no word on who took home the awards, but the students said they also like winners and you know what, rob mayeda is a winner because he won the excellence in scientific reporting from ams in new orleans. congratulations. nice to have you here with us. >> good to be here. all right, good night. nbc-universal television on the attack. gingrich and romney let loose in a bitter fight. swinging away on the trail in florida. crackdown. we're on the ground with a rare look inside syria as the crisis there takes a dramatic turn. coupon healthcare. how some of the uninsured are getting help. doctor discounts part of an online craze. and heroes welcome. a remarkable turnout to honor our troops. thanks to two guys on a mission and the spirit of st. louis.

>> this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. substituting tonight, kate snow. good evening. three days to go until florida republicans have their say and while it is not officially a two-man race, it sure feels that way in the sunshine state. mitt romney and newt gingrich spent the day crisscrossing florida trading sharp attacks. meantime, ron paul ditched the sunshine for a snowstorm up in maine today looking ahead to that state's caucus vote next weekend. and rick santorum went back to washington, d.c. to raise some much-needed campaign cash. our political team is in place tonight. let's begin in panama city, florida. peter alexander is traveling with the romney campaign. peter? >> reporter: kate, good evening to you. the campaign officials believe what the campaign is doing is working. they say the candidate has a renewed focus after his loss in south carolina. and has done a better job being more aggressive, consistently against newt gingrich and emphasizing their belief that he is the best candidate to improve the american economy. mitt romney says he's feeling

like the front-runner again. >> i just feel that things are going in our direction. i'm hoping for a big turnout on tuesday. and i think we're going to win here. i sure hope so. >> reporter: in front of a packed crowd along pensacola's famed shores, romney focused on the president and mocked newt gingrich's complaints about the crowd participation in last debates. >> speaker gingrich said he didn't do so well because the audience was so loud. the one before he didn't so well because the audience was too quiet. it's like goldilocks, got to have it just right. >> reporter: and then there was an all-out assault on gingrich, including john mccain who called him desperate. >> a desperate candidate is a candidate who attacks someone who succeeds in the free enterprise system. >> reporter: while romney may be leading in the polls he's still battling, as the latest edition

of newsweek magazine notes, to win the support of the party's conservative base. ♪ on friday night, it was florida's influential hispanic vote he was after. touting the endorsement of puerto rico's governor. and the ad wars continue. the latest romney ad lifting a 1997 clip of "nbc nightly news," the day the former house speaker was found guilty of ethics violations. nbc news has asked the romney campaign for the removal of all nbc news material from their campaign ads. tom brokaw responded saying, i'm extremely uncomfortable with the extended use of my personal image in this political ad. i do not want my role as a journalist compromised for political gain by any campaign. at a shipyard in panama city this afternoon, romney tried to convince voters that gingrich had his turn to run the republican party but failed. >> he was fined for ethics violations. he ultimately had to resign in disgrace. he can't rewrite history. we have to go back an look at history and he may by a great guy with a lot of great ideas but he's not the leader we need

at a critical time. >> reporter: and as for that ad with the "nightly news" clip in it, tonight the romney campaign tells me they have received the letter from nbc news and are reviewing it. but that they believe they still have the right to air that clip and is scheduled to air through tuesday. which is primary day in florida. >> yes, it is. peter alexander in florida tonight. in the meantime, newt gingrich is not taking the attacks laying down, and he spent the day firing back at the romney campaign and its surrogates. nbc's ron mott joins us from orlando, florida, with that end of the story. ron, good evening. >> reporter: kate, good evening to you. newt gingrich has been angry about fighting the republican machine in addition to the other candidates in this field. this as one of the most powerful names in the party rushes to his defense. >> newt gingrich in the house! >> reporter: newt gingrich hit the links today in a good mood. >> what are calista and i doing

up here when we could be on the golf course? >> reporter: but wasted little time teeing off on those who are conspiring to take his campaign down. >> under the elites the people who oppose me, some in the democratic party and some in the republican party, under the elites we have become the america who couldn't. >> reporter: perhaps a smallest crowd in florida greeted him this afternoon. a potential blow as he seeks to regain the firmer footing he brought here after last week's surprising victory in the south carolina primary. ever the lightning rod for controversy, gingrich has attracted high voltage opposition. millions in attack ads. public mocking from insiders and establishment icons like john mccain. a mitt romney support. >> i think we ought to send newt gingrich to the moon and mitt romney to the white house. what do you think? >> reporter: friday, the former speaker got a shot in the arm from sarah palin. what we have seen in florida this week is beyond the pale she wrote on her facebook page. i have great concern about the gop establishment trying to anoint a candidate without the

blessing of the grass roots. those grass roots gingrich says will keep him in the fight long beyond florida even if he loses tuesday. counting on people power as he calls it to prevail over big money. >> i will go all the way to the convention. i expect to win the nomination. you just had two national polls that show me ahead. why don't you ask governor romney what he's going to do if he loses since he's behind in both national polls? >> reporter: newt gingrich says a conservative has the best shot to beat president obama in the fall, calling mitt romney a massachusetts moderate and pointing out the last two conservatives -- last two moderates i should say in the republican party to win the nomination, bob dole and then john mccain four years ago. both lost the general election. kate? >> ron mott, thanks so much. let's bring in david gregory, moderator of "meet the press." good evening. we just heard that newt gingrich is going all the way to the nomination. if he can't pull off a win on

tuesday in florida, is that realistic? >> it becomes very difficult, but certainly not impossible. it becomes difficult because after tuesday, not only a win in florida for romney puts him in a much more commanding position, but then you don't have a lot of contests until the end of february and you've got some contests in a primary calendar that favors romney. but this would give gingrich time to refuel. he has some money behind him at this point, so he could regroup. but he doesn't have any debates which is his real life's blood for this campaign. >> how concerned are republicans, the party, about the nomination fight? the longer it goes on, the more divisive things get. are they worried that the party damages the eventual nominee? >> who's the they, that's the question. among establishment officer holders, senators, congressmen, governors, people who have been in the party a long time, i think they're worried. i think they'd like to see romney wrap this thing up,

particularly because gingrich is coming at him with much more populist attacks, the same kind that president obama will come at romney with if he's the nominee. but i think ron mott's reporting and some of that sound -- some of the information from sarah palin really says something. there was a grass roots in the republican party that does not want romney to sew this thing up yet. has real concerns about him as a conservative. that's going to keep things pretty interesting for a while. >> makes it interesting to watch. david gregory, we'll be watching tomorrow morning. romney supporter john mccain and obama campaign senior strategist david axelrod are david's guests tomorrow morning on "meet the press." overseas tonight, the crisis in syria has taken a dramatic turn for the worst. today the arab league which had been -- had observers inside syria monitoring the situation decided to withdraw those observers saying it was too dangerous to stay. government forces have killed at least 74 people since thursday. reportedly including women and children making the past 72 hours among the bloodiest in syria's ten-month uprising.

nbc's ayman mohyeldin is just back from syria where he gained rare access and witnessed the agony firsthand. >> reporter: they were once idyllic towns in the snow-capped mountains and now they're scarred by war. this woman shows us her home. for days she says that syrian army was entrenched here, laying siege to towns nearby. when they left, this is what they left behind. she cursed at syria's president bashar al assad. and his armed gang. people here are angry with the international community for not doing more to protect them. the residents in this house have been showing us the damage that's been caused by the syrian soldiers. they also say that the syrian army set up a sniper's nest from which they were overlooking the village and attacking the villagers down below. after intense fighting, a truce was reached between the syrian military and the free syrian army. a small, loose knit rebel force

made up of military defectors and their anti-government supporters. outside monitors sent by the arab league weave their way past sand mounds in their first visit here. at every stop, they're showing them the ammunition shells fired at the towns and the damaged property. they give the names of the missing relatives taken by the syrian military. the free syrian army declares small parts liberated according to the local commander. we agreed not to show his face for his own security. where are the residents of this town, volunteers and defectors who refused to kill our neighbors? the arab league has failed us. we need intervention, he says. defiant and now emboldened, the anti-regime protesters once again returned to the streets, openly enjoying the chance to

express themselves freely, even more determined to continue their struggle. staying overseas tonight, the embattled leader of yemen has arrived in the united states for medical treatment a week after leaving his country under a u.s.-backed plan to end his 30-year grip on power. ali abdulla saleh was seriously wounded by protesters last summer during an attack on his presidential complex. a spokesperson said he'll be treated here in new york. in italy, the weather is causing significant delays for those trying to pump fuel out of the "costa concordia" and rough seas are hampering the search for 17 people still missing, including the couple missing from minnesota. we have the latest from the tuscan coast. >> reporter: divers tried to work today. entering cold, choppy water. immediately descending into darkness. along deck after deck of the

concordia, down to the crushed edges, barely reachable corners, where the reef displays an ugly tangle of what was inside. mattresses, furniture, and then a single shoe. in this deeply submerged back of the ship, this is where divers did find the body of a woman near an evacuation point. perhaps flooded too quickly that night, while thousands of people above scrambled for lifeboats. 17 victims have been recovered, but nearly that same number are still missing. searchers today wanted to use robotic cameras to help, but the rough seas wouldn't allow it. as if that were not enough, another task needs to happen out here at the same time. pumping out fuel before it leaks. salvage teams drilled through the hull into the tanks. but the waves stopped that too. they had to detach equipment and back off. likely now won't be able to start until the middle of next week. for the uninjured survivor, they

offered roughly $14,000 and plus all travel expenses, though some have chosen a legal route. this lawsuit filed yesterday in miami by six passengers seeks hundreds of millions of dollars, as punishment. saying passengers were left to fend for themselves. it will be a process, and this unwelcome view a reminder for months to come. michelle kaczynski, nbc news, giglio, italy. when "nightly news" continues, doctor discounts. the latest craze of coupons, helping people get the care they need. later, the crowd goes wild with a rousing welcome home.

back now with a sign of the times and an increasing popular way to get healthcare these days online coupons. some who can't afford health insurance and are in desperate need of healthcare say sites like groupon and living social can be a life saver, but that has some health experts worried and they're issuing a word of caution. that story tonight from nbc's tom young. >> reporter: in this economy, who isn't looking for a good deal? >> thank you. >> reporter: matthew marcowits found one at a place that doesn't usually screen discounts

-- the dentist. >> cleaning, x-ray and examination, you know, immediately i thought, well, this is too good to be true. >> reporter: but it was true. at dr. greg diamond's office. these three procedures should have cost matthew more than $500 but he got them for less than $60. >> it was essentially exactly like any other cleaning and x-ray and examination experience i have had. if not better. something that i would consider for other healthcare needs. >> reporter: a deal and part of a new trend. coupon sites expanding from travel and restaurant offers to include checkups and other health care procedures. >> this was about providing a service to people who don't feel that they could afford dentistry. >> reporter: for dr. diamond, it produced volume. >> approximately 1,300 new patients over a 24-hour period. >> reporter: according to a company that tracks data on thousands of discount websites,

consumers saved between 525 and $300 million using online health, medical and dental coupons in 2011. skin treatments and the number of weight loss offers sky rocketed. but is it safe or smart to bargain shop when it comes to your well-being? some fear people will look for deals without doing the research. >> we do not know -- at least i don't know what sort of credentials, what sort of vetting these groups have when they're recruiting a healthcare provider. >> reporter: living social and groupon, two popular discount websites, say they have procedures in place to screen all merchants including doctors before a deal reaches your in box. >> getting that e-mail was a second chance for me. >> reporter: for this woman who has no health insurance and a tight budget, the decision was simple. >> i was putting it off. there were medical issues that were starting to develop. i needed this to take myself to the next level. >> reporter: proof that next checkup could be well worth it in more ways than one.

take a look at this spectacular light show, mesmerizing a lot of folks around the world. every night this week, wow. those are the northern lights as seen in this case in norway. the show is all thanks to the biggest burst of solar flare activity in years, which makes the northern lights particularly vibrant. when we come back, flight delay, something to think about the next time you're sitting on the runway.

think they'll stay up? >> no, they'll stay up. >> for a while, yes, but nothing in the long run. >> forget about those. >> that is a classic seinfeld moment and we learned today that

character actor ian abercrombie known to a lot of folks as elaine's eccentric boss, mr. pitt, has died. he appeared in dozens of movies and tv shows in his nearly 50-year career. a lot of kids know him as professor crumbs on the wizards of waverly place. he passed away on thursday in hollywood. he was 77 years old. there was a moving tribute last night at the winter x games in aspen, colorado, to remember freestyle skier sarah burke. the 29-year-old olympic hopeful who died earlier this month after a skiing accident. her friends and fellow competitors gathered silently for a candlelight vigil, wearing stickers and arm bands in her memory. there is more good news to report tonight about the homeless teen from new york's long island whose story inspired so many people after she was named a semifinalist in a prestigious science competition. well, tonight, samantha garvey and her family are homeless no more. today, they received the keys to

a new home through a program that helps families move out of shelters. the family had been flooded with an outpouring of support from folks all across the country. if you have ever found yourself sitting on the tarmac during a long delay like i was just last night, looking for someone to blame, you might want to remember this. the faa says one-third of all flight delays across the country are caused by a ripple effect from delays at just four airports, new york's big three, jfk, laguardia and newark, plus the airport in philadelphia. perhaps the airline industry expert puts it best to "the new york times," says, when new york sneezes the rest of the national air space catches a cold. up next here tonight, the spirit of st. louis honoring america's heroes.

as the last american troops left iraq late last year, we saw a lot of heart warming gatherings at airports and military bases across the country. but what we didn't see were the big ticker tape parades like they used to do at the end of a war. but two friends from st. louis decided to change that. starting a grass roots campaign on facebook and it culminated today with a rousing welcome home. here's nbc's john yang. >> reporter: today america's heartland answered the call. st. louis held the nation's first parade to mark the end of the nine-year u.s. military mission in iraq. new york city said there won't

be a parade any time soon like the one after the first gulf war in 1991. pentagon officials say it would be premature with troops still in afghanistan. but in st. louis, friends tom appelbaum and craig schneider disagreed. >> there was this like national conversation in the media about should we or shouldn't we have a parade for the iraq vets, and that was like the first thing, like, well, that's silly. of course they deserve a parade. >> that was less than a month ago. they started a facebook page and harnessed the power of social media. >> we didn't do this. we had an idea and we put up a call for help. as soon as we planted a flag, it wasn't -- at first the city rallied and then the country rallied. >> reporter: tens of thousands lined the main thoroughfare to cheer and salute several hundred troops from across the country. it had a home spun feel. from the crowd, heart felt thanks. >> i think you need to say thank you to the people protecting our country. >> i have to say i was not a war supporter, but i'm a troop

supporter. >> reporter: service members were grateful too. >> it's something we'd like to see for everybody to remember the sacrifices. >> reporter: for those who lost loved ones it was a bittersweet day. edward forrest sr.'s son died during his third tour of duty in iraq. >> eddie's parade. that's what i call this. >> reporter: more than marking the service members' return organizers hope today will focus attention on the groups serving their need now that they're back home. this man lost both his lower legs when his army humvee hit an ied and a group gave him a segue while he was in the hospital. >> to get up and take the trash out felt good. >> reporter: and rick radford has flown home after serving in iraq. >> you can drop me in any city in the united states, because i was home. >> reporter: today he was touched by the outpouring of his

hometown. >> completely overwhelmed. >> reporter: john yang, nbc news, st. louis. that is "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'm kate snow reporting from new york. lester holt will be back with you tomorrow evening. from all of us here at nbc news, have a great night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >> nbc bay area news starts now. good evening. i'm