tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 call, click or visit today. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 investors should carefully consider tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 information contained in the prospectus, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 including investment objectives, risks, tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 charges, and expenses. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 you can request a prospectus by calling schwab tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 at 800-435-4000. tdd#: 1-800-345-2550 please read the prospectus carefully before investing. [ female announcer ] from meeting customer needs... to meeting patient needs... ♪ wireless is limitless. [ female announcer ] from finding the best way... ♪ to finding the best catch... ♪ wireless is limitless. she was a picky eater. well now i'm her dietitian and last year, she wasn't eating so well. so i recommended boost complete nutritional drink to help her get the nutrition she was missing. and now she drinks it every day.

well, it tastes great! [ male announcer ] boost has 26 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium and vitamin d to support strong bones, and 10 grams of protein to help maintain muscle. and our great taste is guaranteed or your money back. learn more at boost.com [ dietitian ] now, nothing keeps mom from doing what she loves... being my mom. c-pac. "news nation" is following developing news as the president travels to capitol hill for the third and final day of his charm offensive. the president meeting today with senate republicans and will sit down with house democrats this hour. yesterday, the president talked budget immigration and gun control with house republicans in a meeting that john boehner described as a, quote, frank and candid exchange of ideas. but today's meeting with the senate republicans is arguably the most important day of

outreach for the president. kelly o'donnell has the latest on that. >> reporter: great to see you. that meeting is still going on. you point out, it is perhaps the most important and it might be the place where the president has the best chance to make up some ground. we know that he will also meet with house democrats and that's more of a family meeting. a much greater in numbers meeting. so with senate republicans, you've got the most intimate group. 40 some members will be there today. and i'm not getting any reports out of the room just yet. one of the differences here on the hill is that we have sort of interior road blocks that we don't have day to day because the president is not only here but moving from one side of the capital to another. what's at stake here? certainly the president has been saying, he is trying to have a more positive relationship, trying to get rid of some of the negative air that has existed between himself and the gop. he certainly told democrats in the senate that was part of his intention when they met. we do expect that there will be some challenging questions.

i think it will be interesting to see when we get a readout after the meeting if members are willing to talk, would some of the newer more outspoken members, i'm thinking of the ted cruzes and the mike lees, will they try to take floor and challenge the president? that would be very true to their style thus far. we would expect the more senior members to talk to the president. based on what we've heard with how he interacted at the dinner from last week, and with the senate democrats, that there would likely be quite a give and take. where the president is both listening and and big issues in front of them, of course, immigration is one where people think they could have some possible of moving forward. we saw news on guns today. that probably won't be as much of a topic in a republican meeting and certainly budget. what to do about long term deficits. craig? >> kelly o'donnell from capitol hill to start us off on this thursday. thank you. not far from capitol hill, the three-day conservative political action conference. also known as cpac got underway

in national harbor, maryland just outside washington. the annual gather serg a who's who of high profile conservatives. it is also a traditional testing ground for presidential wannabes as well. senator rubio addressed the conference a few minutes ago. >> there are jobs not being created in this country because we have a $16.5 billion debt and it is only succeed to get bigger. that problem has to be solved. you can only solve it, the only real approach is the combination of fiscal discipline. there is no tax increase in the world that will solve our long term debt problem. >> senior political editor mark murray joins me live now from cpac. a few moments ago, i understand, senator rand paul was on the stage behind you. is he still going? >> reporter: they are still going. there is a panel right now as you mentioned. the two big speeches this afternoon from florida senator marco rubio as well as rand paul. both of those people are seen as potential 2016 republicans and

that's why we're watching them here. they end up getting a big applause from the conservatives in the audience. both about equal applause. marco rubio was talking about his focus on the middle class and he responded to a lot of liberal critics by saying, the republican party doesn't need new ideas. the idea is the american people. on the other hand, you end up having rand paul who ended up saying the republican party needed a change and change in a way, ad hearing mort to the constitution. taking up the charges his father had. >> it sounds like the different factions inside the party are very much on display at the conference. >> reporter: they are. and of course, rand paul does represent what his father brought in particularly talked about the filibuster that he led on drones on the u.s. senate recently. but overall, the republican party is still the same republican party that you would have come to cpac in 2010, 2009, 2011. this is not a party that seems

deterred by its second straight presidential loss. >> what are these panels they have going on? >> reporter: well, the one behind me has to do about benghazi and the aftermath. there is another panel about shooting the republican consultants and people who got the election wrong. some have some very humorous name but they are all on a host of different political topics and they're pretty fascinating to watch, actually. >> mark murray, our senior political editor from cpac. thank you. let's bring in the political panel. michael smerconish who is also an msnbc contributor, "washington post," washington bureau chief, ryan grimm, and b.e.t. could uppist, good to see all of you. michael, a little birdie told me that once upon a time you were a cpac attendee. >> it's true. back when i had hair in the '80s, i attended, and you know, it was a different cpac. ronald reagan to my

recollection, craig, came every year except the year that he had been shot. the big names at that time, not only the president but also jack kemp. and i think that cpac in the '80s, they policed the fringe much, much better than gets done today. it will be a net/net loss in there is something fool that i shall will be said by the likes of donald trump and that becomes the story out of cpac. they nude new faces is what they need. it can't be the same old same old. if you're going to have sarah palin and rick santorum and newt gingrich, you're not moving the football forward. >> if you look at the speeches, and we have the list and it shows the amount of time being allocated to each speaker. but donald trump and sarah palin are also the speakers who are getting the most time as well. >> look, chris christie ought to be there. if i were whispering in the ear of the folks putting cpac together, and they don't want to hear from me, how do you not bring arguably the most popular governor in america to cpac.

you're not going to tell me he is not conservative? he is certainly not liberal. let him define himself and get out on that stage. >> one of the folks who has been snubbed, bob mcdonnell, the governor of virginia, someone else who has been snubbed. i want to throw out. this is what the chairman of the organization that put cpac together said. he said in part, this year for better or worse, we felt like he didn't deserve, talking about christie. he didn't deserve to be on the all-star selection for decisions that he made. so hopefully next year, he's back on the right track and being a conservative. he is a popular figure but everyone needs to live by the parameters of the movement. what are the praxt of the movement? >> you obey what the movement tells you to do. apparently, cardenas lou is george bush's old guy, he is basically saying the republicans have to fall in line or there is no possibility for any kind of

big tent. they used to say they believed in. it is not just that you have people like chris christie and bob mcdonnell who aren't invited. you have sarah palin. there you're taking her seriously and donald trump. and allen west was giving a big speech talking about he believes in peace that come from the marine corps. not the peace corps. what kind of craziness is this? if this is the future of the republican party, they're going ba backwards to the 1950s. >> what does that say about the movement? what does that say also about chris christie right now? >> the problem is that this stuff worked in the 1950s and 1960s because it was a different america then. and they looked at that. they said wow, that really worked. we had a bunch of presidents. why do we have to say anything new? marco rubio said today, we don't need new ideas. and they really believe that. they haven't -- >> when you say they believe

that. you mean the folks at cpac. not republicans in general. >> well, a lot of republicans in general do believe that. because they live in this echo chamber. for 40 years they've been doing the same thing and it has worked out well for them. and they look, okay, we've been told by our pollsters about these demographic changes. all we need is a different messenger. >> if christie is being ostracized, won't that just help burnish his brand as an outsider and in turn perhaps help him with these independent-minded right-leaning voters? >> you are absolutely right in saying that the best thing in christie's short term interest is that the press pick up on the fact the conservatives didn't want him there. he is about, unless things change, to get reelected next year in a democratically leaning state. it certainly helps him in the short term. in the long term, what kneads to

happen for the folks who go to that conference is something new to them. to have a sense of practicality. this is a group of individuals who would rather win the battle and lose the war. this is the origin of that mentality that says give us christine o'donnell as a candidate in delaware even if she is going to lose a general election. we would rather lose with principle. that doesn't get you anywhere. >> i want to pose the question the "washington post" posed today. it asks does cpac even matter anymore. this is an excerpt from the article. they write, this year's cpac will once again capture the mood of conservatism in the united states. bewildered, disfungal and struggling to find its moorings after two consecutive gop presidential losses. is it still relevant? >> it is in that it is a guide post to where the republican party thinking is today. but it also shows how difficult it will be to get anything done. also, you saw in today's

"washington post." john boehner, another op ed. i won't call it ridiculous because we used that word once. he said it has to be my way or the highway. president obama needs to concede to the republicans. and he is offering not one single concession. president obama has made concession after concession on issue after issue. from medicare to chain cpi. the president has gone there and the republicans aren't willing to move. >> this is what john boehner wrote, for all of washington's focus on the president's outreach to republicans, it is his engagement with members of his own party that will determine whether we succeed. we heard from bernie sanders this week. we talk about his reluctance to go along with the president with regard to social security. is the president going to be able to move his party? >> democrats are not known for standing up within their own

party. look what happened with the public option. you had 70 plus members of the progressive caucus. allen west calls them communists that signed a letter saying we will vote with any health care bill that does not include a public option. do we have a public option? maybe sthel stand up for it. if they crack the grand bargain, maybe you get 30, 40, 50 democrats that don't vote for it but they know there's enough republican that's the coalition will take it over. obama doesn't have to worry about progressive democrats. >> you should not say that. maybe it will energize him to do something. that's the message the white house doesn't want to get out there. if they start saying they're not concerned about their left, the left will get very upset. >> the president's meeting yesterday, there were some

questions about how productive they will be. here's what peter rossman had to say. take a listen. >> the president lives the happy life of low expectations when it comes to interacting with house republicans. we were gracious, court just, we were respectful. our members were very clear that we won't be pursuing this revenue trap. >> does that mean that it was at all productive in. >> i tell you where it is productive. i think it is productive at home. i don't know how it played in the gop caucus, probably the way he said it just played, but i think at home this is what people want. they like seeing the president extend himself. make that trip to capitol hill. and in the court of public opinion, he comes across as the guy who is attempting to reach across the aisle. >> do we think in the long run, these meetings, this charm offensive. it has spanned more than a week

now. do we think we'll see any fruits born from this labor? >> no. you want a quick answer. he did this in 2009. it was conservatism. >> and 2011. >> he did it in 2011. he invited john baoehner to six different dinners. he didn't even come to the university of kentucky basketball team awards. they want to say that because that somehow gives him the upper ground. the reality is it doesn't matter what they do. president obama is evil to them and they will not work with him. >> it has been interesting to hear some suggest that this entire operation is charm offensive has been more for us folks in the media than the lawmakers on capitol hill. >> i'm a little more optimistic now. i'm more pessimistic about the

character of the lawmakers. getting a call from the president is a big deal. having dinner with the president is a big deal. even if you hate the guy. he is still the president of the united states. and this does mean something to these folks. i think you can sense it in the way the senate republicans, house, i don't know about those guys. the senate republicans, i think, are moved a little bit by this access to the white house. >> will it change their decisions? >> i think it possibly could. don't underestimate the ability of the power of the president to kind of get into the heads of these guys. >> michael, so many of us continue to be taken aback by your attendance at cpac. i didn't want to pivot back to that before we get out of here. the tea party favorite allen west, one of the first speakers on the bill there. i want to play a snippet of what he said. take a listen. >> real peace comes from the marine corps. not the peace corps.

when more americans prefer freebies to freedom, these fertile grounds will become tyranny. i speak from experience when i say there is nothing on this green earth that a liberal progressive fears more than a black american who wants a better life and a smaller government. >> and they're eating it up. they're eating it up. you can hear them in the background. that's red meat for the base there. it fires up the base. but how does that help the republican party right now? >> it gets perceived in middle america like the bar scene in star wars. that's what i said at the outset. you have to police the ranks. i'm telling you, this is not the way cpac was in the '80s when i had hair and ronald reagan was the headliner. >> we have to find some video of it. thank you so much to all three of you. archbishop timothy dolan

reacting to the election of the first pope. >> it was difficult for me to make up my mind at first but i mean it when i say, i'm kind of hard boiled when it comes to the spiritual life. you could sense the gentle breeze of the holy spirit. gradually you saw this man emerge. >> pope francis takes reins of the catholic church. despite sharp criticism, head of the tsa says there are no plans to change the decision to allow some knives on planes. there is now a bill that could overturn the policy. we'll have the latest on that. and as always, you can join our conversation on twitter. do we have a mower? no. a trimmer? no. we got nothing. we just bought our first house, we're on a budget. we're not ready for spring. well let's get you ready. very nice. you see these various colors. we got workshops every saturday. yes, maybe a little bit over here.

this spring, take on more lawn for less. not bad for our first spring. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. get three bags of earthgro mulch, a special buy at just $10. at a hertz expressrent kiosk, you can rent a car without a reservation... and without a line. now that's a fast car. it's just another way you'll be traveling at the speed of hertz.

[ laughs ] whoo. ♪ oh. nice! great! [ laughs ] a shot like that calls for a postgame celebration. [ male announcer ] share what you love with who you love. kellogg's frosted flakes. they're gr-r-eat!

right now, the pope of many firsts is wrapping up his first day on the job. today he gave a private mass inside the sistine chapel with the cardinals who elected him. earlier this morning, pope francis went to a basilica and prayed before an icon of the madonna. pope francis wrote in a simple vatican card. not the papal limo. meanwhile, it continues to fuel hope for reform at the vatican. chris jansing talked about some of the changes facing the church with timothy dolan. >> reporter: the issues that americans talk about most, things like gay marriage and lgbt rights and celibacy for priests and contraception. they're expressing some disappointment this morning because they feel he is not someone who is going to move the church in what they see as a forward direction. what would you say to those americans and those catholics? >> if people who are, as you said, disappointed, they

probably have, it is probably an accurate sentiment. he is not going to change anything on that. but you listen to what the people are asking for as well. they're asking for a sense of hope. they're asking for trust. they're asking to be uplifted. >> meanwhile in south america, the celebrations continue. but nowhere near as much as those parties in argentina where the pope grew up. now more on what locals are saying in buenos aires. >> reporter: craig, good afternoon. a send of normalcy has returned here to the streets of buenos aires. this is the cathedral where the pope was archbishop for more than ten years. there was a wide celebration in this area last night. hundreds poured into the streets, embracing one another. some even cried in the streets. earlier today, just five miles from this location, we were in an area that many considered the slums of buenos aires. we were greeted by many people who told us, the pope often ate and cooked for the needy. he was a man of the streets.

they held up his picture with pride saying they couldn't have been happier that he is now representing not just latin america but the entire world. we should point out that catholicism is a huge part of latin american culture. four out of every ten catholics lives right here in this region. they are celebrating, not just here in argentina but also in brazil and also in the united states. we know there were celebrations last night in miami, los angeles, also in denver. lots of excitement about the first latin american pope. tonight though, all eyes are back on the vatican. many wonder wlerg the pope will return to latin america. >> folks, we want to share this picture with you. take a look at the sign of the times from the vatican. this first picture shows the scene in st. peter's square after pope benedict's election. take a look at yesterday. this bottom image shows a very, very different scene. you can see the tab lets and

smart phones held high. lighting up the square. elizabeth is the professor of christian art and symbolism. good to see you again. >> i'm delighted to be here. >> what might his first 24 hours as pope tell us about the kind of pope he'll be? >> well, there is a great term in soccer which the italians and the argentinians love. it is when you approach the ball with the wrong foot and you completely take people by surprise. that's what this first day has been. you start out with a pope who didn't go into the sistine chapel first for mass with the cardinals and then come out to the city. the first thing he did was to cross town and go to the oldest church dedicated to matter in the west. and to offer up his custody of the church to mary's care. then he came back and took care of business in the sistine chapel. he drove in a simple car instead of the usual papal regalia. he is already making us rethink

how we'll be at this papacy. >> a pope of the people, if you will. >> very much so. >> for the catholics who are concerned about gay marriage, abortion, female priests, celibacy, contraception, we just heard from chris janicing and cardinal dolan there. how realistic is it to expect any change from pope francis? >> it is not going to happen. it can't happen and still be called the catholic church. he is not going to be changing things that st. paul taught, the thing that gregory vii taught. this is a 2,000-year-old teaching. he may change the car he drives but he won't change church teaching. >> we know that pope francis will be meeting with the pope emeritus. any idea what that relationship might be like? >> i have been very, i think there has been a little bit of

concern about these two popes simultaneously. the fact that the first thing did he was to call the pope emeritus. he asked to pray for the pope emeritus and now he is speak to him. it won't be a collaboration like some sort of twin pope. it is an understanding of the incredible responsibility and role that benedict xvi played and this passing of the hat. i think it will be wonderful for this pope to look back and be able to actually use the experience of its predecessor. >> thank you so much. always good to see you. coming up, john boehner responding to the invitation to join vice president biden to visit the new pope. just one of the things we thought you should know. also yet another problem on board a cruise ship. a carnival cruise ship as well. this time it left more than 4,000 passengers stranded one

month after thousands were stuck on a ship without toilets or power. more on the plan to get the passengers home. first in today's money minute. a look at how wall street is performing at this hour. come on, nowadays lots of people go by themselves. no they don't. hey son. have fun tonight. ♪ ♪ back against the wall ♪ ain't nothin to me ♪ ain't nothin to me [ crowd murmurs ] hey! ♪ [ howls ] ♪

and i have a massive heart attack right in my driveway. the doctor put me on a bayer aspirin regimen. [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. go talk to your doctor. you're not indestructible anymore. a hairline fracture to the mandible and contusions to the metacarpus. what do you see? um, i see a duck. be more specific. i see the aflac duck. i see the aflac duck out of work and not making any money. i see him moving in with his parents and selling bootleg dvds out of the back of a van. dude, that's your life. remember, aflac will give him cash to help cover his rent, car payments and keep everything as normal as possible. i see lunch. [ monitor beeping ] let's move on. [ male announcer ] find out what a hospital stay could really cost you at aflac.com. i honestly loved smoking, and i honestly didn't think i would ever quit. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke.

it put me at ease that you could smoke on the first week. [ male announcer ] some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems, or if you develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. with chantix and with the support system it worked for me. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. with chantix and with the support system it worked for me. ♪ j dreams of landens meet sea, deliciously ♪ ♪ friskies surfin' and turfin' favorites. ♪

♪ feed the senses. another cruise ship, another nightmare. more damage control for carnival cruise lines. carnival dream has been stranded off street maarten. gabe is watching it all for us. does this appear to be as bad as the situation a month ago with the carnival triumph? >> reporter: certainly not. right now this does not appear to be nearly as bad as the situation with the carnival triumph. that said, this is another blow to carnival cruise lines.

4,300 passengers and about 1100 crew stranded in the eastern caribbean. some of those passengers are joking, however, that there are worse places to be stranded than the eastern caribbean. here is how it happened. the carnival dream had a technical issue. that is what carnival is saying. that was discovered last night. it is in the ship's back-up emergency diesel generator. and again, crews found that last night. alerted passengers. and the ship has been docked since then. now, carnival says the ship never lost power but that a few elevators and at least one bathroom had some issues. the bathroom did stop working for a few hours last night. now carnival just put out a statement. here it is. we can confirm that only one public restroom was taken offline for cleaning based on toilet overflow. aside from that, there have been no reports of any issues on board with overflowing toilets or sewage. now, this all comes a month, as you may remember, after the

carnival triumph had that engine fire that crippled that ship, leaving 4,200 passengers stranded at sea for a few days. that ship had to be towed back to mobile, alabama. this does not appear to be as serious. the boat is docked in st. maarten. carnival says while crews work on that technical issue, they're on chartering planes to fly the passengers back to florida and they're going to use scheduled flights to try to get those passengers back over the next few days. passengers will get a refund for three days of this voyage. plus a 50% discount to use in future carnival cruise ships. >> half off. all right. gabe gutierrez from miami. thank you, sir. still ahead on "news nation" -- >> we all know that any way you slice it, a knife like this is a weapon and it doesn't belong on an airplane. >> we want the tsa to stand for

transportation security administration. not take small knives aboard. >> airlines, all speaking out against the new policy to take knives on planes. the tsa insists it is final. with all the pressure, will the agency be forced to give in? our "news nation" gut check. first there's a lot going on today. and there are a few things we thought you should know. lawmakers are looking for ways to bring back the military's tuition assistance program. the program was cut because of budget cuts made necessary by the sequester. but a number bills are now in the works that would ask the defense department to find those cuts elsewhere. the military times reports the army spent $373 million for tuition assistance during the 2012 fiscal year. protesters in detroit intentionally slowed traffic during the height of this morning's commute. the protesters are upset over the governor's plan to point an

emergency manager for the city of detroit. three vehicles had signs on them reading democracy in detroit emergency manager. the slowdown caused a back-up for several miles before state troopers arrived. and we're finding out if bankruptcy expert who represented automaker chrysler during its successful restructuring has been chosen to steer detroit out of its financial abyss. >> and house speaker john boehner said thanks but no thanks to an invitation to join the vice president on a trip to the vatican. informing the president's meeting with house republicans yesterday, vice president biden invited speaker boehner as part of the delegation to visit the new pope. the speaker turned him down saying he is grateful for the offer but his duties in the house next week will prevent him from going. and those are the things that we thought you should know. [ birds chirping ] i'm your hot water heater.

you hardly know i exist. that's too bad. 'cuz if my pressure relief valve gets stuck... [ booooooom! ] ...we hot water heaters can transform into rocket propelled wrecking balls. and if you got the wrong home insurance coverage, it's your bank account that might explode. so get allstate. [ dennis ] good hands. good home. make sure you have the right home protection. talk to an allstate agent. only hertz gives you a carfirmation. hey, this is challenger. i'll be waiting for you in stall 5. it confirms your reservation and the location your car is in, the moment you land. it's just another way you'll be traveling at the speed of hertz. i took something for my sinuses, but i still have this cough. [ male announcer ] a lot of sinus products don't treat cough. they don't? [ male announcer ] nope, but alka seltzer plus severe sinus does it treats your worst sinus symptoms, plus that annoying cough. [ breathes deeply ] ♪ oh, what a relief it is! [ angry gibberish ]

[ female announcer ] from more efficient payments. ♪ to more efficient pick-ups. ♪ wireless is limitless. [ female announcer ] from tracking the bus. ♪ to tracking field conditions. ♪ wireless is limitless.

30 minutes, he will defend the decision to allow small knives on to airplanes. he is facing mounting opposition from various groups including tsa screeners, flight attendants, pilots and several airlines on the "today" show this morning, he took on his critics. >> this is part of our ongoing initiative which we call risk based security to move away from the one size fits all approach that was put up after 9/11 to help us focus on the highest threat items. the challenge becomes if we focus on something that will not cause a catastrophic failure to an aircraft and miss something that could, then we haven't done our job. >> also today, representatives from five flight attendant unions join congressman ed markey in washington. he introduced a no knives act today. he said the new policy is

dangerous. >> tsa will give this blade a boarding pass and tell this other blade that it is banned. the tsa policy makes no sense. this blade is not going to be allowed on. this blade will be. it is a nonsensical policy. it is a contradictory policy. it is a dangerous policy. >> our man on transportation. tom costello joins me live now from washington. good to see you, sir. what can we speck to hear from the tsa chief today on the hill? >> well, he will defend this policy. and here is why. john pistole who is a well respected law enforcement guy, a veteran of the fbi, now running the tsa. he says, listen, the threat is not from knives. we know what al qaeda's intentions are and they are intent on blowing up or bringing down an aircraft. and now that the cockpit door is

hard yepped, it is impossible for someone to get in and attack the pilots with a knife. that said, you've got just about every single member in aviation safety coming out opposed to this. you said the flight attendants, the airlines, three of them any way, you've got pilots coming out opposed to it. you've got major players including the air marshals opposed to this plan. and now this bipartisan effort on capitol hill to perhaps pass legislation that would not allow tsa to go forward with this. but the administration here has some strange bedfellows and it is in the republican party. some republicans think that the tsa is absolutely right that it makes no sense to be going after small knives. that's a waste time. it just gum up checkpoints. what the tsa should be doing is going after, at the same time burk really focusing on the explosive issue. so he is going on face, pistole on capitol hill will face some tough questioning with you he will get a few sympathetic

voices. that graph that you saw there was an example of what would be allowed. again, the blade cannot be longer than 2.3 inches. would be allowed under this policy as well as some sports equipment like a hockey stick. >> any idea whether john pistole was anticipating this kind of blowback? were they expecting this kind of response? >> i can't speak for the tsa but i think they were not expecting this big of a response from all quarters, and you know, it reminds me of the response that they got the very negative reaction they got when they came out with the scanners that many people thought revealed too much. and they thought that they were getting a view of their, invading their privacy, if you will. now what's happened to those scanners, they're gone. so is this policy going to go forward? the tsa insists it will. it will happen at the end of april. but you know, on the other hand, congress can always take action. >> tom costello for us from our

washington bureau. thank you. still ahead, hundreds of thousands of tax returns delayed because of a software glitch. we'll tell you if yours could be one. the problem is fixed but those checks could still take a while. all stations come over to mission a for a final go. this is for real this time. step seven point two one two. verify and lock. command is locked. five seconds. three, two, one. standing by for capture. the most innovative software on the planet... dragon is captured. is connecting today's leading companies to places beyond it. siemens. answers.

[ crisp crunches ] whoo-hoo-hoo! guess it was. [ male announcer ] pringles, bursting with more flavor. i worked a patrol unit for 17 years in the city of baltimore. when i first started experiencing the pain, it's hard to describe because you have a numbness but yet you have the pain like thousands of needles sticking in your foot. it was progressively getting worse, and at that point, i knew i had to do something. when i went back to my health care professional, that's when she suggested the lyrica. once i started taking the lyrica, the pain started subsiding. [ male announcer ] it's known that diabetes damages nerves. lyrica is fda approved to treat diabetic nerve pain. lyrica is not for everyone. it may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters,

changes in eye sight including blurry vision, muscle pain with fever, tired feeling, or skin sores from diabetes. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs, and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. those who've had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today. it's specific treatment for diabetic nerve pain. to hear more of terry's story, visit lyrica.com. has oats that can help lower cholesterol?

and it tastes good? sure does! wow. it's the honey, it makes it taste so... well, would you look at the time... what's the rush? be happy. be healthy. a new cdc study shows that on average, americans consume 74 fewer calories a day than they did a decade ago. in a surprising twist, obesity rates are up. researchers state that while more time may be needed to see a weight decrease, it is possible people aren't getting enough exercises to burn the calories they do consume. impossible. that's what prosecutors call the explanation given by jodi arias

in her 18 days worth of testimony. she is the arizona woman charged with first-degree murder in the death of her boyfriend. the trial resumed for a short time this afternoon. it is now in recess again, we understand, after the prosecutor objected to a potential witness for the defense. nbc's stephanie stanton has the very latest. she's been following the trial. what else happened in the courtroom today? >> reporter: court resumed this morning for a very short time indeed. and the prosecutor juan martinez got right in there. he said he needed more time to review evidence that he was presented with just this morning. that evidence would be testimony that is expected to be given by dr. richard samuels, he is a psychologist. he is expected to testify that jodi arias suffers from, suffered from ptsd immediately following the killings and also, a disassociate which would help explain the memory gaps that she

suffered at the time of the murders and then the weeks and days following. so at this point, judge stephens called a recess to give juan martinez time to talk to the doctor. and the court is due back in session. the court will resume at 1:00 local time. the jury due back at 1:15 local time. >> let's go back to yesterday. we mentioned prosecutors called her explanation, they used the phrase, impossible scenario. what was that about? what were they talking about? >> well, this scenario relates to that 62 seconds between those two cell phone photos that were recovered at the scene. there was a photo taken of travis alexander at the time of the murder in the shower. then about 62 seconds later, there was a photo taken, they believe, accidentally, showing a portion of his bloodied body. arias testified that during that time, travis became abusive and that is when she stabbed him and shot him. the prosecutor basically saying, there is no way that all of this went down in 62 seconds.

i mean, travis alexander was stabbed nearly 30 times. his throat was slit. he was shot in the head. and show he basically, poking hole in that theory saying there is no way that that happened. that jodi arias is clearly lying. >> stephanie, thank you. police say they killed a man suspected of shooting rampage in upstate new york. that tops our look at stories around the nation. the s.w.a.t. team surrounded an abandoned building and opened fire on kurt myers. he was holded up for nearly a day. he killed four people and wounded two others. and tax refunds will be delayed for nearly half a million folks thanks to a computer glitch at h & r block. refund checks could be four to six weeks late. coming up, more on cpac.

we'll talk, he said the gop wants crazy after all these years. plus, our "news nation" gut check on the tsa refusing to reverse its decision allowing some knives on planes. and be sure to like the "news nation" on facebook as well. we're at facebook.com/"news nation." there we are right there. zap technology. arrival. with hertz gold plus rewards, you skip the counters, the lines, and the paperwork. zap. it's our fastest and easiest way to get you into your car. it's just another way you'll be traveling at the speed of hertz. she was a picky eater. well now i'm her dietitian and last year, she wasn't eating so well. so i recommended boost complete nutritional drink to help her get the nutrition she was missing. and now she drinks it every day. well, it tastes great!

[ male announcer ] boost has 26 essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium and vitamin d to support strong bones, and 10 grams of protein to help maintain muscle. and our great taste is guaranteed or your money back. learn more at boost.com [ dietitian ] now, nothing keeps mom from doing what she loves... being my mom. riding the dog like it's a small horse is frowned upon in this establishment! luckily though, ya know, i conceal this bad boy underneath my blanket just so i can get on e-trade. check my investment portfolio, research stocks... wait, why are you taking... oh, i see...solitary. just a man and his thoughts. and a smartphone... with an e-trade app. ♪ nobody knows... [ male announcer ] e-trade. investing unleashed. you name it...i've hooked it. but there's one... one that's always eluded me. thought i had it in the blizzard of '93. ha! never even came close.

sometimes, i actually think it's mocking me. [ engine revs ] what?! quattro!!!!! ♪

you can join the "news nation" on twitter. as we mentioned, the annual

conservative action conference is underway just outside d.c. at cpac, conservative stars like rand paul, marco rubio and sarah palin are the headliners of the three-day event. florida former congressman allen west stirred up the republican base. >> this conference, this audience, these values, all jealously guard conservative identity from liberal wolves in sheep's clothing. >> noticeably an send from the event, governors chris christie and bob mcdonnell. political columnist roger simon writes about the snub saying, quote, gop wants crazy after all these years. roger joins me now. good to see you. let's take a look at the list of the star speakers. mitt romney, wayne lapierre, donald trump. when you look at the list, what strikes you about those names? >> what strikes me about those names is that for the most part, they're on the extremes of

american politics. cpac has been described as the militant wing of the republican party. and that's true. the question is, is this what the republican party really needs? is this the time for more militant wing? is this what american citizens are asking for? or are they asking for just the opposite? >> marco rubio got one of the prime spots today. he talked a lot about small government. he talk about conservative principles. he even made a number of water jokes. one thing he did not talk about though is immigration. even though it's been one of the biggest issues he's working on right now. what can we make of that omission? >> we can make of that omission, that he is going to trim his sales, depending on what group he speaks to. he didn't have the courage to talk about immigration to a group that is not pro

immigration in the least. that's one of the troubles that the republican party faces. its militant wing doesn't want to reach out and make the tent bigger, which seems to doom the republican party as a national party. and that's why some republicans look at cpac and say, this is just crazy. this is exactly the opposite of what we need. >> one of the highlights every year at cpac is the presidential straw poll. that will happen despite that we are several years away from a presidential race. at this point any idea who a front-runner for the cpac might be? >> i would guess rand paul. i think this is rand paul's convention. cpac has a lot of college kids wandering around it in various stages of sobriety. and like all straw polls, it is fixed in the sense that

candidates buy tickets and give them to kids to vote. it is the same way at the straw poll in iowa. college kids love rand paul. rand paul gave a speech a few minutes ago saying the trouble with the republican party is too many people who are stale and moss covered. those are pretty much fighting words. they would indicate that he at least thinks they should turn to a fresh face like him. >> thank you. time for the "news nation" gut check. at any moment, the tsa chief will be responding to growing outrage and defend that decision to allow small knives on to airplanes. the move now permits knives like the ones you see on the screens as well as the scissors. they cannot be any longer than 2.36 inches them can't be more

than a half inch wide. throws the knives allowed on the right. they also can't have any locking blades. he said it will free his agents to focus on more serious threats like explosives but the screeners along with air marshals and others are pushing back. what does your dwut tell you? do you think the security administration will give into public pressure and reverse the decision to allow knives on to planes? go to facebook.com/newsnation. that will do it for "news nation." tomorrow on "news nation," the daily beast's michael tomasky plus steve deace. the first public speech since losing the election. all that and lots more tomorrow on "news nation." up next, "the cycle." [ man ] we love to eat. we just didn't know that our plants did, too. then we started using miracle-gro liquafeed

every two weeks. now our plants get the food they need while we water. dinner's ready. come and get it. no one goes hungry in this house. so they're bigger, healthier, and more beautiful. guaranteed. with miracle-gro anyone can have a green thumb. and a second helping. [ both laughing ] when you feed your plants... everyone grows with miracle-gro. ♪ shimmy, shimmy chocolate. ♪ shimmy, shimmy chocolate. ♪ we, we chocolate cross over. ♪ yeah, we chocolate cross over. ♪ [ male announcer ] introducing fiber one 80 calorie chocolate cereal. ♪ chocolate. the day building a play set begins with a surprise twinge of back pain... and a choice. take up to 4 advil in a day or 2 aleve for all day relief. [ male announcer ] that's handy. ♪