believe there have not been any u.s. drone strikes in pakistan or yemen since early january, specifically because john brennan's been busy, because he was nominated to run the cia in early january. so he's essentially been too busy since then to keep droning the heck out of yemen and pakistan. well, if drone strikes rise and fall with how busy john brennan is, if he gets confirmed as cia director the day after tomorrow, should we expect the drone pace to then pick back up? maybe or maybe not. last week, former white house press secretary robert gibbs said something on this show that i don't think got enough attention. he said, he thinks that john brennan believes when it comes to drone strikes that they should be handled by the military and not by the super secretive cia. >> i think what john believes is, when we need to deal with any aspect of military activities, those military activities should be conducted by the pentagon. and i think that, again, is a change in the program, because, again, john understands where we are is just not sustainable.

>> that's a big deal. if it is true that the new cia director doesn't think the cia should be killing people with drones, that the military should be doing it instead, that's a big deal. but you know what would be a bigger deal? is if the president agreed with that. should we see the president's nomination of john brennan to run the cia as a sign that the president agrees with that and that that change is going to happen? >> i believe so. >> the nomination of john brennan should be seen as a sign that president obama may take drones out of the hands of the cia and put them under the control of the military. that would make drone strikes like normal war and not the secretive, unaccountable, denied truth that they are right now. if that is what this nomination means, and this nomination goes forward by the end of the week, our whole country is going to change in terms of how accountable our current war is to we, the people, to whom it is supposed to be accountable. exclamation point.

now that the stock market hit an all-time high, will a more robust economy follow? the tsa now says you can carry some weapons on planes. flight attendants are not happy. and can the recently retired pope be sued by clergy sex yoabe victims? the east coast is bracing for a nasty march snowstorm that is already shutting down schools and wreaking havoc on travel in the mid-atlantic. forecasters predict the capital area could see ten inches of heavy snow. nbc's tracie potts is in washington for us. good morning. how are things looking so far?

>> reporter: well, we're getting pelted with thick, wet snow that's falling, but it's pretty much just turning wet as soon as it hits the ground, not any sort of major accumulation yet. here over my shoulder at the capitol, they scaled down the schedule for today. the house trying to get its work done by early afternoon, including that big budget vote they had scheduled for tomorrow. at the white house they canceled a trip by the crimson tide national champs. all of that canceled but of the snow. look at what is in the midwest coming our way. we had snow in rock ford, illinois. lots of accumulation up there in illinois. lots of spinouts on the roads. in minnesota they had seven inches or more in that area. at the airports, most of the cancellations were at chicago's o'hare airport. it looks like a lot of those night flights are back on time. all of that now headed our way.

>> tracie potts, thank you very much for that. stay dry. the expression back in the black has never seemed more appropriate. the dow had a record close on tuesday, making back all the ground the index close during the great recession, $11 trillion. besides the obvious gains, the important takeaway is a return to optimism based in part on a recovery gaining traction. sales of new homes, home prices and auto sales are up. most important hiring is picking up. employers added about 50,000 more jobs per month from november to january than the previous three months. still the last time the dow hit a record, unemployment was at 4.7%, today that number sat 7.9. well, starting next month, u.s. airline passengers will be allowed to have small knives and other items in their carry-on

bags. on april 25th security restrictions will be eased so security screeners can fellow higher threats like explosives. so just what will be allowed? folding knives less than 2.36 inches long, golf clubs and other sporting equipment and novelty baseball bats under 24 inches and 24 ounces. unions for flight attendants and other airline workers say the new policy is dangerous. venezuela is preparing to elect a new leader after the death of president hugo chavez. the 58-year-old died tuesday after a battle with cancer, leaving behind a divided country with deep economic and social problems. his death leaves washington wondering if relations with a new leader will be any different. mark potter is live in the venezuelan capital of caracas and joins us on the phone. good morning. what is the mood like today?

>> reporter: the mood here in caracas is somber. overnight people were on the streets, many of them crying. some holding up signs, other portraits of the late president. some chanting chavez lives. the venezuelan vice president, the opposition party and the state-run oil companies have all urged everyone to stay calm. the radio broadcasts are asking people to stay inside. for the most part that's what has occurred. tod today venezuela begins seven days of mourning. today chavez's body will be taken from the hospital to the military academy where he was trained. the official funeral is friday, with invited guests coming from all around, including many countries in latin america where chavez made a mark in his 14 years as president.

with elections coming up, officials in the u.s. will be looking for a potential thaw in the strained relationship between the two countries. >> mark potter, thank you very much for that. a near midair collision with an unidentified flying object caused a big scare for one airliner on monday. a flight was preparing to land at new york's kennedy airport when the pilot radioed air traffic controllers saying he saw a drone flying over the crowded skies of the big apple. >> kennedy power, just for your information, we just saw a little drone. >> i'm sorry, what did you see? >> a drone. a drone aircraft. >> roger what altitude did you see that aircraft? >> about 1,500. >> drones are most commonly associated with war zones, but similar unmanned aircraft can be used by hobbyists up to 400 feet. the fbi launched an investigation into what the pilot saw. speaking of drones, attorney

general eric holder raised eyebrows where he did not rule out a drone strike on americans on u.s. soil. here's your first look at this morning's dish of scrambled politics a new report says the number of anti-government so-called patriot groups reached an all-time high in 2012. the southern poverty law center says they found more than 1,360 patriot groups, an 813% rise since 2008. on the last word, senior fellow mark potawk told lawrence o o'donnell it has been getting worse. >> what happened after that count was completed, as gun control began after the slaughter in newtown, the whole movement, the groups out there have gone from red heat to white heat. so we are at a very scary moment. it is very much reminiscent to me of the months leading up to

the oklahoma city bombing. some top presidential candidates have skipped the iowa straw poll in recent years and those who win often do not do well in the state's caucuses. now iowa republican senator chuck grassley is saying it may be time to stop having the straw poll. the state legislature in arkansas has overriden a see to you of a bill that passed that would ban most abortions from the 12th week of president. governor mike bebe said he vetoed the bill because he thinks it's unconstitutional and it conflicts with the decision in roe v. wade. in a few day there's will be no more people in the peoples house. the white house is suspending tours of the executive mansion beginning this weekend. those automatic budget cuts are to blame. house speaker john boehner said he was disappointed that the tours were being stopped but he said the public tours of the united states capitol will continue. republican congressman lewis

gomert of texas proposed an amendment that would require white house tours be resumed or else the money would be cut off for any travel for president obama to go to golf courses. no tours, no golf. and now for another look at the weather, meteorologist bill karins joins us. good morning. >> busy, busy day of trying to figure out where it's going to rain and snow. complex storm system because these temperatures are just so borderline. you saw washington, d.c., it's actually been snowing pretty good over the last couple hours, but the roads and everything, it might as well be raining because temperatures are around 34 and 35 degrees. the storm will strengthen and bring down colder air from up above and the temperatures will drop. we're at 34 now. look at hagerstown, 32. 81 is a mess driving up through west virginia and virginia. plain old rain along the delmarva that will head up to jersey, philadelphia and new york city today. here's how your travel forecast

looks today. snow will be ending over ohio, portions of kentucky, slowly ending in west virginia. a full fledge snowstorm. travel is not recommended. 81 through the mountainous areas and southern pennsylvania, that's where the worst of the travel will be because of the heavy, dense, wet, falling snow. a lot of power outages. on thursday, a big, huge ocean storm. we're concerned with the high waves and the coastal flooding on the jersey shore and delaware. we will see some additional snows. there's a possibility that areas from boston to providence could get some enhanced snow, especially thursday night into friday. snow to theals, worcester, baltimore, 6 to 10. d.c., 4 to 8. heavy, wet snow. that's the bottom line. we won't see big, huge totals, but whatever you get will be so heavy and hard to shovel. that's why they are labeling it

heart attack snow because of that risk. >> we'll keep an eye on it. thank you very much. the sequester kills white house tours. >> can benedict be sued now that he's no longer pope. and barbara walters reveals which actor's kiss gave her the chicken pox. and five stocks reached all-time highs. [ male announcer ] if you stash tissues like a squirrel stashes nuts, you may be muddling through allergies. try zyrtec® liquid gels. nothing starts working faster than zyrtec® at relieving your allergy symptoms for 24 hours.

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welcome back. some stories making news this morning. overseas in syria, anti-government forces are reportedly close to overtaking the one-time government stronghold of raqqa. if successful, it will be the first major city to fall completely to rebel fighters. could the next stop for the newly retired emeritus pope be the courtroom? attorneys have tried unsuccessfully for years to sue the vatican for charges of sex abuse. they're looking at whenever the former pontiff is legally vulnerable in retirement. more activity from mt. etna.

the volcano can be seen sending ash high into the air and spewing lava. starting in a few days, there will be no more people in the people's house. the white house is suspending tours. officials say the sequestration is the blame. the man charged in the murder of florida teen trayvon martin has waived his right to a crucial court proceeding. he does not want a stand your ground hearing, but instead wants to go straight to trial. that hearing could have lead to a dismissal. and barbara walters was back on tv monday after a bout with chickenpox. the 83-year-old journalist said she contracted the disease after a midnight kiss from actor frank langella. kissing and telling. the big question today, will the bulls continue to run? as the dow crossed a new threshold on tuesday, 10 of its 30 stocks hit new highs. among the blue chips to gain the most since the dow's last record in 2007, home depot, ibm and

mcdonald. alcoa, bank of america and hewlett-packard have not fared as well. they've been the worst performers. elsewhere on what could be an historic move, "the wall street journal" reports the bnsf railway plans to test using natural gas to power its locomotives. troubles continue to mount at jcpenney. the stock plunged 10% tuesday after a major investor dumped 10 million of its shares. meanwhile, jcpenney is fighting macy's for the right to sell martha stewart home goods. the domestic maven testified tuesday that she was shocked macy's had objected so strongly with her product deal with jcpenney, saying it boggled her mind to be sitting there. meanwhile, a new report from the u.s. census bureau reveals at least 600,000 workers commute at least 90 minutes and 50 miles to work a day. the best way to jazz up that

drive? in a high breed ferrari, of course. the ecofriendly car was revealed at the car show along with nissan's futuristic crossover. and talk about the ultimate way to cut wedding costs. "the new york times" reports internet marriages are on the rise where people want to marry from their homeland without the expense of making trips abroad. so romantic. your sports highlights are straight ahead. plus, how did a woman steal not one but two police cars before being apprehended? you're watching "first look" on msnbc. we understand. our financial advice is geared specifically to current and former military members and their families. life brings obstacles. usaa brings retirement advice. like other precious things that start off white, it yellows over time. when it comes to your smile, if you're not whitening, you're yellowing. crest whitestrips whiten as well as $500 professional treatments. guaranteed. crest 3d white whitestrips.

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turning back to some of our political stories, joining us now is chris cofinis part of john edwards 2008 campaign. let's start with jeb bush on immigration reform. he's facing criticism for not supporting a pathway to citizenship in the initial plans he revealed this week. was this a political miscalculation and could it cost him if he plans on running for president in 2016? >> jeb bush suffered from what a lot of republicans suffer when they run for national office and talk about immigration. it's the difference between what they probably want to do and what is the right thing to do versus what the base -- especially the base will decide who the nominee is in the republican party wants. he kind of twisted and turned himself into a pretzel. that's not a good thing.

at a minimum it's going to be something that people will focus on. he will have a hard time explaining in the republican primary, but he also, i think, he's a force fund-raising wise, comes from a key state. so, it may not be as damaging as it could have been had he been a lesser known republican. >> moving to the sequester. this week president obama has been calling top republican lawmakers. will this kind of personal outreach move the needle? what's different now than in previous times he tried the approach? >> i'm not sure what will move the needle. the republicans have put their feet in the sand and are not willing to move. the president, i think, is committed to trying to move the sequester into a -- basically to end the sequester, i should say. and the republican s, i think, have come to the conclusion, let's wait and see how bad the effects are and then react. so you basically have these two

sides who are now going to be, you know, in two difficult positions who are unwilling to come into a middle until they start realizing how bad the consequences are, or not. if the american people don't feel the sequester's effect, and they will, just not immediately, then the republicans will have a bit of breathing room. once they feel the effect, the blowback will begin. >> all right. chris kofinis, appreciate it. and now to some other stories that caught our eye this morning. we start in new jersey with a wild interstate police chase. a young couple injured after an officer after steal iing his emy police cruiser while he worked a traffic stop. the thieves were stopped in philadelphia but not before the female driver briefly escaped arrest by stealing a different police car. in illinois, a raging fire reduced an historic building to rubble. the former gholston insurance building collapsed as firefighters battled flames for close to three hours. the renovated apartment building

was totally destroyed leaving two families homeless. in oregon, a crane toppled into the bay as crews attempted to replace wooden power line structures. the equipment was hoisting the new structure when it came crashing down. luckily no one was injured. a central florida wildfire is now contained. the raging inferno threatened several homes as it torched 75 acres of brush, including this rv. and finally, indiana parents are outraged and they want answers after a teacher was suspended for writing this on the black boards, you're idiots, guns are loaded, care to try me? she wrote is on the blackboard during class. >> when did idiot become a metaphor? you don't use the word idiot as a metaphor. >> the teacher has received some support from students but will not return to class until officials complete their investigation. turning to sports now, if it's college basketball, it's another upset. number 14 ohio state got 18 points from deshaun thomas to

beat number two indiana 67-58. that may affect seeding for the ncaa tournament and also means that the big ten regular season title is up for grabs. and major league baseball is considering adding instant replays in 2014 for certain plays like this fair or foul call on the padres/dodgers call on tuesday. joe torre is reviewing how the system might work. denver broncos linebacker von miller is predicting that his team will win next year's super bowl. he said his guarantee is inspired by his 6-year-old cousin who came out of a coma and remembered that miller played for the broncos. and after all the videos of teens doing their version of the harlem shake, the minnesota timberwolves did one that might end the craze. it featured a t'wolves player and crew manager dancing with a pell met on, and then crunch.

the team mascot comes out with a toy plastic bat and comes out with some things get old fast. the latest on this late winter storm before you head out the door. plus did kate middleton accidentally reveal the gender of the royal baby? you're watching "first look" on msnbc. ♪ featuring the lexus gs and is performance lines. because control is the ultimate expression of power. ♪ get great values on your favorite lexus models, during the command performance sales event. this is the pursuit of perfection. during the command performance sales event. try running four.ning a restaurant is hard, fortunately we've got ink. it gives us 5x the rewards on our internet, phone charges and cable, plus at office supply stores.

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let's take you through the timeline of the snow and rain today. this shows you the heavy rain this morning at 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. from the jersey shore to southern jersey and delaware. the blue shows you the heavy snow. that's 7:00 a.m. let's take to you 3:00 p.m., approaching long island and new