secretly taped her and posted the video for the world to see. craving sleep. a wake-up call tonight for millions struggling to lose weight and trying to get more rest. and hollywood rocked as controversy takes center stage at the oscars. "nightly news" begins right now. >> announcer: from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. good evening from our election headquarters on the eve of super tuesday, one of the biggest days yet in the presidential contest. in an election season filled with head-shaking moments, tonight, spray tans, the kkk and ear piece malfunctions are among the topics driving the conversation about the republican race. outside of texas, donald trump seems poised to score some very big wins in tomorrow's primary contest. despite some conflicting and curious answers to a question that's left him exposed over very sensitive racial

nbc's katy tur starts our coverage tonight. >> reporter: tensions high in radford, virginia. secret service body-slamming a "time" photographer who tried to leave the campaign-mandated press pen. trump on edge too, this morning blaming his refusal to condemn the kkk and david duke in a cnn interview on a bad ear piece. >> i'm sitting in a house in florida with a very bad ear piece that they gave me, and you could hardly hear what he was saying. >> reporter: a complaint he did not make during this interview. >> i don't know anything about david duke, okay? i don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. i don't know. >> reporter: trump disavowed the klan he ainfamous former leader last week. >> david duke and robocalls are out again. the white supremacist movement supporting you. do you have any words for that. >> i disavow. but i didn't know that. >> reporter: trump even cited the one time grand wizard is the reen he wouldn't run on the reform party ticket in 2000.

a bigot, a racist, a problem. this is not exactly the people you want in your party. >> reporter: since he kicked off his campaign, trump has been repeatedly accused of stoking racial fears, first with mexicans, then african-americans and muslims. >> donald trump is doing his best to appeal to the constituency of david duke and people like david duke while pretending that he's not doing that very thing. >> he should be more of a statesman. it wouldn't cost him anything with his supporters and it has the chance of actually bringing more republicans into his >> reporter: this weekend, trump championed the endorsement of alabama senator jeff sessions, the first u.s. senator to join trump. this as marco rubio got in the mud. >> how can a person with the worst spray tan in america? >> you know what they small hands? >> what? >> you can't trust them. >> reporter: hours from super tuesday and time is running out for trump's competitors to make their case. >> i will go to all 50 states and every territory. i will continue to

voice left. i will go anywhere to speak to anyone before i let a con artist get a hold of the republican party. >> donald trump represents everything you're mad about washington, the deal-making that doesn't stand with the working men ask women. >> reporter: despite it all, trump is poised to win big. >> as you can hear, donald trump is on stage here in georgia behind me. this is another controversy is brewing. both rubio and cruz calling on trump to press "the new york times" to release a of an off the record meeting after buzzfeed reported in it trump may have had flexibility. >> as the trump train rolls into super tuesday full of steam, some republican leaders are now openly expressing deep concerns about the prospect of donald trump as the party's nominee. one gop senator even saying he won't support him. and as nbc's andrea mitchell reports, the anxiety has reached a fever pitch.

going on. this isn't normal. >> reporter: donald trump packing in thousands on the trail again today. but behind the scenes, nbc news has learned trump has many top republican officials scrambling, looking for a way to brocklock him from getting the nomination. >> new poll out today that shows that he's behind hillary clinton. in almost every other poll, virtually any other republican -- there's concern there. >> adding to the alarm, trump's response on the ku klux klan, prompting this tweet from 2012 nominee mitt romney. >> a disqualifying and disgusting response by donald trump to the kkk. his coddling of repugnant bigotry is not in the character of america. >> rewith choosing a present like we do american "american idol"? there's a lot of people, i think, legitimately worried. >> reporter: one big concern for republicans, with

the ticket if he loses take down with him 24 gop senate candidates? and tonight the first republican senator to say he won't vote for trump if he's the nominee. nebraska's ben sasse. in a facebook post, he wrote, conservatives will need to find a third option other than trump. >> this is a guy who says things again and again that sound a lot more like vladimir putin than abe ra ram lincoln. >> there are two key worries among many republican officials if trump gets the nomination. first if he wins in november, would he govern as a conservative? and, second, would he even get that far? if democrats are able to successfully attack his past statements and his business records. lester. >> andrea mitchell, thanks. let's bring in our political director, the moderator of "meet todd. chuck, if trump does well tomorrow, what which other republicans can stop him? >> well, the only way they can stop him within the party is to deny him the delegates he needs to get the nomination. to do that, if he does well tomorrow night,

imperative that they defeat trump on march 15th in ohio. that could mean every other candidate other than john kasich decides to campaign. maybe rubio says i'm going to let kasich go there. then rubio has to win florida. maybe they go and find somebody else to rally around to beat him in north carolina. that's the only way they can do it within the party. if they don't succeed by march 15th, they won't be able to deny this nomination to him. then it's the third party route. there is a constitution party out there that has ballot access. if they want to start a third party, you'd have to do it within the next couple of weeks to actually get ballot access, but this stuff is real, and it gets very real on march 16th if donald trump continues to roll. >> haven't seen anything like it, have we? >> not since 1860 and the whigs. remember the republican party was born out of another conservative party, the whigs, breaking apart. >> chuck todd, thank you.

side, fresh off her landslide victory over bernie sanders in south carolina, hillary clinton is looking ahead to super tuesday as an opportunity to pull away in this race. nbc's kristen welker is with the clinton campaign in virginia. kristen, what can you tell us? >> reporter: lester, good evening. clinton campaign officials say they feel confident heading into super tuesday after that big win in south carolina fueled largely by african-american support. clinton hoping to build on that tomorrow. senator sanders vowing not to give up, but he does have a steep climb, particularly if you look at the numbers. lester, the official nbc news delegate count shows clinton with 519 delegates and sanders with 86. if you only take into account super delegates, those are typically party leaders who get to choose who they'll support, clinton gets 428 to sanders' 21. that's a 20-fold advantage. clinton is up with ads in all 11 super tuesday states. sanders has ads in only five of them, including colorado, massachusetts, and

states. still, sanders has a lot of cash on hand, which means no matter what happens tomorrow, that could allow him to stay in this race indefinitely. lester. >> kristen welker, thank you. nbc news will have extensive coverage of super tuesday tomorrow night. for many of you, your stations will be carrying the live hour-long editions of "nightly news" with all the results as they come in. and special prime-time can coverage across the country starting at 10:00 p.m. eastern time. there were terrifying moments today inside an ohio school when police say a teenaged student opened fire, hitting two students and injuring two others. tonight the suspect is in custody. the students and their parents cope with the aftermath. nbc's blake mccoy now with details. >> reporter: it was in the cafeteria of madison junior senior high school where authorities say a student opened fire on his classmates. one student managing to call 911 from his cell phone. >> there's a shooting.

started shooting people. >> how many people did he shoot? >> i'm not sure. he just pulled out his gun and started shooting. >> reporter: two students shot at lunch time. two others injured in the chaos. the school put on lockdown as frantic parents raced from work. >> we had to get here. we had to get to him. >> trying to be quiet and just keep everybody else around me safe. >> reporter: the school is in middletown, ohio, the two students shot, 14 and 15-year-old boys were flown by helicopter to the hospital. >> basically stable at this time. >> reporter: attention now turns to the accused shooter, a 14-year-old male who police say tossed the handgun as he ran from the building. he's been charged with two counts of attempted murder. a motive is unknown at this time. >> it's going to be hard for everybody to get over this. >> reporter: class has been canceled across the district tomorrow as parents hold their kids tight. blake mccoy, nbc news. late word that

andrews is on the stand tonight in her $75 million civil trial. earlier in the day, the man convicted of stalking andrews testified. he told the court how he altered the peep hole on andrews' hotel door and secretly filmed her. now as nbc's. >> reporter: erin andrews still haunted by the video that she says has damaged her career. >> i felt so embarrassed and so ashamed. >> reporter: her chance to look jurors, seven women and five men, in the eye and tell her side of the story. >> my naked body was on the front page of the new york post. they had put bars over my body parts. my girlfriend was calling me telling me she was running around new york city throwing coffee on all the papers because she felt so bad. >> reporter: just hours earlier andrews left the courtroom as her stalker explained the details of the day he recorded her.

deposition videos, michael barrett explained how he followed andrews to her hotel room and altered the peep hole. >> i pulled the plug and waited for the opportunity. >> what was your intent to hopefully get her without clothes on? >> yes. >> reporter: her mother also testified today describing the embarrassment her daughter continues to face. >> it's a nightmare that doesn't stop. we kept telling her it's not your fault. you're a victim. you've been assaulted. >> reporter: andrews devastated. >> it upsets. it's so embarrassing. it was my private time. i never thought this would happen. i never thought somebody would -- i never thought a hotel would let somebody next to me without telling me. >> reporter: andrews says her entire life has changed, and that this ordeal is always in the back of her mind. as for barrett, after serving almost two years in prison, he now lives in oregon. his internet activity monitored by a parole officer. lester. >> morgan radford, thank you.

today, a member of the elite s.e.a.l. team 6 received the medal of honor. because s.e.a.l. missions are covert and usually highly classified, we rarely hear their names or see their faces. but today, one step forward. nbc's jim miklaszewski has the incredible story of his bravery. >> reporter: as a navy s.e.a.l., senior chief ed byers rarely emerges from the shadows. he's one of the silent warriors from s.e.a.l. team 6, the special operations force that previously took down osama bin laden. but today in a rare appearance, byers was front and center at the white house, an american hero. in december 2012, the s.e.a.l.s were on a mission to rescue american doctor dilip joseph, taken hostage by the taliban. as the s.e.a.l. team approached the taliban hideout, begungun fire exploded. >> it was pitch black. >> reporter: petty officer nicolas checque was first through the door, was immediately shot, and fatally wounded.

know, a warrior's death. he died a true american hereio. >> reporter: byers was seconds behind and took out the shooter. >> he had a weapon about, you know, level ready to shoot, and fortunately i was just quicker on the draw on that. >> reporter: byers spotted the hostage on the floor and threw himself on top of the american. >> you were willing to take a bullet for that hostage? >> that's our job, yes. >> reporter: byers then grabbed another taliban fighter by the throat. >> just gave it enough time for my teammates to come in and get in position to take care of that threat. >> in times of war or uncertainty, there's a special breed of warrior ready to answer our nation's call. >> reporter: president obama presented byers with the medal of honor which he accepted not for himself but the entire s.e.a.l. community. >> for the brotherhood. it's for everything that we have sacrificed since 9/11 in defense of our country. >> reporter: jim

news, the pentagon. there is a lot more to tell you about as we continue on this monday night. still ahead, losing sleep and gaining weight. new warning about what could be fueling those junk food cravings. also rocking the stage. those expecting the oscar host to take on the diversity controversy were not disappointed.at body aches? what knee pain? what sore elbow? advil liqui-gels make pain a distant memory nothing works faster stronger what

advil. there's only one egg that just tastes better. with 10 times more vitamin e. and twice the omega 3s. because why have ordinary when you can have the best. only eggland's best. better taste. better nutrition. better eggs. our parents worked hard so that we could enjoy life's simple pleasures. now it's our turn. i'm doing the same for my family.

pacific life can help you protect what you love and grow your future with confidence. pacific life. helping generations of families achieve long-term financial security for over 145 years. if you're one of if you're one of the millions of people who would like to lose a few pounds and are struggling, new research suggests part

you're getting or not getting. one-third of adults get less than six hours of sleep a night rather than the recommended seven to eight hours. it turns out the less we sleep, the more we crave food and not the foods that are good for us. as nbc's tom costello reports. >> reporter: they are two of america's biggest complaints, a few extra lbs around the mid section and not enough sleep. >> i don't get as much sleep as i would like. >> as soon as i wake up, i feel like i'm starving, and all i want is food. >> reporter: now research from the university of chicago shows it may be part of a vicious cycle. the less sleep we get, the more our bodies produce a chemical in the blood that increases our cravings. the same system triggered by marijuana. cravings for the sweets, salty, and fatty foods we snack on in the afternoons and evenings. >> we're actually eating more calories than needed for energy costs of being awake longer. >> reporter: previous studies have found

adults got an extra hour and a half of sleep a night, the recommended eight hours, their cravings for junk food dropped. people who get less than six hours are at an increased risk of obesity. this doctor runs the sleep center at medstar georgetown university hospital. >> given 300 calories a day, which could be like one or two cookies in about two weeks can result in gaining one pound of extra fat. >> the best advice to getting a good night's sleep, doctors say go to bed and wake up at the same time every day and avoid eating anything in the two to three hours before going to sleep. if junk sleep leads to junk food, which leads to obesity and more junk sleep, breaking the cycle could be key. tom costello, nbc news, washington. we're back in a moment with a gasp-inducing moment at the supreme court that hasn't happened there in over a decade. previously treated with

it's not every day something this big comes along. a chance to live longer with... opdivo, nivolumab. opdivo is the first and only immunotherapy fda approved based on a clinical trial demonstrating longer life... ...for these patients. in fact, opdivo significantly increased the chance of living longer versus chemotherapy. opdivo is different. it works with your immune system. opdivo can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in your body and affect how they work. this may happen any time during or after treatment has ended, and may become serious and lead to death. see your doctor right away if you experience new or worsening cough; chest pain; shortness of breath; diarrhea; severe stomach pain or tenderness; severe nausea or vomiting; extreme fatigue; constipation; excessive thirst or urine; swollen ankles; loss of appetite; rash; itching; headache; confusion; hallucinations; muscle or joint pain, or flushing as this may keep these problems from becoming more serious.

of opdivo. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including immune system problems, or if you've had an organ transplant, or lung, breathing, or liver problems. a chance to live longer. ask your doctor if opdivo is right for you. bristol-myers squibb thanks the patients and physicians who participated in the opdivo clinical trial. a heart attack doesn't care if you run everyday, or if you're young or old. no matter who you are a heart attack can happen without warning. if you've had a heart attack, a bayer aspirin regimen can help prevent another one. be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. bayer aspirin. guys, it's just the two of you. the setting is just right. there's something in the air. but here's the thing: about half of men over 40 have some degree of erectile dysfunction. well, viagra helps guys with ed get and keep an erection. ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain

your blood pressure could drop to an unsafe level. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. ask your doctor... ...about viagra. available in single packs. the same cruise the samee cruise ship that had to turn

month after it was damaged in a violent storm had to cut a voyage short yet again today. some guests on royal caribbean's "anthem of the seas" are experiencing norovirus symptoms. royal caribbean says it's avoiding a severe storm looming in the forecast. there were gasps in the audience today at the supreme court when something happened that hasn't happened in ten years. for a decade, justice clarence thomas hasn't asked a single question during oral arguments. that all changed today in a big way. he broke his silence, asking ten questions during a case about gun rights that came during the second week the court has heard arguments since the death of justice antonin scalia. tonight we say goodbye to one of the all-time great hollywood tough guys. beloved character actor george kennedy, a force onscreen for nearly six decades has died. kennedy won best supporting actor beside paul newman in 1967's cool hand look.

win laughs in a new generation of fans when he was cast against type in "the naked gun" series. kennedy was 91 years old. when we come back, oscar host chris rock's takedown of the academy's diversity controversy and how hollywood is reacting. osteoporosis and a high risk for fracture... i can tell you prolia is proven to help protect bones from fracture. but the real proof? my doctor said prolia helped my bones get stronger. are your bones getting stronger? do not take prolia if you have low blood calcium, are pregnant, are allergic to it, or take xgeva . serious allergic reactions, such as low blood pressure; trouble breathing; throat tightness; face, lip, or tongue swelling; rash, itching or hives have happened in people taking prolia . tell your doctor about dental problems, as severe jaw bone problems may happen, or new or unusual pain in your hip, groin or thigh, as unusual thigh bone fractures have occurred. prolia can cause serious side effects, including low blood calcium, serious

require hospitalization; skin problems; and severe bone, joint or muscle pain. only prolia helps strengthen and protect bones with 2 shots a year. i have proof prolia works for me. can it work for you? ask your doctor about prolia today. this just got interesting. so why pause to take a pill? and why stop to find a bathroom? cialis for daily use, is the only daily tablet approved to treat erectile dysfunction so you can be ready anytime the moment is right. plus cialis treats the frustrating urinary symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently, day or night. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, or adempas for pulmonary hypertension, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more than four hours.

or any symptoms of an allergic reaction, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use. insurance coverage has expanded nationally and you may now be covered. contact your health plan for the latest information. (baseball on tv in background) with heart failure, danger is always on the rise. symptoms worsen because your heart isn't pumping well. (water filling room) about 50 percent of people die (dog whimpering) within 5 years of getting diagnosed. but there's something you can do. talk to your doctor about heart failure treatment options. because the more you know, the more likely you are... (dog whimpering)

finally, last night's academy awards program still has people buzzing from leonardo dicaprio first best actor win to "spotlight's" upset for best picture. overshadowing the night, the lack of acting nominees of color. joe fryer reports host chris rock took on the controversy early and often. >> reporter: amid the glitz and glamour of hollywood's biggest night, a serious topic dominated the oscars. >> otherwise known as the white people's choice awards. >> reporter: from the moment chris rock took the stage, he tackled hollywood's diversity controversy head-on. >> hollywood is sorority racist. it's like we like you, rhonda, but you're not a kappa. >> reporter: the ten-minute opening monologue was part stand-up, part sermon. >> i'm "the danish girl."

scene continued through the night. >> he came at it straight, head-on, and he said everything he wanted to say. >> there was a lot being asked to him and still do comedy and he did it. >> reporter: but rock also took aim at will smith and jada pinkett smith for boycotting the show. >> it's also not fair that will was paid $20 million for "wild, wild west," okay? >> the l.a. times called it the first oscars in memory that nakedly and unapoll jetically attempted to do something other than hand out a bunch of gold statues. >> everybody needed somebody who felt qualified to call out hollywood's problems, to put them in a proper context but also allow everybody to sort of laugh. >> reporter: still ratings this year were down and a few moments fell flat, including a widely criticized jokes about asian kids as accountants. but on this night, it's the messages from chris rock --

dominated the spotlight. joe fryer, nbc news, los angeles. before we say good night, we want to extend a big welcome to our viewers in raleigh, durham, north carolina. i was meeting our friends at wral tv, which as of tonight, becomes an nbc affiliate. happy to have all of you as part of our nbc news family. we're proud to be part of yours as well. we hope to see you here each night. that's going to do it for us on a monday. i'm lester holt. for all of us at nbc news, thank you for watching and good night. . >> tesla as has turned its back on construction workers here in northern nevada and we feel it's's slap in the face.f* >> local construction workersi are protezdhng inrfact oft( the teslm site. what tex tech company is doing to

they don't desireuok this pain to go through a parolep,h$earing. >> a man asked to be set free. an emotional day in carson as families one1jf both sides testify at a hearing. february waslp kind of lackluster, let's talk about march and the hope for more snow. news 4 nightly starts now. i]4_riqjfrt(_.r and good evening, everyone. local construction workers are angry over hiring practices at the tesla giga factory site and they're being displaced byf* out of state_ workers from arizona and new mexico. >> terry hendry joins us for this on your side report. and these workers say with the billionsxd given to tesla in taxq incentives, nevadaxdif* workers should be given priority.

is well within compliance of the lf5 but local construction workers say this deal wu about helping the local economy and they'req challenging whether the teslar deal tore or goes far enough. these workers took to the picketkoc_ cline. >> local workers are fedc up with the hiringeozez out-of-state workers to work atok tesla state when the state of nevada committed $1.4 billion in tax credits to the job. >> reporter:lp they say tesla is hiring out of state workers displacing some of them. >>it( we'd likee1_ to see them change their business model g"1 forwardlpxd using] uju)q)s andzv giving local workers a chance at the jobs on site. >>i reporter: tesla said this__i temperatures from a third partyr construction contractor.