private message of sympathy to the family. thatcher was the first woman to be elected prime minister of england, her toughness earning her the particular name "the iron lady." prime minister cameron spoke out this morning just a few minutes ago. >> we've lost a great prime minister, a great leader, a great britain. as our first woman prime minister, margaret thatcher succeeded against all the odds. and the real thing about margaret thatcher is she didn't just lead our country, she saved our country. >> president obama released a statement just a short time ago saying with the passing of baroness margaret thatcher, the world has lost one of the great champions of freedom and liberty and america has lost a true friend. and former president george h.w. bush said this, america has lost one of the staunchest

allies we have ever known. and she was an inspirational leader who stood on principle and guided her nation with confidence and clarity, a great ally who strengthened the special relationship between the united kingdom and the united states. joining us now, martin bashir and jamie rubin. it's great to start with both of you here on this topic. jamie, let me start with you about the relationship with margaret thatcher and as we look back on ronald reagan, the geopolitical relationship that they had and is why it was so strong. >> well, there were two things. first of all, the previous british government had tended to be not in favor of the american peace through strength kind of strategy against communism. they often, you know, had opposed new missile systems. margaret that mucher and ronald reagan developed and popularized and i think it still holds today this idea that you need to build up your strength to be as strong as you can possibly be and that's the best way to make

peace and make your enemies collapse of their own weight rather than causing a war, building up military forces can often protect the west. that idea was not particularly popular in europe. and so when ronald reagan found his soulmate in lady thatcher, that really made a huge difference in terms of u.s./british relations and the fight against communism. but timely, the reason why in america we respected her is because she also moderated ronald reagan on star wars, the big anti-missile program that he was determined to push, even though the gorbachev said it would end arms control. it was margaret thatcher who forced him to prohibit that system and moderated some of the views of his extreme advisers. and so the combination of peace through strength but negotiation

was something that she embodied and she and reagan did so well. >> thomas, to jamie's point, margaret thatcher allowed the americans to place cruise missiles on uk soil for the first time for that very purpose. and that's why the americans perspective on margaret thatcher, baroness thatcher is so warm because on foreign policy, she was extremely impressive. jamie is being slightly polite and modest. he was actually working with vice president joe biden who then was a senator. at the time when the berlin wall came down in 1989. she was very effective in that area. of course, she had the victory over the faulklands war in 1982, as well. but domestically, she was a far less revered figure. she was much more devising and living in britain at the time it was impossible to be indifferent about margaret thatcher. she was loved by some. she was loathed by a large number, too. >> what does that mean to the

legacy now as we look back and reflect on that time. when she went out in 1990, it was a much more divisive time and she wasn't as well thought of. >> she actually left power because of the most divisive proposal of policy that she had attempted to implement. that was a poll tax. it was a flat tax which ultimately meant that a duke in britain paid exactly the same amount for local services as a dutchman, as someone who worked in the sanitation department. there were riots right across the uniteded kingdom. as a consequence of that, her own party in 1990 said you have become such a devicive figure, you could no longer lead the nation and she was thrown out. >> how does that speak to her legacy of someone who was able to break down the class symptom in the uk, being that she was a grocer's daughter and rose up to almost maybe for the masses, so to speak, by chaenging her accent to seem a bit more upper crust? >> well, the fact is that

because she was the longest serving british prime minister of the 20th century and the only female, she was inevitably an historic figure. whatever she chose to do thereafter, her place in history was secure and that will never change. i do think, however, that as we get further away from her passing, there will be a more realistic assessment of what she did domestically because britain, when she came in, was a country that was failing in all kinds of ways. there was a period known as the winter of discontent, sanitation and garbage service workers were on strike. the country was not functional very well domestically. but as a consequence of her leadership, things got better in some areas, but at the end of her period, it was a very, very difficult ending, i think. >> and jamie, as we look at her leadership and where female leadership is around the globe right now, but in comparing the statements that she had during her time to modern day leaders, you had a good correlation. correct?

>> yeah. i found it interesting what martin was referring to was, you know, the deviciveness. but it was from having a core as a politician. and she -- >> she's -- >> she's really unique in saying that she was a conviction politician. she didn't do what was popular. she said and used to be quoted, i didn't come here to be liked. think about that in today's political world where poll numbers and being liked and at getting the popular position is essentially what our politicians have been doing day after day. she opposed that and used to say that her father taught her, don't go with the herd if you think the herd is wrong. that's something we haven't seen and i think the fact that so many years later she has such a large legacy is so well remembered is not just because she was a woman. but because of the type of woman she was that was a conviction publish yap. conviction politicians as a whole, i think, last much longer in history because they actually get things done.

they follow the old rule of bobby kennedy. if there's nobody in your way, you're not going anywhere. so she did things and that's why she's been so well revered in this time of her pass approximately >> gentlemen, thank you very much. it's great to have you on here. catch martin this afternoon coming up at 4:00 p.m. eastern. we will be watching. also on the agenda today, it is a make or break week for gun control. as the senate reconvenes today with guns on its agenda, the president is looking to rebuild critical momentum by bringing his coffer action because to its center, that is connecticut. the president will return to ground zero of the gun debate. he's going to meet with families and speak at a university just an hour's drive from sandy hook elementary. now, the president is looking to appeal to the emotion of senators on capitol hill at a time when a bill expected to hit senate floor this week continues to face threats of the filibuster.

>> now that the cameras are off and they're not forced to look the newtown families in the face, now they want to make it harder and filibuster it. if we have a simple up or down vote, we can get this done. >> the president, first lady and vice president all have events dedicated to gun violence this week. the white house not letting its push for gun control go without a fight. >> i hope those that are really, really, really tough on this and still opposing gun legislation have the -- have what it takes to do what's right. >> so adding to the intensity of this critical week in the national debate, new pleas from family members of the victims of sandy hook. some of those family members plan to fly back to washington tonight aboard air force one to help lobby members of congress. >> we don't get to move on. we don't have the benefit of turning the piece to another page of legislation and having another debate and playing politics the same way we've done. we don't have that benefit. we're going to live with this for the rest of our lives.

>> joining me now is connecticut senator richard bloomen thal. it's good to have you with me this morning. as we talk about the president visiting your home state today, we must point out the fact that the president, the vice president and first lady have all gun violence event these week. in that vein, politico on its website says this is obama's make or break week on guns. some have said the president has not done enough to keep up the momentum. do you agree with that? how would the intensity about gun violence control in the country be different if perception was reality and the president had kept up intensity. >> the president really has maintained intensity. he has spoken around the country in colorado and in connecticut, now twice. and vice president biden has been also very, very active. but the challenge really is to mobilize that majority. 90% of americans want background checks to be applied to all

firearms purchases and is want other common sense measures and the challenge is for all of us, not just the the, to make sure that majority is not a silent majority, but is heard as advocate yalgly and vehemently as the opponent's. >> sir, when we talk about what happened in newtown, obl, the emotions run very deep for the people, the families that were affected by the tragedy at the sandy hook elementary school. and last night, parents of those children who were lost on that day, sandy hook, appeared on 60 minutes to remind us of what they've been going through. take a lisp. >> it's going to happen again. it is going to happen again. and every time, you know, it's somebody else's school, it's somebody else's town, it's smsh somebody else's community until one day you wake up and it's not. >> sir, when we look at the basis of those lost, the 20 children, the six educators and we hear the parents there and how upsetting this is to realize

to them that congress hasn't done anything to act, when is enough enough? how many tragedies like this do we as a country need to go through to see concrete reform? >> when is enough enough? that is the question for my colleagues in the senate who may not be decided that we need to do more. so there are no more newtowns. newtown was really a call to action. and that grief and is pain that i saw literally on the day within hours of the massacre is still very much with us. it has changed america. and that's why the majority of americans, more than 90%, one these common sense measures and congress failing to meet this historic challenge will be a historic failure. but i really do believe that we have this historic opportunity to break the stranglehold of special interests like the nra for the first time in a generation and the united states senate will meet that historic

mandate. >> sir, when we talk about the political courage needed to do something in this country for gun reform, we've seen states like maryland, your home state of connecticut and colorado do something already. but we have this growing list of senators who say they will threaten filibuster, the filibuster on gun reform in the country. here is what your colleagues, senator john mccain had to say about that yesterday. take a listen. >> what's your thought on a filibuster on this? would you be against that? >> i don't understand it. the purpose of the united states senate is to debate and to vote and to let the people know where we stand. >> so you would encourage republicans not to filibuster? >> i would not own encourage it, i don't understand it. what are we afraid of? >> can you explain what your colleagues would be afraid of about the issue in a debate? >> there is no fear about a debate. it is unlimited debate that is the filibuster that could block action. i believe senator mccain's statement is profoundly

important. i deeply respect him. but his saying as the leader of his party is that we should vote is exactly what the president has said the families deserve and what the american people deserve. so i sincerely believe we will have a vote. the progress of talks on the national background check is very encouraging involving senators who are trying to reach a bipartisan compromise as we did in connecticut. and i really think that we will move this week toward a vote. >> connecticut senator richard blo blo bloomen thal. thank you for speaking with me this morning. >> thank you. we'll have full coverage of those remarks right here on msnbc. this thursday, "morning joe" is going to host an exclusive round table on gun violence with vice president joe biden. coming up next, the there are a lot of big ticket items on the president's second term agenda. there's also the budget issue

and immigration reform. can he get it all done? our power panel will weigh in. plus, chelsea clinton aufrlg her insights on the possibility of another presidential run by her mother and talk with her own political future. and that leads us to your question of the day, is hillary clinton a shoo-in for 2016? tweet me your thoughts. together. together. on a walk, walk, walk. love to walk. yeah, we found that wonderful thing. and you smiled. and threw it. and i decided i would never, ever leave it anywhere. because that wonderful, bouncy, roll-around thing... had made you play. and that... had made you smile. [ announcer ] beneful. play. it's good for you.

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now or never, the next ten weeks are do or die for president obama's second term agenda. the clock is ticking in two components of what could compromise the president's legacy in office are poised to ramp up starting this week. gun control and immigration. and it's not just victory, but the nature of that victory that's key for the obama white house. the hill is saying, quote, he needs quick victories in the senate on gun control and immigration if he is to build momentum for a fight in the

republican-controlled house. the chief obstacles to hesitate agenda. i want to bring in our monday morning political power panel. we have alexander burns, dug tholnell, susan delpercio. it's great to have you here. alex, i want to start with you. as we dive in to talk about the second term agenda, politico says the window for action on these issues will start to close as the 2014 election cycle moves into the full swing at the end of the year. after that, the next congress figures could be colored by par san posturing for the 2016 presidential election. some of us will probably already be posturing a bit. our question of the day is about hillary clinton. is right now the essence of the president to get anything done if the vision is so separated between immigration, gun control and the budget? >> i think now is pretty -- is a critical moment for the president, thomas. and i think it's important to

remember, we've seen this movie before with barack obama in some respects where he puts out a set of proposals, he marshals public opinion and hits a brick wall when it comes to the actual legislative politics of getting things done. the closer we get to 2014, the harder it's going to be for democrats because of the map that they face in the house and senate to vote for things like gun control and immigration reform. >> when we look at gun control, susan, there's incentive. there's certainly public sentiment that supports having background checks and there's some movement on the right about this when the fact that the washington post is reporting that senators toomey and mancion are working together on a background check ps. is that the only realistic way we'll see reforms in the country is very small baby step reforms? >> absolutely. even if you look at the recent polling, the ban for assault weapons was at 57% right after newtown has now dropped to 47% of we'll wanting it. they have lost their political window in this.

i think they want to get background checks done. i think the democrats in the senate want to get it done because there's a couple of senators in red states that are up in 2014. so that's going to be their challenge. >> all right. but, doug, when we look at the fact that the president ran on wasn't anything to do with gun control, this has been an issue that has come to the service, it's something that in all administrations things pop up that need to be discussed, you know, from a federal level. but the budget issue for the country, the economy has been the bigger issue that the president got re-elected on. and as we look at the afl-cio petition saying obama is a bad why talking about where we are right now on our budget, the first read, our team saying the question of whether there's anger from the left gives republicans a second look, are we any further to the president and coming out with his own type of budget that people can get behind because he walked such a tight rope? because anything that has his name on it, people recoil from on the right and it has a hard time selling. >> well, i think the budget he put out was a compromise.

it's balanced. keeps getting criticism from the left and from the right. that probably tells you it's right where it needs to be. but ultimately, this is going to be about house republicans and whether or not they're willing to show flexibility and compromise. that's the biggest criticism of them right now. and i think one of the things that the president is trying to do with this budget is appeal to senate republicans who he's meeting with wednesday night. >> even with the leaks that have come out so far, because it doesn't come out until wednesday, the leaks that have come out so far, it seems as you point out, compromise will be the key word here. but it doesn't seem as if the republicans are backing what they've heard so far. it seems as though lucy with the football. >> yeah. well, i think the republicans fought there was an election about four or five months ago and the american people strongly supported a balanced approach. they also seem to forget that we've done 2.7 trillion dollars in deficit reduction. the vast majority of that is spending cuts. so, you know, at some point, they're going to have to figure out what's in the best interest

for the country and not what's in their own political interest. >> but the key thing is, is this opening bid a starting point to go forward from the president or is this his best and final offer? that's what we're going to have to find out. >> and i think the same question should be, you know, given to paul ryan's budget. >> absolutely. >> which is so far to the right. >> i think everyone thought the democrats and the republicans gave an opening offer. no one thought their budgets were going to go through on both sides. >> no. there has to be wiggle room. we will find out on wednesday where we all stands. my thanks to all three of you. governor in ordnorquist is for his no new tax cuts. now he's getting into immigration reform, too. what it could mean for immigration reform. plus, fairytales, sick witnesses, court spectators and is even jodi arias herself. what is in store for the final days? but first, today's producer,

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ebert died on thursday at the age of 70 after a long battle with cancer. here is a look at some of the others stories coming the news thou. colorado officials are on the lookout for an inmate who escaped from a denver jail. he's reportedly wearing a deputy's uniform and is considered to be armed and dangerous. good news in new hampshire where authorities just arrested leyland eisenberg after he escaped from a facility. that's the man who took hostages from a hillary clinton campaign office in 2007. complaints about airlines were up by a fifth last year, despite good travel news. nearly 80% of flights were on time last year. that's up nearly 2% from 2011. and the number of mishandled bags, that was done mainly because passengers don't check those bags any more. but complaints are still on the rise, up nearly 0.2%. united having the most. rutgers university is launching an independent investigation into the how that school handled the basketball abuse situation. the coach was fired last week

and three other officials cut dies with the school, including the athletic director. the fbi is reportedly investigating eric murdoch for possible extortion. he's the team's former development director who made the videos. and louisville coach rick pa teen know is chasing history. he's hoping to win the national basketball championship with his second school. he won with kansas 17 years ago. and the women's team from louisville is playing in the ncaa championship. they're going to play uconn tomorrow night.

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draw from her passion on the fr freedom. more news from secretary of state john kerry and his news from the medal east trying to get the peace process moving once again. secretary of state kerry met with mahmoud abbas yesterday. later this week, the secretary will visit south korea, this at the same time that the nuclear tensions with the north seem to escalate. joining me with more -- joining me from jerusalem with more is former state department officer sdwroel reuben. joel, it's good to have you with us this morning. i want to get straight to this report from the ap saying secretary kerry is pushing for a modified version from the ap trading peace for settlement drawdowns. do you think that that old approach, what's old is could be new again, could be best? >> well, thomas, secretary kerry's presence here, now the second time in two weeks has a very strong signal that the

administration intends to engage on the peace process. and the reaction is positive here in israel. i'm hearing from israelis that they want to see an american involvement, that they're looking for a political way out of this impasse. but it does mean that there will need to be creativity. there's going to need to be patience in washington and there's going to need to be compromise here. so lool looking at all of the proposals that have been out here, including the peace initiative is very important to make sure no stone is left unturned. when we talk about being creative, we know john kerry was in turkey yesterday urging that country to try and repair its relationship with israel. what is secretary kerry doing on his mid east trip that the president was not able to accomplish last month that might help with that creativity of peace in the future? >> what kerry is doing is he's building on the visit from two weeks ago. now, what the president did was come to israel, go to rumalla

and lay out his vision and communicate directly to the people of the region. but the hard working with the day-to-day slog of diplomacy, that's the business of the state department. and what's unique this time is that secretary kerry, as the secretary, is engaged personally. that's a bit of a new trend. typically, peace making has been delegated to special envoys or even the white house has handled it, but they haven't had the full apparatus of the state department under their immediate discretion. that's what kerry has, that's what he brings and that's why he's making these different trips in mobilizing the resources of the state department. >> and while this is going on, we have the escalating tensions between north and south korea. earlier today, the south said it appear the north was prepping for a forth nuclear test because of increased activity at its main testing site but later backtracked on that. len lindsay graham says the north

needs to tread lightly. >> major war happening if the north koreans overplay their hand this time. the public in south korea, the united states and i think the whole region is fed up with this guy. >> so, joel, do you think that the region is truly getting fed up with the north's antics? if so, what can be done diplomatically to try to ease those tensions? >> well, it's clear that kim jong unis cold and calculating the north korean leader. we need to maintain our nerve at this moment. miscalculations are how wars start and being here in the middle east, i'm reminded of how there is war all around. and it's easier to start a war in many ways than it is to finish it. but this does mean this needs to be pressure on north korea, we need to work with china, and that the u.s. needs to explain itself to its allies clearly about its diplomatic policy, as well, going forward towards north korea. but yes, it is a dangerous situation. it's not one where there is a

threat that can strike the u.s. homeland. so we need to make sure that we understand the fact of the nuclear arsenal and the capabilities of the north koreans. but clearly, this is a grave concern to the region and that's why we're so engaged. and that's why we see a reassurance provided to the south koreans, for example. a very important signal that the pentagon has sent. >> former state department official joel rubin. thanks for joining us. the state department is mourning the death of u.s. diplomate ann smedinghoff. she was just 25 years old while she and four others were killed in a car while drivering textbooks to school children. secretary of state john kerry, who smedinghoff helped shepherd around. the murder trial of jo did i

arias is entering its 15th week. it's one piece in a courtroom drama that has seen anything, and i mean everything from tales of graphic sex to a booted jury to shocking videotapes of the parents from the alleged am meesh ya suffering defendant would is accused of killing her boyfriend travis alexander in 2008. >> maybe she did do it. i don't know. i cannot even imagine her doing it. >> she said she had a gun. what do you need a gun for? she goes, where i'm going, i might need one. >> attorney and legal analyst jamie boyd joins me now in studio. as we see there in the videotape, both jo did i's father and mother, she respect ofly describe her as a strange person with mental problems. however, the remaining jurors are not going to get to see this. so what role do they ultimately play in the case or demonstrate what type of state jodi arias

was in in 2008? >> they're interviewed separately. we see the videotape. the jury does not. mom has been in the courtroom every single day. dad has not. he's gone seatus health problems. he's only been there one week of a 15-week trial. but mom's presence is a powerful one for the jury, not powerful enough, though, i don't care to have a serious impact. >> we're not close to being done. today we're going to hear from what may be the defense avenues last witness, which is a domestic violence expert. however, after that, the prosecution will potentially redirect with arias, right? >> absolutely. >> and the defense is claiming that she was a battered woman also with alleged amnesia. the prosecution says, no, this is a cold blooded woman and just a killer. >> and the prosecution will certainly -- including redirect. so there will be redirection examination and then a rebuttal case. and we are far from the end, as you suggest, therefore. >> who has done a better job, so far? >> oh, my goodness. look, the defense was in a

terrible bind. limited by the cards you're dealt, as the expression always goes, and they had to go with the story that was delivered to them by a woman who had told three versions to the authorities before the defense ever gave them the case. i think the defense has done a good job given what this had to plan. the prosecution has the burden of proof. it will be a tough, tough case for the jury. the jury should be depended for sitting through such set of facts. >> thank you. so coming up next, it sounds like an idea from wileye. coyote, lass sew an asteroid to pull it closer to earth. but this is a real idea and how nasa hopes to get this done and potentially land on mars. we'll see why some members of congress are questioning beyonce and jay-z's trip to cuba. and then is hillary clinton a should the shoo-in for 2016? tweet me. ♪

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senator ham iring out immigration reform say they hope to complete their work this week. and it looks like more conservative groups might be on board. glover norquist is discussing immigration reform right now in washington, d.c. and he says times have changed for the republican artery. >> if you're a republican congressman or senator, who is your constituency? the radio talk show hosts or the guys that go to church and the guys that have jobs? this is -- so that's been a significant shift in the right elected officials perception of where the center right republican party is, which i think is very healthy and it's more accurate reflection of where voters are. >> joining me now is democratic congressm congressman. we had lindsey graham who said when it comes to im gralgz reform, that the party has changed its tune. but he wouldn't be definitive about a schedule on reform. take a listen.

>> the politics of self-deportation are bind us. every corner of the republican party from libertarians, the rnc, house republicans and the rank and file republican party member is now understanding there has to be an earned path away to citizenship. one thing else that congressman graham went on to say is there was a 70/30 chance that legislation would be enacted. however, chuck schumer, part of the immigration eight, says he expects something to happen later this week. however, lindsey graham over the weekend says he thinks a couple of weeks. what's your guess on a proper timeline? >> my guess is within the next ten addition. the anticipation of this week, but certainly the week after that. not only the anticipation, but the work that has gone into it. and as you mentioned, many conservative groups now and organizations of super pacs are not promoting the idea of an earned path to citizenship and coming together on a comprehensive package. and rubio, i think, needs to

move. he he needs to be more definitive in his support of this process. he's key to this movement. but i remain optimistic and somewhat hopeful. >> all right. when you talk about marco rubio, though, who was part of the immigration eight group, he recently sent a letter to the head of the judiciary committee warning of, quote, excessive haste in changing immigration law. he accidents seem as confident or as outspoken as he was on immigration reform months ago. why do you think there's been such a change publicly? >> well, i think the political reality, just as the political reality of having for the republican party is to make immigration reform something that is behind them, self-deportation behind them. the rhetoric on immigration behind them in order to have some survival skills for future elections. i think that's one of the rationales. same thing with rubio. tea party favorite, conservative darling, but pushes immigration

reform and that part of the party is still very, very much opposed to any immigration reform. so he's trying to walk a very fine line on very thin ice. at some point, i think his role has to come out and dedefinitive and he wants to move it forward. >> especially if he has aspirations for 2016 and i think that's what you're saying is in his political calculations of where he stands on this. one thing i want to point out is there is this human immigration rally scheduled for this week. out of all the items on the president's agenda, congressman, immigration reform, does that look like it's most likely to succeed? because this is something, certainly, he ran on in '08 and certainly ran on it again in 2012 to win the white house. >> i think this issue of immigration reform is huge for the president. he's been on target on it from the beginning and i think this is possibly the three big initiatives that are before congress. the budget issue, gun violence

and immigration reform. immigration reform, to me, is easily the most doable. >> congressman, thank you for making time for me. i appreciate it. >> thank you. absolutely. so make way for another clinton in politics. that the. it's time now for the politzi bar. the women's right activist and former first daughter talks about the possibility that she may throw her own hat into the political ring some day. >> right now, i'm grateful to live in a city and a state and is a country where i strongry party smi mayor and my president and my senators and my representatives. if at some point that weren't true and i thought i could make a meaningful and measurably greater impact, you know, i'd have to ask and answer that question. >> right now, though, the birth buzz surrounds her mom, former secretary of state hillary clinton who is now touted as a front-runner for the presidential democratic ticket in 2016. here is what chelsea had to say about that. >> as a daughter, i very much want her to make the right choice for herself.

i know that will be the right choice for our country. i'll support her in whatever she chooses to do. meanwhile, two republican leaders want details from the u.s. treasury about beyonce and jay-z's recent trip to cuba. u.s. representatives layton and bilrt of florida say they want to know who gave the celebrity couple a license to travel in the country where american tourism is prohibited. all right. it is not every day the republican house majority leader gets photographed with one of america's biggest heart throbs. eric cantor tweeted a snapshot of himself and actor brad pitt while atenting a black tie event galla at constitution hall on friday night. can you guess which one of them is rocking the ponytail? just take a guess. the carful? how about...by the bowlful? campbell's soups give you nutrition, energy, and can help you keep a healthy weight. campbell's.

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if it was a mission to mars you were hoping for, it's not going to happen now sass the obama administration.

they claim that nasa has a plan straight out of a hollywood movie. sentd a crack crew into space to harness an asteroid, bring it closer to earth. send a team of astronauts to it to mine out minerals and then go to the red planet. chief astronomer derrick pitts from the franklin institute joins me now. the cost for this, $2.6 billion. the administration says it could be cut to $1 billion, which means that the annual cost would be about $100 million a year. is this really a possibility that this could be done? >> it certainly is a possibility it could be done, thomas. it's just that you know the questions that are involved in this, about the technology that's needed to do it, what are the new technologies that have to be developed to make this happen. already we do have a number of the technologies on line, the robotic craft that can operate autonomously in space already. and then being able to figure

out which one, which asteroid would be the right one to pick up would be one that we have to sort of figure out. and i think that goes to the point of us being able to identify asteroids that are the right size, or maybe in the right orbital positions. and then that helps us to define those asteroids that are out there that could cause a problem for earth in the future it fills out that whole package of understanding those asteroids. >> derrick, explain why it would make a difference that we actually have, you know, asteroid rock from outer space as opposed to asteroid rock that comes into our own atmosphere. and what we learn from that from being on our planet. what's the difference? >> well the difference is we actually select the asteroid. we pick the right one that we think is the rice size, perhaps even the right composition, and we bring that to the orbit of the moon. in a controlled fashion. rather than just picking one that's on a collision course or close collision course instead

that we may not know about. we want to be able to identify pretty far out so we can ron y rendezvous with it. >> we're talking about 2017 to 2021. however, congress will be sent the issue for budget purposes. given the cost, the numbers here, given that nasa has taken some hits from the sequester in terms of educational programs, does this mean it's going to be tough to get approved? >> it may not be so tough to be approved. because of the fact that a number of different parts and pieces of this proposed mission are already under way. so if we look at the orion manned capsule that would be necessary to take people to the capsule, that's already done and there's work that's been done to identify asteroids that could be on a collision course with earth. so we could use that information and that could help to cut the pricing down as well.

>> jumping into the future, chief franklin institute astronomer, derrick pitts, thank you. joining me tomorrow, with former state department spokesman, pj crowley and veteran chicago reporter jim warren. don't go anywhere -- "now" with alex wagner is coming up next. >> we'll go to space, harness asteroid. >> i'm speaking to you from the future. >> i thought you were speaking to me from 15 feet away. >> i'm speaking to you from five minutes in the future at noon. spring break is over on capitol hill. lawmakers are returning to confront critical issues including immigration reform and the 13 angry men standing in the way of new gun safety laws, we'll discuss with eric bates, joy reed and maggy haberman. and the winds of war have begun blowing over the keystone pipeline. can president obama hold his party together as he decides on the future of the project?

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members of congress, welcome back and get to work. it's monday, april 8th and this is "now." memo to congress -- pop some aspirin and shake off the spring break hangover. lawmakers are returning to a triple threat of controversial legislation. by the end of this week or the next, the senate group of eight plans to release a comprehensive immigration bill, the "washington post" reports that in an effort to preserve whatever fragile deal is lambered out behind closed doors, the group may prevent amendments to the bill's core