skate, all of that tonight on nbc. for jeremy roenicke, kenny albert and brian engblom, i'm kathryn tappen. so long from sochi. i'm milissa rehberger in for tamron hall. "the news nation" is following the effort today to rally house democrats and gear them up for a fight in hopes of winning back the house in november. the president addressed house democrats at their retreat on the maryland shore. vice president biden also offered a pep talk today. and nbc's luke russert joins us live now from the site of the house democrats' retreat in cambridge, maryland and mark murray joins us live from our washington bureau. luke, let's start with you. president obama addressed house

democrats before the television cameras, a closed question and answer session. do you have any insight on what happened there? >> yeah, sure. there was a few things. primarily some house democrats in the audience asked the president what was going to be the messaging pertaining to the health care law. the president did admit that democrats were as of right now in the, quote, penalty box in regards to the botched ruleout that happened at the end of last year, beginning of this year. something they have to fight through for the midterm election. the president did make the point that over 3 million people have been enrolled in the affordable care act and that's something they can use in the midterm. the other thing the president made quite obvious to house democrats was they should continue this push for emigratie immigration reform. but getting back to the 17 seats they would need in order to retake the house and make nancy pelosi speaker again, it is a task easier said than done. joe biden and president obama committed to doing fund raisers

for house democrats, saying they'll have their back and will try to get them a lot of money. there is an acknowledgement when you talk to members privately it would take a perfect storm for them to retake the house. >> is that even doable, luke? >> well, you like to say anything is possible in american politics. but i would be very surprised if this were to occur. joe biden made a point this morning, which is true. if the house midterms are three political lifetimes from now. that all being said, what republicans have done in the last week, punt the debt limit to next year, 28 house republicans voted, it is amazing, majority party got 28 in support of something last week, to move the debt limit to next year, john boehner, the gop leadership, mitch mcconnell in the senate, what they're trying to do is get rid of fiscal issues problematic for the republican party where they're made to look stupid and put the focus on the health care law, trying to put the focus on president obama's economic

record. that's what they're trying to do. democrats want to talk about the middle class, income and equality, raising the minimum wage. anytime spent talking about the health care law is a bad day for democrats and republicans are trying to make that the case moving forward. >> mark, besides plotting strategy for the november midterms, the democrats have been focusing -- discussion their legislative agenda. let me play what the president had to say about that. let's listen. >> there are some big things that we have to do that i cannot do through executive action, where we have to get congress and where the american people are on our side, a federal minimum wage law is one of them. another, though, is making sure that we have got a smart immigration policy in this country, that grows our economy, get pemz os people out of the s makes sure our businesses are thriving. and that's got to be a top priority. >> so, mark, house democrats are already talking about forcing a vote to raise the minimum wage. is that right?

>> well, that's what they want and certainly you might end up seeing the senate take action on that too, given that democrats are in control of that chamber. and the two things that president obama mentioned there, immigration reform as well as raising the minimum wage are the last two legislative items that can be achieved this year in this congress. and, of course, democrats are going to need some help. they need help from house republicans if they actually decide to put that on the floor and as far as the minimum wage goes. and some republicans might decide they want to be able to do something like that if they get something in return to take away minimum wages of potential issue for democrats come the november midterm elections. and then, of course, it comes to immigration reform, the question is what house speaker john boehner and republicans will do. will they end up bringing something to the floor, even something that goes halfway to the recently passed senate's measure that we saw last year and so when you're looking at legislative proposals, those are the two with realistic chances. though they're not strong chances of actually passage

happening because as luke was saying, a lot of republicans like the status quo and particularly think that if they bring immigration that could divide the house republican congress. >> mark and luke, thank you, both, very much. >> take care. have a good one. millions of people are dealing with the aftermath of the deadly winter storm that dumped a second round of snow along the east coast overnight and into this morning. the storm dumped as much as 28 inches of snow in some areas. it is also blamed for 21 deaths. in pennsylvania, this morning, slushy, slippery road caused a massive, get this, 100 car pileup that shut down part of the pennsylvania turnpike north of philadelphia. 23 people were sent to the hospital. in georgia, and the carolinas, 250,000 people are still without power today. two days after the storm coated trees and power lines with ice. meanwhile, the impact of the storm continues to ripple across the nation's airports. 1400 flights have been canceled today, bringing the week's total to more than 14,000 canceled

flights. for the overall economy this winter meant a $15 billion hit according to one estimate and believe it or not, some areas of the country have more snow on the way. that includes portland, maine, where we find nbc's ron mott. >> we are laughing around here because it just started snowing again. this is, like, perfectly timed for television. it stopped for a few hours. we thought this was the end of the storm. anyway, a lot of folks here are done with winter. this is new england. it snows a lot. and i had a gentleman come by this park. he is, like, is it may yet? i said, no, you have to wait -- got a storm tomorrow night, another storm possibly monday night into tuesday. so they are not done yet. they went over their annual average snowfall with this system. last night we were concerned about the wind. you can see the branches that have fallen off the trees here. this storm pretty much behaved wait it did along the seaboard as it came up here. we got seven, eight hours worth

of snow yesterday and it warmed up just enough where we got the mix, icy mix in there and went back to snow overnight. they canceled classes today, the fourth snow day here in the portland schools, so a few more days, now kids have to start thinking about how long into june perhaps they're going to have to go to school. they like the four-day weekend they're getting with this particular system. but, again, another system tomorrow. this one may be bigger. a real new england snowstorm that has the potential to dump 15, 16, 20 inches further up in northern maine. this is going to be a big weekend of snow for the folks in maine. great for the ski resorts and they're loving this. but for everybody else, they're done, they're ready to -- they're ready to see the tulle pz a tulle tulips come up. >> i would imagine people there are getting tired of this, even in maine, this winter has just been relentless. >> lost her in my ear.

>> oh, okay. >> we lost ron mott, but thank you for that report. we'll see you this. stay warm out there. let's bring in the weather channel's alex wilson. what do we have in store for the rest of this year as ron mott was just saying, people are definitely tired of all this stuff. >> some of the areas where they're used to seeing the snow, they're saying i'm over it, make it stop. and at least for parts of maine we have a lot more headed their way. right now you can still see we have rain or snow falling into parts of new england, up into parts of vermont, new hampshire, and through sections of maine. more is on the way. here is the storm system for tonight. snow from pittsburgh, eastward, snow back down to parts of west virginia. tomorrow, we have snow along the 95 corridor, snow showers further to the north. by tomorrow night, we'll be talking about heavy snow into sections of maine, parts of new england, dealing with the steadier snow, with snow showers further off towards the west. already have winter storm watch posted from boston out on to the cape, that also includes parts of rhode island, including the providence area, and here's what

we're watching for, much more snow on the way as much as a foot and a half into parts of maine, around the bangor area, we're talking about up to a foot. for new york city, an additional 1 to 3 inches possible. same for philadelphia. areas had already seen heavy snow, watching for more around the boston metro area. 3 to 5 inches of additional snow now as we head through the end of the weekend. so at least in terms of the next few days, no end in sight. places like new york city get the highs back to the 40s by the middle of next week. >> thank you so much. we're following developing news. the obama administration is now allowing banks to do business with licensed marijuana sellers. we'll get the update. plus this. >> the saying here is virginia is for lovers. and truly we are experiencing that today in a way that we never have before. >> there are celebrations in virginia after a judge struck down the state's ban on same sex marriage. next, why the ruling won't take effect just yet. and the nfl report on the

dolphins bullying scandal is out and it is being called even more scathing than what was expected. we'll have details. plus new reaction coming in. join our conversation on twitter, please. find us @newsnation. but in time you realize the better you eat, the better you feel. these days we both eat smarter. and i give jake purina cat chow naturals. made with real chicken and salmon, it's high in protein like a cat's natural diet. and no added artificial flavors. we've come a long way. and whatever's ahead, we'll be there for each other. naturally. purina cat chow naturals. if you have a business idea, we have a personalized legal solution that's right for you. with easy step-by-step guidance, we're here to help you turn your dream into a reality. start your business today with legalzoom. we're here to help you turn your dream into a reality. a steel cage: death match of midsize sedans. the volkswagen passat against all comers.

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unlimited downloads for up to 5 accounts and 10 devices all for $14.99 a month. ♪ . it is being called an historic moment for gay rights in the old south. a federal judge sided with two couples in virginia and struck down the state's ban on same sex marriage. those couples reacted just a couple of hours ago. let's listen. >> we filed this suit because although we have been together for more than two decades, we want our relationship to be recognized just like everyone else's. we want to be married. >> i have never been more grateful as a mother than i am today. knowing that our family will be recognized as one that is just as real and legitimate and ordinary as every other family in virginia. >> however, the judge's ruling isn't an all-out victory for same sex couples in virginia.

opponents same sex marriage v vowed to appeal the decision. nbc news justice correspondent pete williams joins us live. the judge used some pretty lofty language, didn't she? >> she did. she compared the bar against same sex marriage to the one in virginia that barred interracial couples from marrying and said they're equally unconstitutional. she made quite a comparison to that repeatedly talking about it. it is not surprising that the judge put a hold on her own ruling because you may remember what happened in utah where the judge there didn't put a hold on his ruling, the state asked the u.s. supreme court to do so, and the u.s. supreme court did put a hold on it as sonia sotomayor. the judge said, you know, i know what the supreme court did there. i'm going to do the same thing. solves any problem about what may happen to people who are married in the interim. this goes to the fourth circuit court of appeals, so now we have laws from at least three states in the appeals courts from -- before now, virginia, oklahoma,

utah and nevada, so it is going to be sort of a race to see which one gets to the supreme court first and whether the supreme court ultimately decides to take this case, wouldn't be this term, maybe next term. >> well, to your point, all this follows action in just the past couple of days concerning same sex marriage bans, also in kentucky, louisiana and alabama. what can you tell us about that? >> it is right. we have had now not only rulings on same sex marriage from places i guess you might predict it would come in the northeastern states, but utah was a surprise, now we had rulings by judges appointed by republicans, we had rulings on similar questions in kentucky. now the kentucky question was really not on marriage itself. but whether a state has to recognize a legal marriage performed elsewhere. but the language of the judge's ruling certainly indicated that if that question did come before him, it wasn't before him in that case, then the conclusion would be fairly obvious, that the ban on marriage itself would be unconstitutional. so these cases are filing all over the place, and it is moving

along very rapidly. >> pete, let's switch gears for a second on another issue. the obama administration has just issued new rules that are intended to ease the concerns of banks who want to deal with businesses that legally sell marijuana. what can you tell us about that? >> the banks have been reluctant to do this. the same federal government that regulates banks also says marijuana is against the law. so the banks haven't wanted to touch it, the marijuana dealers have been cash businesses. that provides quite an opportunity for thieves. so what the obama administration did today is both treasury and justice to say, look, here are some new rules, you have to look at the business that -- the marijuana dealer that wants to do business with you. does it have legitimate products, selling to reputable customers, following all the rules, not doing things we don't want them to do like sell to children or organized crime or either state. but if it is following all the rules, it gives banks in essence a safe harbor, not a guarantee they wouldn't be prosecuted, but it gives them all the reasons to go ahead and do it.

administration officials are saying this doesn't completely eliminate the risk, but if it gives bankers an opening if they want to do this business and some reason to be confident if they follow the rules, they won't be prosecuted for doing businesses with these marijuana dealers. and expect the demand for this to be heavy from banks in colorado and washington where recreational marijuana is now legal. >> that's all new territory, isn't it? pete williams, thank you very much. >> you bet. up next, how the miami dolphins are responding to the nfl's report into allegations of hazing and bullying. the report calls dolphins locker room behavior consistent with a case of workplace bullying. plus, jurors are now in day three of deliberations in the trial of michael dunn, the man accused of killing an unarmed teenager in a dispute over loud music. we'll get a live update from florida after this. seriously? the last thing you need is some guy giving you a new catalytic converter when all you got is a loose gas cap. what? it is that simple sometimes.

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surrounding the miami dolphins. a top look at stories around the nation today. a new report from the nfl's independent investigator ted wells found richie incognito and two other players john jerry and mike pouncey engaged in a, quote, pattern of harassment against jonathan martin along with another young offensive lineman and an assistant trainer. according to the report, the pattern include racist and homophobic slurs, explicit sexual remarks about their female family members, and improper physical touching. incognito's attorneys released a statement saying, mr. wells' nfl report is replete with errors. the facts do not support a conclusion that jonathan martin's mental health, dr. today is the anniversary of the shooting death of oscar pistorius' girlfriend. with his trial set to begin in less than a month, the olympic track star posted a statement on

his website saying, quote, the pain and sadness especially for reeva's parents, family and friends consumes me with sorrow. the loss of reeva and the complete trauma of that day i will carry with me for the rest of my life. president obama is on his way to california right now where he is set to tour parts of the state's central san joaquin valley crippled by severe drought. governor jerry brown declared a drought state of emergency and is seeking federal help to manage the state's existing water supply. jurors have now been deliberating for more than 16 hours in the trial of michael dunn, the florida man accused of killing a teen in a dispute over loud music. attorneys will no longer be able to wait in the courtroom for that verdict. there have been some concerns that jurors could hear what was happening inside the courtroom. dun dunn is facing multiple charges. dunn maintains he shot davis in

self-defense. nbc's kerry sanders joins me now from outside the courthouse in jacksonville. it seems to be some worry that maybe the jury could possibly be deadlocked in this case. >> reporter: well, you have to think at this point with everything they're discussing and looking at that they are pitched in some sort of battle because the charges that they could come back with, they could come back with guilty of first degree murder, second degree murder, it could be manslaughter or it could be not guilty. when you have 12 people on a jury, you have perhaps a lot of different opinions, and that's probably what is being worked out as they're looking at the jury forums. all trials in florida in the criminal division have six jurors except when you have a first degree murder case. so 12 people to come together with a consensus can indeed take some time. and consider that you have a very diverse group of people on this jury. seven women and five men, four are white men, four are white

women, two are black women, one is a hispanic man, and one is an asian woman. so you have quite a diverse group in there and while when they're picked to be on the jury, they're each told can you set aside your previous beliefs of everything so that you can consider only what is going on and presented in this courtroom. people bring with them a certain history that enters into that jury room. and everything that goes on in that jury room remains a secret unless the jurors decide to talk about it later. we may or may never know what is taking them so long and, again, some people like to think on a friday, that a jury, especially heading into a long weekend, may want to come back with a decision so that they can wrap this up as it were. but when they're looking at the heavy case here, which is potentially first degree murder, i suspect that the weight on their shoulders is to get it right and have the consensus because it must be unanimous. >> it is actually a sign that the jury is taking their job very, very seriously. but as you and i both know, we

both covered trials like this before, the weight is incredibly hard on the families involved. have you seen jordan davis' family inside the courthouse and if you have, how are they -- >> they're here, yeah. they're up on the fourth floor. they're in a separate room and they're basically staying away from everybody so i don't know exactly how they're doing. their attorney said they are here and that they're waiting to find out if there is going to be a decision today. and quite frankly, you can imagine they're anxious. as is the family for the accused here too. this community has gone through a lot. the state is under a microscope, with the stand your ground. a lot of people would like to see how had jury comes back to see what happens, especially in light of what they saw happen in the zimmerman case, where it was a stand your ground case and he was acquitted on those charges. >> kerry sanders, thank you so much. well, that does it for this edition of "news nation." "the cycle" is up next.

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it's valentine's day. why not heart "the cycle." mother nature, chill out. i'm toure. there is more snow on tap this weekend. i would have settled for a box of chocolates. >> president obama tells democrats let's get busy. he delivered a little love note to the party today. will they be true? >> true to sochi. be a sport. team usa gets a visit from, yes, russian president putin. i am ari melber. some of the biggest headlines to these games were events not planned. >> mr. wright, juilliard trained actor with international street credit and plays the leader of the free world. i'm abby huntsman. let the bingeing begin. >> all that, and toure tv may be tipsy today. right before, we're running down the best wines for your valentine evening. it is going to be a sweet friday here in "the cycle."

>> the weather has gotten so crazy, we had to develop a whole new graphics package to bring it to you. welcome, the storm cycle. loving this. our latest snowstorm is just about over with the exception of far northern new england and into canada. but in the before it dumped some pretty impressive totals. on average, about a foot in each of the big east coast cities. on top of the existing mounds of snow from a storm earlier in the week. now, even the hardiest northerners are saying, hey, enough is enough. >> how long you been shoveling in all day? >> all day. me and my dad, we spent like three hours. >> i don't think they had a full week for the last two months. >> like any small business, a day like this will hurt. but then hopefully we'll get people we get