romney's attack machine fires off, santorum's fires back. top dog, the pekingese, call that a dog? takes best in show. and you have a case of lin-sanity? the rookie super star does it again with a thrill aing game winner at the buzzer. >> lin puts it up. jermey lin from downtown and the knicks take the lead! good day, i'm andrea mitchell live in washington. this morning iran's president mahmoud ahmadinejad claimed other vaadvances at a nuclear facility. >> reporter: a patrol boat was headed for the carrier and closing fast.

>> this is captain, you'll have an iranian boat -- >> reporter: within two miles of the carrier the iranian boat backed a off. the captain, john alexandre said his biggest worry is that incidents like this could eventually lead to a fatal miscalculation. >> they have the ability to take a shot at me at some point and that is what i worry about. >> reporter: it's a legitimate concern. we have now entered the most dangerous stretch of waters here for the american forces. just beyond that horizon is the largest gathering of the most heavily armed past boats, they are armed with torpedos and an entire shore line of anti-cruise missiles. >> ali, first of all, what was done today, how extensive is this and how real is this from the perspective in iran?

>> well, it's a huge advance from an iranian perspective, they are saying that they completed the nuclear cycle despite sanctions, and they are saying they can do it themselves. they said that they had help for nuclear fuel rod force their research reactor, they were not given them so they developed them themselves. so it's for all audiences saying we do not need help from anybody else, and even if you put in place heavy sanctions, that will stiffen our resolve. and the president kept drilling home that if americans or europeans attack us, we can protect ourselves, we are a powerful country and we will not be bullied. so a big message are from the president today, >> what is the iran response to the accusation that iran is behind those tear oh, explosions

and a assassination attempts around the world. >> reporter: they deny that they had any involvement in this whatsoever. but we have not lose sight of the fact that only ten days ago, in his friday speech, he said that any country or entity that takes arms or challenges israel, he will support and he will aid them. so the timing of all of this is very suspicious, iran nonetheless denies involvement in the attack. >> finally, before i lose you. the question of what they announced initially about cutting off oil exports to europe and that was counterma countermanded that seemed to indicate to the rest of the world that there's continuing friction in the regime. >> reporter: absolutely two it indicates friction in the regime and it's also an effort by

tehran to keep the world second guesses about what they will do next. it's a tactic that they have used for years and it has worked. >> david albright is here, he is a former u.n. weapons inspector. thank you for being here. from what we know, ahmadinejad claimed first in the tehran facility and the other facility, have they achieved what they say they have is this >> no, this is what we expected them to do and they are late. they are trying to catch up and do this things they said they would have done a while ago. i do not think it's a big of a deal in terms of technical accomplishments. it's upsetting to the international community and it may play to a domestic audience

and that is where it's aimed. >> because the nuclear problem in a nationalistic way is a popular program. that said, israel is concerned as we know that there's diminishing window of opportunity and we are hearing reports from the officials in israel and in america that are concerned that they see there are redundancies that they have secret programs that are digging deeper and making their program more viable to survive an israel attack. >> that is the worry. and i think it's israel, i hope they won't do it. they can't really to that much damage to the iranian nuclear program wherever they strike. it's wiser to let the pressure build and see if iran responds and take stock this summer and fall and see what to do.

now, we do in the think that they will break out in a sense and build nuclear weapons this year. we are talking about something that is off in the future as a possibility. if iran does break out and build weapons. i think the international response will be overwhelming and israel may have several countries joining in striking iran. >> the israel perspective is that that is too late. they can not wait for iran to reach that conclusion and break out. because they have a threat. and from that perspective. iran is concerned about redundant iranian programs that we could not know about. is it possible, even likely that iran has -- >> secret sites? >> and buried sites that you do not know about? >> i think a lot is known about iran, the penetration of the program has been remarkable, finding this site that is under inspections, we think it was meant as a parallel site to make

uranium in secret. but it was found. the computer virus -- >> it penetrated and slowed it down. >> there are these sites and i do not think the israelis are raising these questions. it's more of a future threat n that, it's better to wait and see if iran responds diplomatically to the pressure, because in the past they have responded. it's just we do not know what, in a sense, what is the tipping point for the iranian ra gegime caution patience and let it play out. >> thank you very much as always. prime minister netanyahu is accusing iran of the terror attacks in recent days. israel's concern is that the

next attack will be closer to home. here is nbv stephanie gosk. >> netanyahu said the violence will spread on other countries and this country is on a higher state of alert as well as the especial embassies around the world is problem is that they are worried they are softer more unprotected targets and that is the fear. they are vulnerable. >> and that has of course happened before. michael lighter is the nbc news expert. iran's proxies have been able to strike elsewhere around the world. how serious is the threat here at home? >> well, i think as you said, iran has struck overseas in the past, i think that iran's preference, would not be to target, not to target sites here in the united. it's possible.

we saw that with the iranian plot against a saudi ambassador, the politicali ismplications ar so severe, that they would probably want to strike in other places like they did this week. >> and of course, americans in afghanistan, right next door t bottom line is that the nypd and their counter intelligence operatives are concerned and they are ramping up their security. but you do not believe that that is a primary target or a primary concern for iran? >> i do not think so. but it's entirely appropriate that places like new york and washington take bigger precautions, there's no reason iran cannot strike here. but in that sense, these precautions are appropriate. i do not think it's the most likely path that iran would

choose. >> what do we know about the attacks in bankohk? is >> i think all indications that in fact these were iranian plots and again, georgia, in deli and bankok, a grenade went off and injured an iranian, according to press records. all of these seem to be attempts by iran to strike back at israel for their belief that israel has been targeting nuclear scientists in tcht ehran over the past few years. >> a strong belief indeed. it's clear that somebody is assassinating nuclear scientists and israel is denying it but there's few actors that can play in that field. let's talk about russia, the

comments coming from the deputy foreign minister was significant. >> yes, they said it was not good for iran to develop nuclear weapons. russia is part of the group negotiating with iran on their the nuclear sites and also, of course, russia is a key player in what sort of support or not israel could experience if it decided to strike iran's nuclear facilities. >> some say that russia would be saying more than doing if israel were to strike. can israel strike iran and a what damage could it accomplish? >> well, i think israel could strike iran. the question as david said, it's how much damage could they do? they could hurt it. but their ability to stop it at had this points is open to question. and the question depend approximates were israel to strike, what kind of steps would they take and how extensive

would their strikes be? >> is our intelligence as good as david beliefs? could they have something that we do not about? >> i think it's unlikely. our intelligence is quite good on iran there's been focus on the past two administrations but we have been surprised before and we have to be ready to be surprised again. >> thank you very much. >> you are welcome. >> the michigan shoedown, meet rombo, stay with us for live coverage, the president's speech in milwaukee. ♪ my sunglasses. [ tires screech ] ♪ oh, it was the first time i fell in love ♪ ♪ the first time i felt my heart ♪ [ man ] people say i'm forgetful. [ horn honking ] ♪ ...all through the night [ man ] maybe that's why we go to so many memorable places. ♪

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in our "daily fix" is michigan mitt romney's last

chance to show he has the right stuff. the republican race goes national with 18 contests over a 15-day period. polls are showing santorum slightly ahead or tied with romney. it is michigan where romney was born and raised and where his father was governor and a loss could be devastating. we have mark with us, it's great to have you hear. we know arizona is down next and then we have super tuesday down the road, but michigan, this could be his alamo, party officials, republicans who want to see mitt romney succeed are telling me it will fall apart for him because of the importance of michigan. >> the way to look at it is, if he is able to win and win well as he probably should with all the advantages he has in michigan, could be a way for him to right his campaign ship and start to get to the republican nomination. if he loses or if it's really are, really close. that could actually give party

leaders and other people that are looking ahead to the general election to saying maybe he is in the our nominee. >> and how about how nasty the campaign has gotten. the ads, romney vastly out spending santorum. we were not sure how much of money santorum will put in but it's lopsided right now. >> we have seen this movie before. a nonmitt romney -- newt gingrich won in south carolina. then we move to florida that person get as bounce and then the ad wars begin. and we saw that that really helped romney who was able to win in florida and this time around after santorum's win in missouri, colorado and minnesota, have you the pro prom any up with super pac ads hoping to blow out santorum on the air waves. >> let's talk about the white house sitting pretty because you have the president and the payroll tax victory. the again the republicans were forced to back with down. >> they were, and the politics were bad.

we saw for republicans in september, they did not want to be seen as raising middle class america's taxes. and the democrats and white house used that effectively. and you ended up seeing republicans cry uncle and they they the biggest win for them is that they can do not have to have the fight anymore and all of a sudden the work of congress is done beyond the appropriations bills and now it's time for campaigning. >> all hands on deck. and democrats claimi ining vict in that play roll tax fight. and gabby giffords former aide ron barboer. i habe a cohd.

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their national convention this september in north carolina. he will be wielding the fwmgave c comes down. as gabby giffords focuses on her recovery, her friend and close aide less injured in the terrible shooting, ron barber is running for her seat. ron barber joins us now from tucson. how are you doing in your recovery. you were injured as well and it's taken a lot out of you. you had i believe two bullet wounds? >> yes, i was wounded twice. once in my face and the other in my leg. and it's been a long recovery but i have to say, in the last couple of months, i have made great progress over the last year, i have made great progress. but particularly in the last couple of months. i have more stamina and in fact, i am up to 100% stamina. my legs that a new brace, so i'm

really feeling very fit and ready to run this campaign and hopefully be elected in june and serve out the rest of the congress woman's term. >> how did you reach the decision? did she approach you and ask you to run for the seat? was this difficult to think about taking her place in fwres if you were elected? >> i'm not a politician and never intended to run for congress. as the congress woman reached her decision, a lot of people approached me, republican ares and democrats and independents alike asked if i would consider running for the vacant seat and she did ask if i would run. so i considered it. talked with my family about it. examined my own ability, strength wise and health wise to do it and finally last thursday i announced my candidacy and i'm looking forward to a vigorous

campaign and serve the people in arizona in congress. >> it must have been emotional for you. it was for us. we are not directly connect to it, but all of us, the whole country watching her farewell from the house. can you talk about that historic day and what it felt like, and what she was going through? >> well, it was a very difficult decision for her to make. but it's a brave decision, i worked with her since her 2006 campaign and for the last five years for her district director. i know how much she loves this job. she loved representing the people of arizona, she was grateful that they gave her a year to get better and recover and hopefully get back and run again. but when she realized she was not able to do that, she did the thing that i think that many would not do, that was to step down and let someone else, hopefully, take her seat and be the voice of southern arizona, she is doing well in her

recovery but she decided she is not well enough yet to get back into congress and do job. she has worked hard, at her recovery and the representing the people and she felt she could not do both equity i havely. and that is why she resigned. an emotional day for all of us that worked for her and with her, but it was wonderful to see the greeting she got on the house floor and when she went to the state of the union address. she is an inspiration to the country. she inspires me and all the staff that worked with her and , many other americans and certainly the people of southern arizona. >> and mr. barber, finally, are the thing that she would want you to do are things has are not complete and you want to carry on her behalf if if you are elected? >> absolutely. my goal in running and being ele elected is to first of all,

continue to services that the congress woman established back in 2000 and seven, and that i helped manage. we serve 1200 people, active cases. we have one of the most active constituent offices in the country. i want to make sure that they are continued to be worked on, especially for seniors and veterans. and i want to go to congress if the people elect me and advocate for veterans, we have one of the largest populations in the country in southern arizona, they have sr they have served our country and they need to be supported. i want to protect the seniors. i want to work on border security. i have been on the border hundreds of i'm s time -- hundr times and i know how important border security is for all of us. the drug cartels have pushed

hard and made this southern arizona district the corridor for most of their drug trafficking, we need to do better and i hope to do it as well. so there's a lot of work to be done. i have been a problem solver in my work with people of disabilities and in my work with my wife, those experiences, and those priorities that i'll take to congress and i think they are similar to what the congress woman was working on and i hope to continue that legacy. >> we know you are not opposed, ron barber and we know a republican primary is coming up, so we are not sure who your opponent will be, but lots of luck. thank you for joining us today. >> thank you very much for having me today. >> and coming up next, alice stewart, her first interview since joining the santorum campaign. what does she have to say about santorum's record on women's issues? plus it's do or die for mitt romney in michigan. and president obama is expected to speak in milwaukee just minutes from now, stay with us, live coverage ahead on "andrea mitchell reports."

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rick santorum has launched a new attack ad today in michigan, painting romney as a gun toting mud slinking rombo, watch. >> mitt romney's negative attack ad machine is back. this time he is firing at rick santorum. romney has attacked fellow republicans. >> alice stewart is national press secretary for the santorum campaign. many of us know you from earlier campaigns but it's great to see you. >> great to be here. >> let's talk about the ad war in michigan. you are being out spent so far, we do not know whether there's going to be a big buy, but the portion of ads so par is romney out spending santorum. but santorum said he would not go negative and that was a

pretty tough attack ad. >> well, just to clarify, this is not a negative ad, this is a response ad. what we are saying is that mitt romn romney does what he does when he sees somebody is past him in the polls. he goes negative. and it worked against newt gingrich because the negative ads are factually correct. he is saying that rick is liberal fiscally and nothing is further than the truth. rick has been out spoken on limited government, cutting expensing. he was a tea party before there was a tea party. and you recall, andrea, you have been in washington for many years. he was one of the gang of seven that fought taxpayer abuses, do away with the fraud that we saw with the congressional post office, he has been big on cutting spending. head of the balanced budget amendment fight and welfare reforms. welfare to work. these are things that are fiscally conservative and something that rick santorum is

proud of. he has a long record of being strong on fiscal issues. >> you portray the opponent carrying a gun. that is a negative ad, isn't it? >> we talk about him being a mud slinker, and we cannot mistake that he can do fancy ads and have fast planes and a big staff. but he cannot rewrite hiflt, mitt romney is the classic liberal candidate in this race. he is toe to toe with obama's issues. he supported cap and trade and the wall street bail outs. these are issues that he cannot fight obama on these. because he has stood toe to toe with obama on those issues that people oppose. >> what about the women's supporters and women's vote. rick santorum in his book, it

take as family, you know the quotation, the radical feminists succeeded in under mining the traditional family convincing women that professional accomplishments are the key to success and then he on cnn talked about women in combat. he said he has concerns, he thinks it could be a compromising situation where people will do things that are not in the interest of the mission because of the other types of eemotions involved. >> this raises the question as to whether his views about women and women in the workplace are out dated? >> absolutely not. he has been extremelily respectful to me, on the part women on the staff. he has been happily married, he respectful of women's issues. he has a lot of women in his office and as he was in washington, they have spoken up and saying he was respectful of them when they had children, allowing them to work.

and in terms of the military, the statements he made, he clarified that just a bit in referring to, he was actually concerned about the emotions of men on the front lines. given that their natural teaming would be to try to protect the women more. he is trying to say, he respects men and alike, but in terms of the hype that the opponents are putting out there, that he is not respectful of women and their place in society is false. and i'm living proof of it. he has given me a great position on his campaign and i'm proud to stand on the front lines and speak up for him. >> he said only last fall about contraception, let's watch. >> one of the things i'll talk about, that no president has talked about before, is the dangers of contraception in the country. sexual liberty idea that many in the christian faith have said,

it's okay, contraception is okay. it's not okay. it's a license to do things in the sexual world that is counter to how things are supposed to be. >> that his view that contraception is a license to give people a chance to do thing this is that should not be so? >> certainly he is a man of great faith and has his personal view on contraception, but he believes it's a issue that should be left up to the states. and as president he will do things about what people ask him on the campaign trail. he will in detroit tomorrow to talk about the detroit economic club and talk about issues that they ask him about every day, what will he do to create an environment for businesses to create jobs and turn the economy around. that is what he plans to dos as

president. >> alice, it's great to see you, >> good to toalk with you. >> romney is trying to remind voters of hiss roots in michigan. >> i grew up in michigan, it was exciting to be here. i remember going to the detroit auto show with my dad. that was a big deal. >> you are romney supporter. i know you came back from michigan, mitt romney, this is a home state, his father was governor and his mother ran for the senate. we are talking deep roots. i talk to republican leaders all across the country who say if mitt romney cannot do it in michigan, we have to go back to the bench. >> well, look, i mean, andrea, 13 days million this election. think about where we were 13 days ago, we have a new front-runner. santorum is clearlily the front-runner. governor romney is running an aggressive campaign, he has a

good strategy and frachkand frau look at the things that are working, i was struck by this, the outsider republican governor, rick snyder has reformed taxes and cut spending. what has been the result? a $400 million surplus in the budget, if you want an outsider that will cut spending, if romney can do it in massachusetts and snyder can do it to michigan, that is the model that republicans will want to see in their president and mitt has a terrific personal connection, he has spent a lot of time there and it's an important state. but it's an important state for santorum too. >> romney coming out against the auto bail out. many argue that the improvements in the deficit posture in michigan that rick snyder is enjoying now really have mostly to do with president obama's white house bail out of the auto industry. >> it's across the board in michigan. there are a variety of things. but what happened in those bail outs is what romney recommended.

structured bankruptcy which allowed them to shed the debt and grow. if you look at the 2008-t200200 they went through the prescription that romney laid out in his op-ed. >> but now he is saying it should not have been bailed out. >> he has always said that they should not have been bailed out using taxpayer dollars to do it. american people are on the hook for $23 billion in spending largely paid out to union allies in government stock. he wanted that paid back to the treasury and his point is that american innovation can grow without the heavy hand of government and frankly there are legal structures in place to let companies like gm repivot and reposition, that should be praised. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. >> democrats consider it a big win approximate the payroll tax extension goes through.

republicans have agreed to extend the tax cut and will not ask for the paying of the deal. is there a deal on the payroll tax cut and the unemployment compensation or are we still argui arguing -- are you and the republicans arguing about how long it should be extended? s >> now, i think it's pretty well set. but i think there's still some moving parts in this deal that the republicans have put on the table. and that is being discussed. dealing with clearly they remember what happened in december. they do not want to repeat that. so in effect they have agreed to that which they did not agree to before hand and their leaders said they do not like. but never the less, they have agreed to do the middle class tax cut and facilitate it being

passed. in aaddition to the unemployment insurance, they have reached a agreement which is a reasonable length of time to make sure that people have support when they cannot find a job. and then, lastly, the medical doctor's payments being available for medicare payments. there has been a resolution of that, my personal opinion from what i hear is it will be ten months and we will be back september and october of this year arguing that again. but there are moving parts to this agreement. still not a done deal in my opinion. we are looking for the pay-fors and they want to put in place and the overall deal. i'm pleased that we have a deal on the 160 million people so that their tax cuts will continue after february 29th.

>> let's aassume you get past this hurdle, what about the fact that we have not had a budget in three years and most outside observers, experts as well as the washington post in an op-ed are arguing that the president's budget is a nonstarter and does not come to grips with the long-term issues that could be framed on tax reform or entitlement reforms down the road. that he really punted on all of this? >> andrea, you have been watching president's budgets for a long time as i have, as you know one of ronald reagan's budget was offered and most of them were not on the floor of the house and it got one vote. president's budgets are a plan. i think his plan is a good plan. i think he focuses on something that i think is important, manufacturing, make it in america. he focuses on exercising fiscal discipline, getting us to a place where we need to be. it does not do what i would like

to do. and that get republicans and democrats together on a big deal. a long-term budget reduction fiscally responsible and a fiscally sustainable path deal. i agree it does not do that. i would have liked to do that, but i think the presidenti it offered what he thinks he can get done and focused on the right priorities of investing in infrastructure and education and job creation. and that is what we need to do. but clearly republicans and democrats need to come together to agree upon a long-term fiscal solution. unfortunately, when you say it's a nonstarter, paul ryan is about, from what we hear offering a budget on the republican side which they know right now is a nonstarter of the united states senate. it will not go anywhere. but overall of course, while budgets are useful documents for planning purposes, you and i both know the only thing the

budget does is set forth a number for discretionary spending we agreed to that in the budget deal last year. that number is already set. that is what the budget usually does. the appropriators have to decide where to apply that and the ways and means committee will have to decide how to reform taxes and we need to do both of those. but they will have to be done hopefully in a bipartisan fashion here in the house and senate. >> democratic whip, thank you for coming. >> thank you. >> and developing now, president obama is set to speak at any minute in manufacturing in milwaukee. live coverage coming up next on "andrea mitchell reports." everywhere you go, america, i see your cup of joe goes with you. how nice of joe to, how you say, have your back. try something different. a delicious gevalia kaffe, or as i like to say, a cup of johan. will johan power walk the mall with you? i don't think so.

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whitney houston's medical and pharmacy records. tehran claimed two major nuclear advances and the u.s. government is calling it hype. and it's one of the world's d d deadliest prison fire. we will have more on this massive blaze. president obama is in milwaukee right now, he is about to speak at a master lock plant. joining me now is cristen welker. i know the goals that the president has here, clearly, it's all about wisconsin as the most important among many important swing states. >> absolutely. good afternoon to you, president obama won this state by 14 points back in 2008.

his standing in the midwest has fallen a bit. the president knows he will have to work hard to win wisconsin in 2012. one of the reasons he is here today, he is also here, he will be talking about manufacturing, the importance of bringing american jobs back to the u.s. why master lock? well, he talked about it in the state of the union address. it recently added and brought back a hundred jobs from china, the president will talk about the importance of building up the manufacturing sector and the fact that we have seen gains, the manufacturing sector added 300,000 jobs in 2009. that is what we expect to hear from the president. but an interesting day politically because republican governor scott waglker was expected to meet the president, but we learned earlier today, that due to the fact that he has the flu, that is what his office

is saying, he would only be meeting the president at the airport. that is what happened. as you know, andrea, governor walker is in the middle of a bit of a political fight. he is in the middle of recall election. flu so flu or no flu, the events today allowed governor walker to be pictured briefly with the president but to distance himself from this democratic president, as well. as we've been reporting, president obama recently had another run-in with a republican governor, governor jan brewer of arizona. the president and governor brewer had that tarmac tiff, that now infamous tiff on the tarmac over a discussion basically over how governor brewer portrayed a recent meeting that the two had had. so that is sort of the backdrop to the president coming here to speak at master lock. we expect him to take the podium momentarily. this gentleman here is about to introduce him. >> i'm no doctor, i don't play one on television, but i'm told

phil musser just came from there and others and they say he really did not have a political flu. he really had the flu. so came out to the airport. >> yes. >> but not the rest of the day. so who knows what is really going on there. >> absolutely. >> the bottom line is that masterlock is, of course, a union operation and they've got jobs back. so it was one of the things, as you pointed out that he showcased in his state of the union. a couple other points from jay carney's air force one briefing is that he says that president obama, among the rest of us, knicks fans and non-nicks fans alike has a little bit of lin fever? >> that's absolutely right. jeremy lin has been all over the headlines lately. and president obama, as you know, is a big sports fan. he's a big basketball fan. so jay carney said that he spoke to the president about him today. here's the president, andrea. >> as we can see behind you,

kristen welker, thanks so much. the president has come out. he's working the rope lines there. as kristin just reported 14-point victory by the president in wisconsin in 2008. but there's been a lot of back sliding since then. and a lot of political turmoil in wisconsin was governor walker and with the union movement. here's president obama. >> hello, milwaukee! it is good to be back in the great state of wisconsin. this is the closest i've been to home in awhile. i was thinking about getting on the 90/94 and just driving down to my house. thank you, deandre, for that outstanding introduction. and for sharing your story. i can tell though, he's a little shy.

he doesn't necessarily like to get out in front of people. before i begin, i want to thank some additional special guest who are here. milwaukee mayor tom barrett is in the house. your congresswoman gwenn moore is here. you heard from your local uaw representative, john drew. and i got a great tour from the president of uaw local 469, mike bink. and finally, i want to thank master lock's ceo, john hebner for inviting us here today. it is wonderful to be at master lock. i have to say, though, it brought back some memories. and i was thinking about my gym

locker in high school. and you know, if you go into the boys' locker room in high school, sometimes it's a little powerful, the odor in there. so i was thinking about the fact that we weren't washing our stuff enough. and then i was thinking about as i got older and i kept on using master locks, i became an even better customer because i couldn't always remember my combination. so i'd end up having to have the lochsaed off and buy a new one. so i was giving you guys a lot of business. and now, as i was looking at some of the really industrial size locks, i was thinking about the fact that i am a father of two girls who are going to be in high school. and that it might come in handy to have these super locks.

for now, i'm just counting on the fact that when they go to school, there are men with guns with them so -- but i'm actually here today because this company has been making the most of a huge opportunity that exists right now to bring jobs and manufacturing back to the united states of america. i talked about this during the state of the union. over the last few decades, revolutions in technology have made a lot of businesses more efficient and more productive. and that's a great thing. it means you generally have a better choice of products, you get better prices, but as some of you know, technology has also

made a lot of jobs obsolete. and it's allowed companies to set up shop and hire workers is almost anywhere in the world where there's an internet connection, you can produce things that previously you could only produce here in the united states. so the result has been a pretty painful process for a lot of families and for a lot of communities, especially here in the midwest. too many factories where people thought they'd retire suddenly left town. too many jobs that provided a decent living got shipped overseas. and now the hard truth is, a lot of those jobs are not going to come back. in a global economy, some companies are always going to find it more profitable to pick up and do business in some other part of the world. that's just a fact. but that doesn't mean we have to just sit by and settle for a lesser future. that doesn't mean there's nothing we can do to create new

jobs and restore middle class security here in america. there is always something we can do. for starters, i'm glad to see that congress seems to be on the way of making progress on extending the payroll tax cuts so taxes don't go up on all of you and 160 million working americans. you know, this tax cut means that the typical american family will see an extra $40 in every paycheck this year. and that's going to help speed up this recovery. it will make a real difference in the lives of millions of people, and as soon as congress sends me that will extension of tax cuts and unemployment insurance to my desk, i will sign it right away. we're going to get that signed. i love you back. but that's only a start. there's a lot more we can do.

a lot more we have to do to help create jobs and bring back manufacturing and middle class security to milwaukee and wisconsin and the united states of america. look, and we've got examples of success. when i took office, a lot of uaw workers here, you guys remember this, when i took office, the american auto industry was on the verge of collapse. and there were some folks who said we should let it die. with a million jobs at stake, i refused to let that happen. i refused to let that happen. we said in exchange for help, we're going to demand responsibility. we got workers and automakers to settle their differences. we got the industry to restructure and retool, come up with better designs. today, the american auto

industry is back and general motors is once again the number one automaker in the world. chrysler's grown faster in the u.s. than any major car company. ford is investing billions in u.s. plants and equipment and factories. and all together over the past two years, the entire industry has added nearly 160,000 jobs. well paying jobs. what's happening in detroit can happen in other industries. what happenses in cleveland and pittsburgh and raleigh and milwaukee that's what we've got to be shooting for is to create job opportunities for hard-working americans to get in