on the broadcast tonight, road to recovery. two years after almost going bankrupt, record profits are being announced tonight for an iconic american brand. what's wrong with this picture? the image that's getting a lot of attention and outrage. tonight the exploding disconnect involving women, birth control and politics. the risk if you're using an organic baby formula for reasons of good health. read the label. arsenic in the news tonight. taking the keys away from a parent. is there ever a good time? a difficult question an entire generation is struggling with. making a difference. chelsea clinton with the story of a school turning reading scores around. question is, is there a lesson for other schools?

"nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. after something of a near-death experience, a huge government bailout and a lot of hard work, general motors, that thoroughly american brand name is tonight reporting its largest ever profit for last year, $7.6 billion. this joined some other good news out today on jobs and housing, and it means a big turnaround for some valuable real estate in terms of american manufacturing. we begin tonight with phil lebeau of cnbc with us from gm headquarters in detroit. phil, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. with strong sales in the u.s. and china, the 103-year-old automaker reported strong profits today and reclaimed the title of world's largest

automaker from toyota, but it hasn't always been an easy ride. it's a day few at general motors could have imagined two years ago. the world's largest automaker announced its most profitable year ever. for dave gray who works the new third shift at gm's plant in flint, michigan, the record earnings not only mean job security, but he and every other auto worker at gm will also get a bonus check of up to $7,000. >> thanks to the government for saving the auto industry and hundreds of thousands of jobs, uaw and general motors, we've got another chance. >> reporter: gm's second chance came two years ago when the automaker drowning in debt was forced to reorganize. >> tonight general motors filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. >> reporter: backed by $49.5 billion from the federal government, gm closed 14 plants, cut 12,000 jobs and shed well-known brands like pontiac,

saab and hummer, eventually profits came back. thanks in part to soaring sales in china where buick is wildly popular. in the u.s., gm's business has rebounded due to a healthier economy, and a revamped lineup featuring something gm struggled to sell in the past, small and mid-size cars. >> we are beginning to see some of the benefits and impacts of a lot of the actions we are taking. this is a long-term gain. >> reporter: the challenge is to stay profitable. just three years ago, detroit's automakers lost a combined $62 billion. by 2011 after massive cuts, they rebounded to a combined profit of nearly $14 billion. >> detroit is operating much more like the rest of industrial america, much more rational about pricing production decisions. will this last forever? we'll see. >> reporter: after posting record annual profits, shares of general motors surged almost 6%

today. a lot of investors moving into the stock. that's good news for the federal government which still owns 26.5% of general motors stock. they've got a long ways to go to recoup all the bailout money. that stock price would have to double before the government is made whole. >> phil lebeau from gm headquarters in detroit. thanks. this comes from detroit just as the entire state of michigan is in play with the gop presidential primary coming up. tonight, there is new evidence that mitt romney, who was of course born in michigan, his father served as governor, can't necessarily count on home field advantage. he has now slipped behind challenger rick santorum. our report from ron mott. >> here in michigan, you've been through a lot of tough times. >> reporter: at a business luncheon today, former pennsylvania senator rick santorum defends his spending record as millions in attack ads are spent against him. >> you folks in michigan have been hearing things on the

television from one of my opponents that i am a big spender. i was the most conservative senator by far based on the state i represented. >> reporter: santorum told the audience he proposes $5 trillion in cuts over five years. >> mitt romney's negative attack machine is back on full throttle. this time, romney is firing his mind at rick santorum. >> reporter: though he's being outspent 3-1 on the air, surging santorum leveled the playing field on what was thought to be solid home turf for romney. a new poll shows santorum ahead of the former massachusetts governor by four points, in a state where romney grew up and his dad george was a popular governor. notions that the path to victory should have been clearer for romney are overstated says another former governor. >> i think the romney campaign themselves always took michigan very seriously and didn't assume they would win it easily. i think it was assumed for them

they would win it easily. >> reporter: with a tight finish expected, romney hopes an endorsement today brings a surge his way. >> i'm very excited to announce my endorsement of governor romney. >> reporter: winning the backing of current michigan governor rick snider. romney has a delicate balancing act to maneuver, fighting union leaders in a state where they are historically strong, as he said he would as president, while trying to connect with blue collar republicans. >> this auto industry can continue to lead the world and must continue to lead the world to keep detroit with a vibrant and prosperous future. >> reporter: with 12 days to go to the michigan primary, both campaigns are courting the same group of voters. mitt romney is scheduled next week to speak with the group rick santorum met with today. >> it must feel like a ground combat campaign tonight. it's impossible to understate how important michigan is now. >> reporter: michigan is a very important state to governor romney.

he was born here and grew up here. to think he could come back to his home state and perhaps lose the primary could be a big psychological blow, if anything, with super tuesday looming beyond that. this primary february 28th is critical, brian. >> ron mott from michigan, thank you for your reporting. to what happened in washington today. it was not a big volatile issue a month ago the way it is tonight. contraception, birth control roared its way forward as a national issue as both parties found a way to put it there today a congressional hearing about contraception got heated. law makers got angry because of what was missing. we get our report from our capitol hill correspondent kelly o'donnell. >> reporter: the politics of contraception provoked outrage today. it started on capitol hill. >> where are the women? when i look at this panel, i don't see one single woman.

>> reporter: this picture set off that anger when only men had a seat at the witness table during a hearing related to contraception. >> we've been denied the right to have a witness -- >> reporter: the left define this battle as a women's right and health care equality issue. >> i may at some point be moved to explain biology to my colleagues. >> reporter: on the right, conservatives focus on religious freedom. >> constitutional liberties are being trounced upon. >> reporter: today's gop-led hearing was prompted by that recent fight with the white house over whether religious-based employers must provide insurance coverage for birth control. >> no man or woman should ever be forced to betray that faith. >> reporter: the republican chairman invited only faith leaders, not advocates for women's health. >> imagine having a panel on women's health and they don't have any women on the panel. >> reporter: on the campaign trail, a major donor for rick santorum, wealthy businessman

foster friess made a comment today that caught fire. on "andrea mitchell reports," he started off saying the focus should be on the economy, not contraception, but veered in volatile territory. >> back in my days they used bayer aspirin for contraception. the gals put it between their knees and it wasn't that costly. >> reporter: the social issue divide can cut across gender. and generational lines. >> it's i likely to help the republican party because it could be a way of wooing catholics in the swing states such as pennsylvania and ohio. >> reporter: while the economy looms largest, pollsters say these deeply personal issues can make an impact. kelly o'donnell, nbc news, washington. the man who will forever be known as the underwear bomber who tried to blow up that northwest airlines jet headed for the u.s. on christmas day two years ago was today sentenced to life in prison. in court, prosecutors played the videotape they said shows how destructive his attack might

have been had it succeeded. our report from our justice correspondent pete williams. >> reporter: if the bomb umar farouk abdulmutallab worked, it would have set off a powerful explosion like this. >> two, one -- >> reporter: prosecutors played these videos in court today showing the force of a bomb made just as the fbi believes the underwear device was assembled. the demonstration was done by placing explosives on a sheet of aluminum outdoors, the government says the effect would have been devastating onboard northwest flight 253 from amsterdam to detroit. justifying a sentence of life in prison. that's just what the judge gave him, saying he poses a continuing threat to the safety of american citizens everywhere. abdulmutallab spoke briefly in court and yelled out, "god is great" when the sentence was announced. the government learned all the key facts from the underwear bomber himself.

it says that proves the fbi can get valuable intelligence without treating terrorists as enemy combatants or putting them on trial in military courts. pete williams, nbc news, washington. there is health news tonight. if you have a baby at home it will get your attention. there is a new study out tonight on arsenic, a poison found in the environment but now also found in some toddler formula and cereal bars, the ones sold as organic. our report on this tonight from nbc's tom costello. >> reporter: scientists at dartmouth college call it hidden arsenic, high levels of the poison discovered in organic brown rice syrup, a commonly used organic sweetener. researchers found arsenic in two toddler formulas. made by nature's one, that listed organic brown rice syrup as an ingredient. one had a total arsenic concentration six times the arsenic level the epa allows in drinking water. meanwhile, the infant formulas without organic brown rice had

low levels of arsenic. arsenic was found in 22 out of 29 cereal or energy bars that contained rice syrup, rice flour, rice grain or rice flakes. in high energy shots that contain rice products. unsettling news to parents in los angeles today. >> i wouldn't have consumed that if i had known that. i wouldn't give to it my child. >> i don't know what brown rice syrup is in the first place. i can't trust it. especially with allergies. >> reporter: once used as a pesticide, arsenic tends to stay in the soil. it's absorbed by new crops like rice. long-term exposure has been linked to cancer. both the dr. oz show and consumer reports reported finding high levels in apple and grape juice. >> just because the label says natural, doesn't mean that it's safe, healthy or good for you. >> reporter: while the epa regulates the amount of arsenic allowed in water, there are no regulations on arsenic in juice or food.

consumer advocates say that needs to change. >> it's time for government to set standards to lower the levels of arsenic and lead in juices and food our families consume. >> reporter: today the fda said it began studying arsenic levels in rice last october. meanwhile, nature's one says independent tests have shown arsenic levels were, quote, undetectable in its toddler formula. tom costello, nbc news, washington. still ahead here for us tonight, a tough question that millions of americans struggle with every day. when is it the time to take the car keys away from elderly parents? later tonight, chelsea clinton shows what one school district is doing to help students read better.

we are back. we turn now to the conversation an entire generation of americans is dreading. how to know when to take the car keys away from an elderly parent. it's a conversation a lot of us have had. there is no joy in it. there is often great pain because everyone can identify with the independence that comes with the ability to get in the car and drive. but there are obviously big concerns about safety. the safety of everybody on the road. and wherever the sons and daughters of elderly parents gather, this topic eventually comes up. our report tonight from our chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman. >> where you going? >> to the post office. >> reporter: when her elderly father walked out the door and headed for his car, cynthia and tom used to hold their breath. a few years ago, they had an honest conversation with ralph now 94 about limiting where and when he drives. >> i think he brought it up himself about his trepidation

with driving at night. >> reporter: it's so hard for a lot of people as they age to give up any part of their independence. what allowed you to have the confidence to make that first step? >> safety, of course. >> reporter: really? >> yeah, safety. because i treasure another man's life just like i treasure my own. >> reporter: ralph's concerns are supported by tragic facts. every day in this country, 600 drivers over the age of 65 are involved in an accident. and nine of them are killed. what are the warning signs your loved one is in trouble? >> the best thing is ride along. when you're riding along observe for things. is their reaction time slow? are they getting lost? is their loved one really struggling to judge distances as they merge into traffic? >> reporter: 33 states have begun to impose more stringent requirements on drivers over age 65. pennsylvania where ralph lives is one of them.

>> this last spring they picked me at random and sent me a nice letter and said, send in your medical records and you'll be able to drive your vehicle. >> reporter: were you insulted? >> no. not at all. i was happy. >> i'm happy about that, too. >> it gave me more confidence because i'm okay. >> reporter: after making a mutual decision with his children, ralph's free to drive, but only during the day and around the neighborhood he's lived in since he was a boy. >> he's a very good driver. he's a safe driver. >> nancy is with us in the studio. there are two questions. how to do it and how to know when the time has come? >> reporter: get in the car with your mom and dad and have this conversation before the crisis. it's going to be tough no matter what talk about safety, talk about potential of lawsuits, willing to keep everyone safe, not losing the house. remember there's going to be pushback. there is an emasculation aspect whether it's your mom or dad. you want your parents to be independent. start having those conversations in small tidbits before you're

facing something the family doesn't want to face. >> it's really an issue for an entire generation. >> we've been through it, haven't we? >> we sure have. thank you as always. there are a lot of strange phobias. there is a new one and it involves cell phones.

denny's new sizzlin' skillets are here for a limited time. so strike while the iron's hot. starting at $4.99. only at denny's. america's diner is always open. veterans of life on the west coast are cool about this sort of thing. there's been enough seismic activity out west in the last few days to at least get people's attention. as one angelino put it today, we are watching it, but are not alarmed. they had a pair of 3.5 in california. minor shakers, bigger in vancouver. a pair of 4 plusses. bigger one off the coast of oregon tuesday, 6.0. add in other 3s, 4s, 5s, it's enough to keep an eye on. there is a new condition called nomo-phobia, defined as

the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. new research from the uk shows 66% of those polled are terrified of being without a cell phone. the younger you are, the more likely you are to be stricken with such fear. women worry about losing their phone more than men, yet the study says men are more likely to have more than one device. hall of fame catcher gary carter has died after a fight with brain cancer. he played for 19 years for the expos, mets and others. he was inducted in the hall of fame in '03 as an expo, the first on that team. as mets fans remember so well, he was a member of the '86 world series championship team. he was selected as an all-star 11 times during his career. with 324 career homers, he's sixth all time among catchers and was, of course, the best defensive catcher of his era. his later years were devoted to coaching, philanthropy and family. gary carter was 57 years old.

finally tonight, making a difference and making big strides in education. in one rhode island school district, public school and charter school teachers have joined forces to help kids learn to read. while charter schools are public

schools because they're run by a different set of rules there's been friction. tonight, an example of a fix. chelsea clinton has our "making a difference" report tonight. >> reporter: at this elementary school in central falls, rhode island, a reading revolution is quietly under way. in kindergarten through second grade, public school teachers are working with charter school teachers using their best practices to turn around some of the lowest reading scores in the state. >> communicate with one another. >> with one another. >> reporter: that's great. gone are the text books. kids choose what they want to read. class is now twice as long. there's daily independent reading and one-on-one time with the teacher for every student every week. kids use reading strategies to help their learning and their comprehension. what is your favorite strategy? >> retelling. >> reporter: what is retelling? >> you tell the teacher the story again.

>> reporter: when the program began three years ago, only 37% of kids in second grade were reading at or above the national benchmark. by the end of the first school year, 66% were, that's a 29 point jump in just eight months. >> one of my students did mention you didn't know anything about retelling. >> reporter: i didn't. i didn't. >> there are all sorts of things that were novel to me. >> reporter: what may be most pioneering is the uncommon partnership between public school teachers nancy, diane, cheryl and their colleagues christine and jodi from the learning community charter school. >> sometimes public school teachers can perceive charters as a threat, a threat of resources, taking personnel, taking jobs. that is not the kind of relationship that we have. what the message needs to get out that great things can be accomplished for the children. >> reporter: once wary of one another, now these two groups of

teachers hope their partnership can be a lesson plan for school districts across the country. chelsea clinton, nbc news, central falls, rhode island. that's our broadcast on a thursday night. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. we hope to see you back here tomorrow evening. we hope to see you back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com good evening, and thanks for joining us on this thursday. i'm raj mathai. president obama is in the bay area tonight asking supporters to reach into their pockets to help his campaign. the president arrived this afternoon for a string of fund-raisers all across the bay area in san francisco. before leaving the bay area with a few million dollars, he dropped a few bucks