the "wall street journal" piece i referenced, your dad had quite a lot of baggage, too. >> he had a lot of baggage coming from governor of california raising taxes and all the things he did as governor of california. he had to apologize to the polish people and the italian people in new hampshire i remember that because i'm the guy who shared the joke with him over thanksgiving dinner and he went out and told the press bus

in hosni mubarak and had to apologize to polish people and italian people to get through the process. there will always be baggage there. ronald reagan came from the grassroots of this country. and people need to remember that. those are the people who elected him governor, elected him president of the united states of america. these are the people who say we want ronald reagan back. ronald reagan would support the mom knee of the party however it is come this september when we have our convention in tampa. megyn: your dad was called a great communicator. you see that ability, do you see that ability to connect and inspire in any of these candidate right now? >> no. i really don't. the closest one is rick santorum who speaks with passion and has a great story to tell. newt is a professor. mitt romney is trying to

connect. there is nobody out there, a great communicator. there is no one saying something that you remember years later. ronald reagan gives a speech on socialized medicine, it resonates today. he gives a speech in 1964, a time for choosing, it resonates today. these people need to find themselves. they need to find out who they are. megyn: michael reagan, thank you very much. a dramatic new twist in the investigation involving a congressman's son. why the feds are probing a questionable federal earmark. trace gallagher has the latest after this break. a fair and balanced debate over his georgetown university student's testimony before congress. the president just addressed the this issue saying he called sandra fluke to talk to her because he wanted to let her know her parents should be proud of her. this is an issue that sparked heated debate this past week not

just on capitol hill but starting a week ago on "america live." >> does this woman as a severance entitlement that is indicative of a larger attitude in the country? >> here is my point. i remember the days before copd.

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we are getting brand-new amateur video showing the horrific violence in syria as government forces violently crack down on the no democracy activists. here you can see a tank fire hitting a mosque in the city of homs. syria's third largest city.

the u.n. estimating 7,500 people have died since the uprising began a year ago. president obama was asked about syria today and said it's not a question of if, but when as to whether assad will have to leave. but saying for to us take military action unilaterally is a mistake. that had been suggests -- john mccain suggested we center doing that. that the update from syria. brand-new developments in the fbi investigation of pennsylvania congressman's son. federal agents raiding his office in an investigation over his contract with the philadelphia school system. what's this all about? trace gallagher brings us up to speed. >> reporter: just so you foa know for context. the fbi has been looking into his business deeldings for a

year. it began when a man was convicted and federal fraud charges and he admitted he paid $90,000 as consulting fee for quote access though he never divulged what that access was for. now you have another south florida businessman who started a school it's a for-profit high school outside of philadelphia called delaware valley high. that south florida businessman and the feds want to know why it is the city of philadelphia gives that businessman $4 million a year and yet he paid fatan $450,000 in a con substituting fee. the feds have served search warrants on his records as well as the record of that south florida businessman. but it turns out the lawyer who runs the school says the only reason they are investigating fattah junior is because his far it is a congress plan. but fattah senior tried to get a

$350,000 grant for delaware valley schools to replace their school busses with greener school busses. fattah senior is the lead democrat on the appropriations committee. that grant was turned down. now fattah senior says i stand by my son. my son had nothing to do with any request for funds. but the feds are still investigating trying to connect the dots, if you will, to see if the picture that emerges has any wrongdoing with it. megyn: divorce celebrity style. christie brinkley and her ex-may be heading to court again. what the problem is now and who is at fault. wait until you hear the latest in this. today's "kelly's court" has it. a day of winter fun turns into a

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in nebraska. 419 delegates up for grabs in the republican race for the white house. we are hours away from the first poll closings. keep it here on fnc for the latest developments. back now to the president's news conference. new questions about an obama administration mandate forcing religious institutions to cover birth control. sandra fluke gained national attention when she appeared in front of congress and complained about female students at georgetown law school, a catholic school, having to cover the cost of contraception themselves out of pocket. the debate got so ugly the president himself reached out and called fluke. a move he addressed just about a half-hour ago. >> i wanted to -- wanted sandra to know that i thought her

parents should be proud of her. and that we want to send a message to all our young people that being part of a democracy involves argument and disagreements and debate. and we want you to be engaged. megyn: leslie marshall, a fox news could be tributer to and lars larson. in the fog that followed since ugliness around sandra fluke's testimony we may have lost the debate over what she was testifying to in the first place. bernie goldberg was on with bill o'reilly last night and phrased it this way. >> this woman also again and she was very civil in her testimony, i have no problem with that. my only problem is with the content of what she said. she is a poster person for the

entitlement society. megyn: your thoughts on it, lars. >> the president is right miss fluke should be engaged. but she feels entitled. think about this. as a person going to one of the most expensive law schools in america on scholarship, she 10 turns around and says and you should pay for my birth control, too. she then told congress it will be $3,000 over the three years of her law school but right down the street from her the target store in washington, d.c. sells birth control bills at $9 a month which works out to $300. she feels she is entitled to have her fellow americans through their tax or insurance premiums pay for her birth control. most us don't want that entitlement and we think it's damaging to have that sense of entitlement that everything should be provide for you, housing, education, healthcare, food, water, birth control

pills, it's ridiculous, megyn. megyn: i'll tell you why this jumped out at me and we were the first show to bring her testimony to national attention. i also went to law school. i didn't go to georgetown law school. i went to albany law school. i did not get a scholarship. i put myself $100,000 into debt when i was 21 years old to finance my own education because i believed in the promise of a better future and what that might provide plea if i worked hard. i didn't have any insurance let alone coverage of my contraception and it never dawned on me to ask someone else to pay for that insurance or provide me with coverage of my contraception it jumped out at me as somebody who sound as though thee felt entitled. do you have a reaction like that when you watch her? >> megyn, i was from the same as

you. not law school but definitely had a lot of student loans. i understand how some people might feel that. i want to say for the record, i do believe that religious institutions should have waivers from having to provide the funding for contraception. however, as a woman, one of the things that bothers me is birth control has sort of in this society become the responsibility of the woman. if we just lay it on and say ok if nobody is going to provide funding for this contraception, what happens on the other end? if a woman doesn't what her child and puts it into the foster care system we pay for that. if a woman can't afford to pay for her child we pay for that. and of course if you say okay go to your local planned parenthood we want to defund that. i may not agree with her 100%, i may say pick a different institution, not a catholic or religious institution. but i understand why she is asking what she is asking

because i don't think birth control is just about the pill. i don't think birth control is just the responsibility of women. if we pay for condoms we would reduce pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases including aids. megyn: sandra fluke talks about the birth control as if there is no option. paying out of pocket is prohibitively expensive. the average georgetown law school graduate, top 14 -- you know how heard it is to get into georgetown law school? the top -- average grad watt from georgetown law school, get what they start at. 24 years old. $160,000 their first year. she is a public interest student. she might not earn as much. she is testifying on behalf of

all the students. the american people had a visceral reaction to that testimony not because they thought ill of sandra fluke, but they thought ill of the sense of entitlement. >> i think that's exactly the reason. and that's where they start. what does the average georgetown law graduate make if they are 20 years into their career. i'll bet they are make half a million a year. they are the 1% the 99% have been griping about. here is a woman hugely entitled by living in america to begin with. then going to one of the top law schools with the ability to make more money than most people will make -- she'll make more in one year than many people will make in a lifetime of work, and she says you should pay for my pills too. it's false to say $3,000. the testimony was disingenuous

and i think she hud be taken to task for that. the idea that we should pay for it through insurance premiums or our taxes. leslie you said it's a woman's responsibility. why isn't that woman choosing to buy her own birth control or take other measures? simply abstain from sex while going to law school. megyn: bernie said he had no problem with the way in which she testified. i suggest it was a problem for some. listen here. >> without insurance coverage contraception as you know can cost a woman over $3,000 during law school. for a lot of students who like me are on public interest scholarships, that's practically even entire summer's salary. megyn: your thoughts on it. i think of my sister who lost her job and is filling up year gas tank one gallon at a time. that's what she is struggling. she has three kids.

she is a single mom. she can't fill up a gallon of gas. the disstain about having to pay for her own birth control that amounts to $3,000 over three years when she is about to graduate from georgetown. >> there is not just racial but i am poferrished disparity when it comes to out of wedlock presenting man is and births. i don't want us to become a country of have and have-nots when it comes to birth control. lars, i'm not saying birth control is a woman's responsibility. i think society has done that and it's wrong. when you talk about being entitled in america, i think we are privileged. one of the privileges we have as an american is to stand before our government and to say what we believe and to make our demand and requests known even if it's not the most popular.

this is her mountain she wants to die on and i respect her for doing that. >> she has a right to her opinion. she thinks she is entitled to this. why not housing, why not food, why not electricity. you can live longer without that than birth control pills. megyn: it's a good discussion, the one that got lost. we started a week ago and here we are full circle. thank you so much. all the best. former supermarket christie brinkley says she getting bullied by her engs husband and she wants to get paid. it involved her famous appearance in billy joel's video "uptown girl." 7 @=h i love that my daughter's part fish.

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megyn: "kelly's court" is back in session. on the docket today. one of the nastiest divorces in history and four years later christie brinkley and her ex-husband are still battling. she says she is being verbally abused by her ex-husband and is asking a judge to pay for it. joining me now joey jackson and kimberly guilfoyle. what is she ticked off about and why does she think she is entitled to fines because he's saying nasty things about her. >> this is a contentious divorce. in 2008 a judge ordered peter cook any time he sent harassing emails, makes comments about her to demean her would have to pay

a fine. she asked on 28 separate occasion that these fines be levied against him because of the a terch abusive conduct against her. the fact that the judge has agreed to do this in the past is systemic what he has done against her. the court is within its rights to dough so. megyn: she says he's calling her names including a narcissistic egomaniac. the thing about the uptown girl. he says that faded long ago. he says he calls her a second-rate celeb rate suffered for attention. is this going to do it? will this wind up finding peter cook? >> this is an ugly situation. back in 2008 when the dwoar was final iesd and they settled it,

there was a lot of discussion about disparaging remarks. now they came up with this $5,000 fine. there was also a court psychologist that said both of them need therapy. the fact is they have to get along. she shouldn't be making disparaging remarks against him and he shouldn't be making disparaging remarks against him. he filed his own document saying i'm not the one cyber-bullying her, she is cyber bullying me. there is always two, three, four sides to a story. megyn: if the court emposed a ban on him saying you have to pay $5,000 every time you verbally abuse her, should it go both ways? >> if she is doing it how come he is the on one having fines

leveled against him. this guy should get a job, get a life. start supporting them in a proper manner. he shouldn't be disparaging the mother of his children. even her lawyer is engage in unprofessional conduct and the judge should sanction him, too, because he's calling her a narcissist. the kids are the only ones who suffer here. megyn: she is 58 years old. look how good she looks. i'm just saying. but that's separate and aside. the point is, is it possible? apparently she is about to debut on broadway and the allegation is that she is using this to get back in the news. who and behold she finds herself on "kelly's court." >> that part of the problem here. from the father's perspective, he says, i haven't spoke within

her in five years. the divorce was final four years ago. the last email in question that she is speaking of is two years ago. so why now and why does it fall at the beginning of a national tour dealing with chicago? it gets you willlier and it continues. she is a beautiful person and i think that's partly also the problem. megyn: it's interesting she is about to star in that broadway production of "chicago." >> and you can sing i know it for a fact. megyn: the bottom line this these divorce cases, you are supposed to love your children more than you hate your ex. both sides do need to be reined in by the judge. remember when they went through the divorce and he was outed as his online porn freak and we heard about the affair he had

with the nanny. so there is some our -- some sour grapes in terms of the history. >> they need to step up and protect the children. keep this out of the press. try to deal with it amicably. it seems like the lawyers aren't helping the matter either. megyn: that's shock. did anybody here make $160,000 out of slaw school? >> no way. >> not even close. >> i was a d.a. and i made barely under $50 and i thought it was super rich. >> i made $40,000 as a d.a. in manhattan. megyn: did you have health coverage? >> no. look! the phillips' lady!

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megyn: we are following a developing story on wall street. the dow dropping more than 200 points. stocks are suffering their biggest losses of the year as a selloff spread from europe ahead of a critical deadline in connection with the greek debt crisis. the dow has not closed down more than 100 points this year. a group of snowmobilers forced to become their own search and rescue team after a friend is nearly crushed by a fast-moving avalanche. you can barely see as the man in the middle of your screen is quickly buried. his friend said they were racing against the clock to get him out alive. >> reporter: take a look at this. the friend goes up the hill. you can see him coming down

right now. that's the best buddy. as soon as he gets down to the bottom he starts going up the hill. there he go. so part mountain is fine. by as he gets toward the top of the hill he starts coming down and you can see the reaction because you see them yelling, the snow starts coming down. he tumbles once, twice, under the snow, and they lose sight of him all together. he's buried beneath 10 feet of snow. >> the entire mountain starts break off. and my heart sank. i ran back to my sled and grabbed my shovel, grabbed the probe and started probing everywhere. the worst thing was, i couldn't hit i am, i couldn't find him. >> reporter: they dug for 10 minutes, 15 minutes, nothing. bronson butler is also trained

in search and rescue. he knows the clock is very much against him. 20 minutes later they get a hit on tyson black. when they pull him out not only is he alive, but he's totally conscious. >> we were bawling and hugging each other. it was a miracle. i didn't think we were going to pull him out breathing let alone alive. >> reporter: part of that miracle was he held onto the snowmobile as it went over and it created an air pocket so he had room to breathe and a lot less snow on top of his body. wake up!

that's good morning, veggie style. hmmm. for half the calories plus veggie nutrition. could've had a v8.

>>megyn: exciting day, super tuesday, folks, keep it here for results. this evening, special coverage begins at 6:00 p.m. we will be on as long as it takes.