and he'll set money aside from his first day of work to his last, which isn't rocket science. it's just common sense. from td ameritrade. hi, everybody. good morning, i'm thomas roberts. developing news tomming the agenda today. the white house taking action on gun violence in america. this hour, vice president joe biden kicking off day con of a series of meetings the 16 pennsylvania avenue with a deadline fast approaching to put concrete gun control proposals on the table. today, joe biden meeting with victims of gun violence and leapt tiffs from gun safety groups. now, tomorrow, he sits down by members of gun ownership groups including the controversial national rifle association, walmart also coming to the table as a major gun seller. the vice president will be meeting with representatives of entertainment and gaming video industries. joe biden on the force on this

president's task force is trying to create some consensus with the actual goal of recommendations by the end of next month. >> process is designed to get input. and the vice president's group will assess different actions. make recommendations and then the president will decide what he would like to pursue, what he believes is the right course of action. >> of course are the most high-stakes session is tomorrow's sitdown with members of the nra. nra going little reaction in the brief response to the invite. saying, quote, we got an invite late friday. we are sending a representative to hear what they have to say. with gun advocates floating gun restriction bans on high-capacity magazines what options are truly on the white house for americans as well as the american congress. >> incorporate 00 the challenge is to put something on the table that has some meat to it. as governor cuomo says there's

more holes in these laws than a piece of swiss cheese. >> we've got a right to have rifles. we've got a right. but these assault weapons, we don't have that right. >> assault weapons are the drunk driving in a prohibition debate. >> right. >> that's the course here. nobody's talking about prohibition. >> joining me now is mayor villaraigosa of los angeles. mayor, it's good to have you on this morning. as we talk about this, we want to show everybody just a portion of proposals that could come out of the white house gun task force. there's the universal firearm background checks, a national database of gun sales. then strengthening mental health checks, as well as stiffening penalties in school zones. now there's this jam-packed schedule that we led the show off for vice president joe biden, this week, all eyes are really going to be on that nra meeting tomorrow. is this just for show, mr. mayor? sore is there any hope that the vice president can get the nra to soften its position that the only way to stop a bad guy with

a gun is a good guy with a gun? or the fact that we need to arm america's teachers after newtown? >> i think this is a watershed moment. it's an opportunity, i think, for us to seize the moment. and that's what the vice president and the president and i think members of the house and senate are going to do. i think the list that you put up there is a good place to start. i'd add an assault weapons ban to that. it's clear that we have to do something. the vast majority of the american people expect that we'll do something after the massacre at newtown and i think they will get that done. >> sir when we talk about the big push this week, the first calling is a listing session because a self-imposed deadline at the end of this month to come up with proposals for the president to push in his state of the union address. you and other, mayors, that is,

have led the way on this. does it have to be a big bold proposal. sore should the white house take incremental stepsed for broader reform? >> well, i think it is important. that the vice president meet and that the congress here of broad range if -- from a broad range of constituencies that that is important. we need to have this national dialogue. but we also need action. and i do prefer bold action. what happened in newtown, what's happening over the last couple of years across the country in terms of these mass shootings, they need to be stopped. we need to do something about the violence. and not just responsible gun control laws. i've said, as well, in l.a. is an example. we have our police officers patrolling every school, visiting the schools on a daily basis. we need to do something about the violence that we see on tv. and in our movies. in our games.

parents need to step up and really work with their kids. and we need to do something about the culture of violence. mental health. so it needs to be comprehensive. but it doesed me to be bold. that's what this moment, i think, requires. >> sir, later today here in new york, the governor andrew cuomo is set to call for the nation's most restrictive state wide ban on assault weapons. i want you to take a listen to an interview he gave recently to a local radioization. >> in this state, the assault weapon ban has more holes than swiss cheese. confiscation could be an option, right? >> yeah, we've never done that before. i don't think. >> mandatory sale to the state could be an option. >> that's a form of confiscation. >> permitting could be an option. >> mr. mayor, is it going to take people like yourself, in local roles in major cities, governors also in states around the country, leading the way on this at the state level, before we see something at the federal level?

>> no, i think we need to do them simultaneously. along with senator perrotta in the 1990s, i was the author of the assault weapons ban in the state of california. that ban also needs to also -- we need to address the loopholes and the cracks in the cheese, if you will, if that ban as well. but we need a federal ban. and we need federal legislation for universal background checks. and mental health databases. and all of the comprehensive approach that i mentioned needs to take place at the state, the local and federal level. >> you talk about a simultaneous push here. i want to ask you about immigration reform. politico is reporting about that. there's this growing concern among immigration advocates who feel that immigration reform could take a backseat to gun control. are those fears warranted? that the administration and the president in his second term

cannot tackle comprehensive immigration reform and as take on the task of broad legislation of gun control? >> well, what did they call the last congress? the do nothing congress? didn't pass very much legislation, waited until the absolute deadline to address the fiscal cliff. there should be a concern about whether they can walk and chew gum at the same time. at the same time, we expect this congress to be able to address the issue of responsible gun laws. the sequestration issue and the issue of immigration reform. the time is now. we've got to seize the moment. the republicans need to understand. that and the democrats, that 11 million people looking for a pathway to citizenship, they're working in my city. almost 2 million of them live in the l.a. area. and they want to be a part of the american dream. the dreamers need to be able to have a permanent solution to their situation.

we need to have citizenship as a part of that. not some second class citizenship. so they need to get to work. they can work on more than one issue at a time. and they certainly need to do that in this case. >> sir, i need to ask you this before we let you go, this internet firestorm that was created when actor charlie sheen tweeted a photo of the two of you in mexico together. it was over the holiday. sheen was claiming that he was partying with you in an event in mexico. he apologized later saying his words were misconstrued. can you explain what really happened there? >> hey, look i said all i'm going to say about that. the people of this watching your program don't care about me or charlie sheen. they care about the issue of gun violence. the issue of immigration. what we're going to do to address the need to get america's economy back on track. i'll let everybody else focus on all of that.

>> all right. we're going to let you go. i think the people do probably want to hear your part of that. we will let you go, sir. we appreciate it. more developing news to cover here on msnbc. there are reports that the president is poised to appoint the current chief of staff. joining me is kristen welker. >> i can tell you that jack lew has been the leading candidate for this spot. this is someone with experience in the white house and capitol hill. he served as an aide to former house speaker tip o'neal. director of the onb twice. and of course, the chief of staff to the white house, president obama, and has helped the president navigate tough policy issues including that

fight over the fiscal cliff in which president obama what many consider a fight with republicans to increasing taxes on wealthier americans. so this is someone who president obama has a very good working relationship with. and, of course, this is a key moment. it's a critical moment to take over the spot as treasury secretary. because there are three big budget matters looming. of course, they're going to have to deal with the debt ceiling, the fiscal cliff and the all in the comes months. >> kristen, we look at the optics of this, the inner circle being all white men. what is the tone in washington especially since was the obama coalition that got obama in for a second term? >> well, look, the white house is kernel getting criticism over this issue, especially from women's advocacy groups who are saying there aren't enough women in the top positions at the white house. the white house playing defense on this issue. jed jay carney asked about this saying that diversity is an

important issue for the president but he's also choosing especially in these top spots, the people he believes he will work best with, best for the job. there are also reports 0 out that 43% of the appointees here at the white house are in fact women. that's actually an increase if you look at the bush administration. although not as high as the clinton administration. but they are certainly coming under some criticism. for the way in which this cabinet is shaping up. >> nbc's kristen welker live for us. thank you. we want to bring you an update on the breaking news out of new york city. the waterfront. the ntsb launching a full investigation into what cause a ferry crash. more than 340 passengers and crew members were on that ferry. we'll keep you posted on the story bring you more details as we get them. coming up, talk about biting the hand that feeds you aig now considering a lawsuit against america for the terms of its

bailout. plus, from the sidelines to the spotlight, miss alabama, kathryn webb becomes an overnight sensation after her boyfriend as big football game. and chris christie, a new jersey savior. how could he save the republican party? and could you follow chris christie sample? can you tweet me@thomas roberts. living with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis means living with pain. it could also mean living with joint damage.

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the boss, the master of disaster, those are just the a couple of the name given to new jersey governor chris christie in the latest edition of "time" magazine that hits newsstands on friday. christ christie's cover moment. >> this is your time to take the

reins of the republican party. are you going to do it? >> i'm going to be governor of new jersey. that's my job. and the only reason you get this attention is if you're doing your job well and you're being active for the people that elected you. >> doing your job well. listen to this, there's a new poll putting christie's approval 73%. and he has strong approval out of his own party. 62% among democrats. 69% among nonwhites. wednesday's political panel, ruth marcus for "the washington post," msnbc, karen finney, also a columnist for the hill. msnbc analyst michael steele, also former chair of the republican national committee. gang, it's great to see all of you. and this is really impressive news for chris christie. to look at where he's come. especially what his state has faced on the heels of hurricane sandy. and if we can go ahead and look at this fairly dickinson poll. the governor christie approval,

dem crams, 62%. what you see numbers like that what does that say to you, michael? >> it makes me smile. that means he's resonating with the braoad specter of voters in the state. and that's what a good political leader does and christie is very effective that way. i think he's very smart to put off are you going to be the savior of the republican party nonsense. christie represents a new generation of leaders who are going to begin to emerge to step on the national stage through the work they're doing. governor jindal, suzanne martinez are just small examples of this emerging generation. and what's important here is for the party to listen to these guys. to follow their lead and understand and appreciate that a northeast republican is not the same as a southwest republican or southern republican. these guys bring skills and

talents to the table that resonate across the board. agents the beginning of some baby steps that the party needs to make. >> here's where we get to the whole core of this by bipartisanship because washington, d.c. seems to be a desert for that. take a listen as chris christie addresses what they're able to do in new jersey. we've had our fights and we've stuck to our principles but we have established a governing model for america, that shows even with heartfelt belief, bipartisan compromise is possible. achievement is the result, and progress for our people is the payoff. maybe the folks in washington of both parties could learn something from our record here in new jersey. >> karen, so if chris christie comes to washington, d.c., a bull in a china shop, or a welcomed change? >> well, i love all this chatter about chris christie. i think there are other more moderate republicans in the party who i would love to see take back control from of the right wing. this is the structural problem

that the republican party has because of gerrymandering we have very right wing republicans controlling the house of representatives, essentially, making compromise absolutely impossible. remember we have a qadry of people in our congress who believe it's their job to essentially make sure nothing happens. to them, that's their job. and that's really the problem. it's great to see, you know, some national republicans here and there talking about these things but jen, structurally, here in washington, we're not going to get to a place where we're able to have compromise if at the congressional level, voters -- if the republican part doesn't change the nature of their primary electorate to be more moderate are and voters don't actually hold leaders accountable. not just i don't care what you stopped, i don't care how many times you voted against planned parenthood. i just want you get done for creating jobs. >> you bring up this new point, there is this title, chris christie in "the washington post" where he writes about this

saying that the tea party record lows and christie's record highs tell a larger story. americans are calling out for an end to ideological warfare in new jersey. ruth, is that the big perspective here that chris christie can break through where the fringe has brought attention to some voices on the right that are distracting how to be a larger party? >> first of all, i have to say that chris christie and i are from the same hometown. go livingston, new jersey. if he's the savior of the republican party, that would be exciting. i want to know in a few words of caution here. there's a clear yearn for the two things that chris christie brings. one is a little bit of straight talk in politics. you know, had says what he thinks. and the second is a willingness to work across the aisle. but i think karen correctly identified the structural problem that the republican

party faces. the people in congress are representing the composition of their districts and are responding to very rational pressures on them. to go to the right. there are only 15 congressional districts that republicans won that were carried by president obama. it's a very polarized setup. and nobody who comes to washington, no matter how straight-talking they are, is going to probably do very well. in overcoming that polarization. we've seen president after president, president obama, president bush. promise to do it, and failed to do it. so straight talk, fine. bipartisan, great. hard to bring it to washington. >> so what might be more realistic here, michael, figuring out the brand of the gop moving forward, especially over the next four years. i've just got to get this out there to show everybody the knew ppp poll showing congress versus

one pleasant things. root canals, 56%. congress, 32%. colonoscopies, 58%. congress at 31%. michael, what's your message, as you look at people like chris christie, makes you smile for people in new jersey. for how to reinvigorate the brand moving forward, i think this is -- let me get this on, too. the quote is that came from the virginia lieutenant governor bill bowlen saying when the republican party needs to be a big pole party, it seems we're doing everything we can to be a pup tent party. how do we get to be that canopy-style party to feel like the voice is being heard? when we seed the obama administration back in for a second term? >> a couple things. the polls also showed lindsay lohan polled lower than congress. thank god for lindsay lohan pap

thank you very much. we appreciate that. the first thing. the second thing and more important point is how you frame the question. and i think lieutenant governor is exactly right. we we want to be the party that reagan and frederick douglas and all of those great minds that kind of brought this coalition of folks together around the idea of individual freedoms, you know, that respected the rights and liberties of individuals, or do we want to be a pup tent party where we sit up in the corner of the world. and that's going to be the struggle over the next couple of years and we're again going back to the first question, the chris christies and the bobby jindals of the world can really begin to carve out this new space. look, everybody is not going to want to play, thomas. they're just not. you're going to have everybody look at and use the stupid rhino craziness and all of that. ignore the crazy. and focus on making us a

majority governing party. otherwise, we go the way of the widths, my friend. >> our power panel. my thanks. i appreciate it. coming up, fighting with the flu which is white spread in 41 states. one of the worst outbreaks this country has seen. why it's so bad this year and most importantly what you need to know to protect you and your family. ♪ i'd like to thank eating right, whole grain, multigrain cheerios! mom, are those my jeans? [ female announcer ] people who choose more whole grain tend to weigh less than those who don't. multigrain cheerios

day three of the preliminary hearing for james holmes, the aurora movie theater suspect. prosecutors have painted him as a deliberate and calculating killer. the widow of the lottery winner that was poisoned to death was questioned by police last month. she says she has nothing to hide. this body is going to be exhumed in the next two weeks. lance armstrong will sit down with oprah winfrey next week for his no holds barred interview. he will be addressing those doping allegations. we want to take you back to

the breaking news that we had towards the tom of the hour in the new york city water front where an investigation is under way after a major ferry crash. nbc's john allen joins us live. what do we know about the people on board and the injuries they may have endured after this hard landing? >> reporter: well, 326 people on board. passengers coming in from the morning commute. just after 8:00 this morning or so. 57 people injured. two critical. and we believe that one of the passengers who was critically injured may have fallen down the stairs on the boat. head injuries of the two passengers who are in critical condition. a lot of people with bumps and bruises. a lot of people we saw coming off the boat on stretchers, they're splinted. their necks are splinted. perhaps some back injuries. the accident happened as you may imagine as the boat is pulling into the dock. a lot of people stood up about to get off. that's why as a hard hit

happens, people designed as a car crashing. that's why you have people falling about and all that. people described it as a fairly not a chaotic scene because everybody seemed to know what was happening. they were helping each other off. a lot of people walking off seemed to be -- their legs injured in some way or another. there's a big gash on the side of the boat. one of the pontoons, about three feet or so long, it's hard to tell from where we're standing, exactly how big it is. the bottom line is, they expect to open up this pier, the dock again, in about an hour or so. the passengers have been removed from the scene. two critically injured again. others in the hospitals perhaps for minor bumps and bruises, much more minor than the critical passengers, of course. unclear what happened, some passengers said the boat seemed to go in reverse and slow down as normal but perhaps not as slow as it ordinarily would. but again, the matter's under investigation. thes in sb is arriving and they'll try to figure out what

happened here. thomas? >> well, one thing to mention, though, when we talk about weather conditions and concerns can sometimes play a part in how to how these ferries are crossing. today in new york, the weather is fine. there doesn't seem to be any high wake on the water. you haven't heard anything of that nature, correct? >> no the reports were it's a very calm day the temperatures were spof to hit the 30s. the winds are calm down in the canyons of wall street. it's gusting down here. out on the water, behind me, it is much calmer. again so early to speculate what happened. it seemed to be a routine morning for all of thee passengers coming over from new jersey. boats pulling into the dock. all of a sudden, bang. and again, because apparently so many people are standing, and about to get off the boat, that's why there seems to be so many injuries, two critically, again. we think one of the passengers might have fallen down the stairs. the boat is crowded in the morning. hundreds of commuters use this route to come here to new york city to lower manhattan to the

financial district, and elsewhere in manhattan. so again, about more than 50 people injured. two critically. and they're trying to secure the scene. investigators are here trying i to figure out exactly what may have caused this. >> ron allen reporting for us in lower manhattan. is he seaport. we want to take you to washington, d.c., vice president joe biden giving remarks today in the series of gatherings at the white house. >> -- have been the victims of gun violence yourself. and as we know, the tragedy in newtown, connecticut, and we've been doing this a long time. a lot of tragic events, not only that has touched the heart of the american people so

profoundly as seeing those -- learning of those young children and riddled with bullets. just -- it's emotional, and awakened the conscience of the country. and that tragic event did it in a way like nothing i've seen in my career. so we're here today with you on a matter that requires immediate action. urgent action. and the president and i are determined to take action. this is not an exercise in a photo opportunities. just getting to ask you all what your opinions are. we are vitally interested in what you have to say. and as the president said, if you're actions result in only saving one life, they're worth takes. but i'm convinced we can affect the well-being of millions of americans and take thousands of people out of harm's way if we

act responsibly. and today, i want to hear about your experiences, first hand. i have taken the time, i go back to the brady law and jim brady and the bradys are friends mine for a long time. used to be the press secretary, worked in delaware. i've been chairman of the judiciary committee for a long time time and worked in this area for a long, long time. i want you to know that the meeting with a number of advocacy groups and we've reached out beyond the issue of just gun safety. we've reached out to the mental health community. we've reached out to doctors and nurses. we've reached out to the religious community. and i'm heartened by the

incredible response that we've received from the doctors conference, the catholic conference of bishops, evangelical groups. i've not seen again anything quite like that occurring before. and we didn't even have to reach out. they reached out to us and said we want to participate. because this is a vital issue as well. so you're going to read and hear that i'll be conducting meetings, today, tomorrow and friday and beyond. i want to make it clear that we are not going to get caught up in the notion, unless we can do everything, we're going to do nothing. it's critically important we act. and there's certain things i know a great deal about, almost all of your organizations. i've read what you have published and spoken to. and there is a pretty wide consensus or three or four or

five things in the gun safety area that could and should be done around this table. you should know that tomorrow i've also invited the gun owners and the nra to come and make their case as well. before us. i want it clear to the american public that on behalf of the president, we're reaching out to all -- all parties on whatever side of this debate you fall. but the president is going to act. there are executives orders, there's executive action that can be taken. we haven't decided what that is yet. but we're compiling it all with the help of the attorney general and the rest of the cabinet members as well as legislative action that we believe is required. so i appreciate you very much being here. and with that, what i'd like to do is thank the press for coming on in and maybe we can get to work okay? >> mr. vice president --

>> vice president joe biden addressing reporters there as the gun task force gets to work, taking some of its first initial meetings, inviting those people that have suffered the loss of a loved one to gun violence to begin listening sessions to come up with recommendations for the president. right now, as it stands, the white house has a self-imposed deadline at the end of the month to come up with tangible items to do on gun control that the president can include on the state of the union address. on the first report that he puts out today, there are basically two ways that the white house could go, incal steps that would limit the sale of magazine clips and would get those weapons and complements off the street or a border measure such as reinstating the assault weapons ban that expired back in 2004. tomorrow, the nra is due at the white house. they did accept the invitation to go there and talk. the vice president, though,

making it very clear that they want to see immediate action and not for photo ops. chutzpah and outrage used by lawmakers to describe aig after announcing they might join a lawsuit against the u.s. government after its bailout. also saying it may also sue the government in which aig took $100 billion in taxpayer money. skwlorch bernstine is not only a contributor here at msnbc, also a senator for policy and budget. senator elizabeth warren is among those speaking out on this saying that aig's reckless bets nearly crashed our entire economy. taxpayers across this country saved aig from ruin and it would be outrageous for this company to turn around and sue the federal government because they think the deal wasn't generous enough." so explain to all of us the thinking behind aig and why they would do this, the motivation? >> well, i think i can do that.

first of all, one thing that hasn't been said so far in the discussion is the word "voluntary." aig did not have to take the bailout that was offered to them by the federal government. they could have refused it. it would have meant certain bankruptcy. so let's not forget this was a volunta voluntary agreement. nobody forced them to take the bailout. look, the only reason for the aig board to consider joining thus lawsuit is because they actually might be liable if the shareholders proceed with the suit, win the suit, they could again accuse the board of not seriously considering the suit. and so they're are corporate government issues there. my belief is that the board feels it has to do this and that they'll quickly say, no, we're not going to join this suit. but that said, if that's the case, they should have been saying from the very minute it opened, you know, of course,

ultimately, we don't think we'll join the suit but we have to look at it. >> let's talk about that aig's board of directors is supposed to be meeting today to decide whether they should do that. how much is public perception going to weigh in on how the board wants to rule on the likelihood they want to move ahead with this? >> i think public perception is going to be significant. again, the board has a fiduciary responsibility to face this. this is a board that's doing really pretty well. their profit in the third quarter of last year was $2 billion. they beat the other insurers in the s&p 500 last year by 50%. they're market capitalization is back up to where it was before the disaster. so it's as if the government saw this injured dog on the side of the road, brought it back to health, and now that dog is attacking it. >> i need to get you on the record about the developments regarding jack lew.

we led off the top of the show with kristen welker with the idea that jack lew will be confirmed tomorrow. he does have -- do you think that he's going to be nominated, one? and do you think he's a good nominee that can get through the confirmation process? >> i think he's go to come nominated. i think he can get through the confirmation process. i think he's a good nominee. nobody's perfect, but i think he's a good nominee. look, if you think over the next few years, really, second-term agenda for the administration. tax reform, achieving a sustainable path to get the debt under control. these are issues that a fiscal expert like jack lew is custom made for. he's been doing this for 20 years. he's also been closing deals on the hill for 20 years. yes, he had a big dustup with

boehner in 2011 over some of those negotiations but there he was standing firm on the president's behalf, vis-a-vis silly arguments from the other side. at the same time, says that guy who has deep trust of the president. jack lew doesn't have a lot of market experience, financial market regulation, some international trade currencies issues but a quick study. >> jared, great to have you on. new developments in the one of the worst flu seasons that america has seen in a decade. boston declared a public health emergency this morning. the flu outbreak has turned deadly. a 14-year-old girl in minnesota and a 5-year-old boy in nebraska reportedly died of complications from the virus. and the cdc is reporting at least 18 pediatric deaths so far in the season. every state is affected more than 40 states widespread. chicago hospitals so overwhelmed that they turned away

ambulances. and one pennsylvania hospital dealt with the onslaught by triaging 9 sick in a special outdoor tent. and this flu strain is a bad one. droplets from a sneeze or cough can survive on a doorknob, a keyboard or even a pen for up to eight hours. experts say people at risk can take steps to avoid contracting the virus. now, the number one, getting vaccinated. also washing your hands frequently. 15 for 30 seconds at a time. above all, keeping your hands away from your eyes and knows after touching something. that's the easiest way for the virus to then spread. coming up an historic day at the national cathedral. as of today, they will start performing same-sex marriages. i'm going to talk to reverend gary hall. his first since making the announcement. we're going to ask him how fast we could see same-sex weddings at the national cathedral. what are you doing? nothing. are you stealing our daughter's school supplies

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funerals, memorial services and inaugural prayer services for many presidents including barack obama. and today, the washington national cathedral is entering the history books once again. effective immediately and for the first time ever gay and lesbian couples can celebrate the right of marriage at its altar. joining me now to talk about his historic decision is dean of the washington national cathedral the reverend gary hall. reverend hall, it's great to have you here, the national cathedral, certainly a landmark that we all know and love in this country. as americans this is an active house of wore chip is in the e episcop episcopal church. >> thomas, thank you. it's very much a confluence of a couple of trend it's. one is the episcopal church in 2012 approved a right, a ritual for the blessing of same-sex

relationships with the understanding that in areas where marriage is legal for same-sex couples, that that right 0 could be adapted by the local diocese. and in the diocese of washington which includes the district of columbia and now parts of maryland, it's legal everywhere, same-sex marriage is legal everywhere in the diocese. so bishop buddy, our bishop as articulated a policy for allowing some more same-sex marriage across the diocese. as the cathedral of the diocese and i as the leader and someone with a long track issue on the issue of in favor of same-sex marriage wanted to move as quickly as we could to make it possible. >> sir, there have certainly been loud voices the opponents to marriage quality and religious reasoning as to why they oppose the same churches would be forced to open the doors to gay and lesbian couples for the sacrament of marriage. as you pointed out at the

national cathedral, they were very specific in the law that churches would not be forced to perform same-sex marriages. they can opt out of that. but marriage quality exists there. so is it the episcopal church stance now that marriage equality is say religious right, not just one that you're allowing because the law has changed? but one that your emergency fund ment mentally believes it can support? >> well, i'd say there's a consensus in the church about same-sex blessings. i would say that we're probably a step ahead in terms of same-sex marriage in this diocese and in the diocese in massachusetts and iowa where same-sex marriage is legal. so i don't want to say there's a across-the-board consensus in totally equality in the church. it's long been a history in our

church that no one has to perform any wedding that they don't feel -- that they're required to perform. our policy under beneficiary sh bishop buddy in this parish is that no pair raich has to do same-sex weddings, but if you do, your policies have to be absolutely equal. in other words, there's not a higher bar for same-sex couples than for straight couples. that's our policy also at the cathedral. >> reverend, how quickly will we see the first same-sex union happening now? when will couples apply or reaching out for the national cathedral and book dates? >> well, that can start applying as of today. it takes a while to work through the system because we're a large institution and we have things like inaugural prayer services and other big events there. so getting on our calendar is complicated. and the requirements would be the same as for straight couples. so there's going to be a little bit of lead time. so i would say from are six months to a year we'll see the

first gay or lesbian wedding. >> it takes that long to plan them. thanks, reverend, is this certainly historic and major news for equality around the country and certainly the national of cathedral being a beacon of hope for so many people. >> i'm so please wed could lead in this. espn is apologizing to miss alabama, katherine webb for remarks that brent musburger made about her as she watched her quarterback play in the bcs title game. >> when you're a quarterback at alabama you see that lovely laid there. she does go to auburn but she's also miss alabama. that's a.j. mccarron's girlfriend. i'm telling you, you quarterbacks get all the good looking women. wow. young sister in alabama start getting the football out and throw it around. >> in a statement, espn commentn

this instance went too far and brent understands that. it made her an instant social media sensation. since the game, her twitter followers jumped over 224,000, up from 2,000 before the game. also gracing the front cover of today's "new york post" and was asked on a date by darnell dockett sent her and inadvertently all of twitter his phone number. webb was on this morning and listen to what she said should be in the spotlight. >> the alabama football team. they spent so long getting ready for the season. they won the national championship. i'm flattered at such the attention and humbled, but at the same time i think we need to draw back our focus to who the real winners are. >> what is next for catherine webb? he could take up donald trump on his offer to judge the upcoming

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the secretary of state back on the job. it's time now for the poly side bar. outgoing ceremony today, hillary clinton talked about her return to work. today is her third day back after suffering a stomach virus, a concussion, and then being diagnosed with a blood clot in her head. >> i am thrilled to be back, and i'm also incredibly grateful to this fabulous team i have here at the state department who never missed a beat for the time i was away. >> how sweet is it for james taylor, beyonce, and kelly clarkson? beyonce will sing the national anthem, kelly clarkson, "my country tis of thee," and "america the beautiful." eva longoria will salute latinos. the $300-head event, the widow

of slain civil rights widow will deliver the invocation at the inauguration. he was gunned down in the driveway of his mississippi home 50 years ago. on a lighter note, 1600 penn is heading to 1600 pennsylvania avenue. the cast and crew will attend a screening of the show this afternoon. "1600 penn" is about a dysfunctional first family. it's produced by one of the president's former speech writers. it premiers tomorrow night. cory booker is a little comedian. hey, never met you, your tweets, crazy, i'll dm you my number so call me maybe. pretty good, right? that's going to wrap things up for me. i'll see you back here tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. eastern. you know why i have a non-sexual political crush on, alex wagner.

>> wow, i should have seen that in the teleprompter and had something witty. i have a nonsexual political crush on you, too. >> call me any time. >> i will, my friend. a new report says that president obama will nominate white house chief of staff jack lew as his next secretary treasury tomorrow. we'll look with jen psaki, jonathan capehart, and hans nichols, who first broke the treasury news. plus, christie's big state of the state media tour raises new questions about the state of the gop. we will talk party problems and hell no politics. and aig looks into the mouth of a gift horse. ezra klein on bailouts, lawsuits, and the future on financial regulations. all that when "now" starts in a

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