as it is on college campuses, if they haven't looked at it, you can bet it's spreads through the campus very quickly, whether it's through the classroom or dormitory. this is probably all people are talking about right now. so we're coming up on the top of the hour. it is now 1:00 on the east coast. let's bring you up to date on exactly what's happening here on msnbc. at virginia tech, the site of the huge massacre that killed 32 people back in 2007, there's a report of shots fired and apparently it started in a parking lot. this is the alert, alert that has gone out and let me read to you the description of the suspect that is in that alert. described as a white male with gray sweat pants, gray hat with knee on green brim and maroon hoody and back pack on foot towards mccomas, call 911. they are still in search for the

suspect who fired shots. we do not know whether anyone has been hit. we do not know if anybody has been injured, but we do know there's a search on and obviously this was a report serious enough and confirmed enough that they decided that they were going to send out this alert. and they were going to tell people to essentially lookdown the college campus, a reminder of what happened back in 2007. it was a horrifying day there on the campus of virginia tech. that school shooting took place in essentially two separate attacks. approximately two hours apart. and the perpetrator sung cho killed 32 people and wounded 25 others, before, if you'll recall, committing suicide. the deadliest shooting incident by a single gunman in u.s. history. i'm chris jansing reporting live on this breaking news from our

msnbc headquarters in new york city. let me send it over to chuck who is sitting in for andrea mitchell today. chuck, thanks very much. >> you've got it. thanks. i'm chuck todd. here in washington in for andrea, we start off with the breaking news out of virginia where there is a report of shots fired at virginia tech university at the coliseum parking lot. school officials have alerted students to stay inside and lock their doors. it's full flej manhunt. white male, gray sweat pants with a gray hat with neon green brim and maroon hoody and back pack. in 2007, 32 people were killed when a gunman open fire in a classroom before committing suicide. 25 others were injured. we're going to be following this story and we'll be coming back here in a few minutes. we're back.

there's a lot of rumors running around twitter that's it more than shots fired. >> reporter: what i've been told by federal law officials this is the result of a traffic stop, i would caution these are first reports and as we learn more, sometimes these things get revised but the initial word to federal officials is that this was not some kind of student initiated random shooting like in the past but there was a traffic stop on campus and that as a result of that traffic stop, shots were exchanged, that is that the person who was stopped by the -- we presume campus police, fired at an officer and the officer returned fire. that both the officer and the suspect were involved in the shooting and that's the information that we have. we don't know whether the incident is over. we don't know whether the suspect fled.

we don't know the extent of the injuries to the suspect or the officer, that is to say, whether when they changed fire they wounded each other. that's the initial information that we have that this was a traffic stop on campus and that's how the shooting developed. it was not someone just walking around firing shots. >> and we don't know if those -- if anybody has been injured? >> correct, we don't know if the two people who were apparently involved, the officer and the suspect in the car were wounded or whether anyone else was wounded in the exchange of gunfire. i have no information to think that anyone else was caught up in this but that's what it appears to be, an escalation of a traffic stop. >> walk us through the reporting system. we know things have changed both on college campuses and how quickly this moves up the law enforcement chain of command. university puts this out then

what? >> well, those are two separate tracks. the university makes its own decision on when to send out the report to the campus community for people to stay locked down. that's the responsibility of the university of administration and of course as we've seen, we saw it over the summer and we've seen lots of changes to the virginia tech system, only this week there were people still saying they thought virginia tech needed to be more -- obviously the campus is very forward leaning when they get any reports of shots fired that they immediately put the reports out. that's one track. that's the administrative advising the community track. separately there will be the law enforcement response. our initial sense is that this was campus police that were involved but obviously there will be local police that will be brought in as well. and i think you can assume that federal agents will respond to the scene proactively just to see if there's any possible federal jurisdiction, may or may not be. >> pete williams following the story.

pete, if we've got updates we'll bring you back. to sum up, it was shots that were exchanged between a suspect and a police officer and the suspect appears to still be at large on campus, that it had to do and began after a traffic stop. again, when we get more information, we will share it. now let's move to politics. the daily fix today, team romney unleashed key surrogates to make the case against the new front runter newt gingrich. the romney campaign is retooling and making a full fledged pivot in south carolina. newt gingrich refused to fight back. >> i'm going to stay positive and talk about how we solve the country's problems and i have one opponent, barack obama. and i'm not -- that's how our campaign will keep moving forward. others are allowed to do what they want to. >> do you think he's attacking you on a personal level? >> no, he's fine. >> chris cillizza, managing

editor of politics.com. every four hours the story is moving and moving quickly. we saw this morning, the former governor who had his own back and forth with newt gingrich back in the day when he was white house chief of staff, he started this. newt not yet firing back. >> he's not, chuck. i think they are making the calculation at least at this point that behoofs newt gingrich to look like the bigger of the two candidates, and he's not trying to tear people down. he's trying to keep the focus on president obama. i would point out where the governor's rhetoric is pretty hot, raising questions whether newt was ready to be commander in chief. look at what the romney super pack has now put on television in iowa. it's an ad we expect them to spend more than $3 million between now and january 3rd. the ad attacks not newt gingrich

but barack obama. where the money is being spent by the romney campaign is still focusing on obama and not newt. it is the largest ad placed by an individual so far and more importantly, only rick perry has spent more money in iowa, $3.9 million. this $3.1 million ad. very quickly, it is hard not to see that the romney campaign is at least doing implicit comparisons with newt personally. i want to play a little bit of this new romney ad airing in both iowa and south carolina about his own marriage. >> people understand i'm a man of steadiness and constancy, i've been married to the same woman for 25 -- i'll get in trouble -- for 42 years. >> are we drawing too many conclusions to this? >> no, we're not. politics is about, he is especially when you get to this level, we're less than a month away from iowa caucuses, it's

about comparing and i don't think they will come out and say newt gingrich has been married three times and acknowledged an extra marital affair. they'll say he's a man of steadiness and constancy, lots more images like that to come. >> chris, thanks very much. let's bring in andrea sol, she joins me now. let me ask you right off the bat, are we drawing too many conclusions with the ad you're airing in new hampshire and iowa? >> yes, you are. that is a positive ad about mitt romney, what his values are. we ran similar ads in 2007. i'd venture to say every political candidate runs an ad like this in any time they are in a campaign. as you know, chuck, that debate clip was from a debate a few weeks ago when newt gingrich wasn't ahead in the polls. you're absolutely drawing too

many conclusions. this is a positive ad about the type of man that mitt romney is and why he would be great as a president to lead this country. >> i want to play a clip of john zu new new and what he thinks is the litmus test. >> true conservatives are sticking with paul ryan. the fact that paul ryan recognizes the value of mitt romney's plan and mitt romney has said he'll sign ryan's plan suggests there's a great team there to solve america's problems. >> this stems from what newt gingrich said, back in the summer he called to it right wing social engineering, he has since stepped back. do you think it's fair to hit

him when he apologized from that remark? >> he might have apologized but he doubled down recently saying what he said was true. not only did he pull the rug out from under paul ryan when the conservative cause needed him the most. he threw the conservative cause under the bus again recently and showed he was never apoll gettic about it in first place. as the governor said, mitt romney supported the paul ryan plan. he has his own plan which paul ryan has praised. we think at a time when conservatives need a leader, that newt gingrich threw paul ryan and the conservative cause under the bus and mitt romney stood up for it. >> it's fair to say you are running on the paul ryan plan. there are conservatives nervous about running on the paul ryan plan because a lot of seniors don't like it at first glance. >> mitt romney has produced his

own plan. i'll show you what his plan is. he praised paul ryan's plan and paul ryan praise d his plan. he does have his own plan for the general election and it's more than barack obama has done. president obama has failed this country and failed the economy. and that's why governor romney is running. he wants to get in the white house to create jobs and turn this mess around. >> all right, andrea saul, nice to talk with you. >> thank you. well, the president came out swinging today after some senate republicans blocked his nomination for the consumer financial protection board, payroll tax cut idea and also the idea that he appeases america's enemies. david gregory, it was a hot president. the first dwe was not about cordray, it was about the presidential campaign and what all of these presidentials said

about the president and apeacement, here's what he said. >> i will not take any option e options off the table when it comes to getting richard cordray in. why wouldn't we want to have somebody just to make sure that people are being treated fairly? when it comes to 12-year-olds or 13-year-olds, the question is, can we have confidence that they would potentially use plan b probably? >> the other thing he said was, ask osama bin laden. he used it. and it was -- he shows he was unafraid to use it. >> i think republicans will still have a difficult time coming at this president on foreign policy. you know, you could get into the new year and look at the pullout from iraq and sectarian violence there and look at afghanistan and maybe it becomes a new issue. but the truth is israel and the

united states have been shoulder to shoulder on the issue of iran and this administration has been there for them on the issue of iran. even where they have disagreements in other areas. i think it's going to be -- it's still going to be a difficult path for them but i don't think they will completely ignore it. >> now we're having the he saids he saids whether it comes to the payroll tax cut extension and richard cordray this was a move to think they are almost looking for a second bite at the apple at beating up on congress having something to run against. but we're going to get a deal. this feels like they are just -- >> we're talking about tax cut. there's no idealogical divide. >> how you pay for it, right. >> this is different, if people are watching it and hate congress, there's mountain before them which is tax hikes. >> it's just how you pay for it. >> he said yesterday, it was an implied veto threat but never said it when he said if the keystone pipe line is added to it. it sounds like republicans need to save phase.

they lost the messaging war and need to save face. white house knows this, don't they? >> they do. i think they'll keep the pressure on by threatening to keep him closer and closer to christmas. i do think the president wants to make the most of what he gained on the message peace. >> almost like we're winning, let's see if we can score one more touchdown. let's go to newt versus romney. what do you think? >> i think it's smart in this way. gingrich has made the calculation that romney is still having a difficult time with tea party supporters and the republican populist voters who have been anybody about romney. gingrich seems to be consolidating that vote. doesn't see the need yet to unload. if you're gingrich, why do you need to do that? you have the news media questioning romney's viability day in and day out. gingrich wants to look presidential and look disciplined now.

he's got a discipline problem. >> fascinating moment when he was asked, before he answered he said, well rc told me to the to do it, his press secretary. he doesn't want me responding on this. >> well you don't listen to your advisers. >> maybe i am, like the new disciplined newt gingrich. >> i will listen to my advisers, i will. >> what's coming up on sunday. >> we'll talk about ron paul. he's somebody -- mitt romney's secret weapon. >> may become his new best friend. we're going to debate this income and equality the president put on the table. this will be the big fight of the general election, fighting for the middle class. we'll talk to senators durbin and graham on the program as well. >> plus, you'll walk us through new polling. >> listening to lindsay, what he thinks is going on in south carolina. >> great show. right now on capitol hill, former new jersey and senator jon corzine is testifying looking into the massive bankruptcy of mf global.

in a statement corzine apologized and said he does not know where more than $1 billion of client's funds are right now. we're following the breaking developments out of virginia tech. school officials report via twitter that a police officer has been shot and here is a possible second victim following a traffic stop. the campus is on lockdown as they search for the suspect described as a white mail wearing gray sweat pants and maroon hoody and back pack. we'll keep tracking this and following the developments, we'll be right back. cium is best absorbed in small continuous amounts. only one calcium supplement does that in one daily dose. citracal slow release... continuously releases calcium plus d for the efficient absorption my body needs. citracal.

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the u.s. postal service is fighting for survival. in order to avoid bankruptcy,

massive cuts are planned. 28,000 postal workers would be laid off and first class made would be dramatically cut. how do you save the postal service? patrick donahue is the ceo of the u.s. postal service. it's interesting your title is ceo. can you run the postal service or do you have control board that is congress? >> we're trying our best to run it. there are being stake holders, there's unions and many customers and stake holders and we're doing our best to work through a number of issues. i think we'll be successful in the long run. >> it seems every day if you turn on c-span at 7:00 at night and the house is in session, all they are doing is passing bills to rename post offices, which for them is politically important to have every single zip code in their area to have a branch because if they don't, somebody is going to walk in the office and complain about it.

they are doing it for politics. how much of that micromanaging costs you money? >> here's the thing. we've been affected dramatically by two things, the most recent economic downturn has hurt us from a mail volume standpoint plus electronic diversion. people pay bills online. what that's caused by a 22% drop in volume. we've got a game plan, we've got to take $20 billion in cost out of the organization but we have to plan and part of it involves legislation on how to get there. >> what bob would be the most lock cal thing to do? cut down to five days a week, four days a week? >> all included. here's the thing, number one we have to pre-pay retiree health care benefits, $5.5 billion a year. we've got to plan and take our own health care over. >> you feel you can save some of that money, how much of it can you save? >> i can do two things, take the $5 billion prefunding down to a bill dollars and save $2 billion a year on health care.

this year we'll spend $7.4 billion on health care alone without the pre-funding. the other thing i need congress to do is help us move from six day to five-day delivery. >> you believe it has to be five. is it going to be monday through friday or could it be tuesday through saturday or monday, tuesday -- what is it that you guys are looking at when it comes to five day delivery? >> it's monday through friday. saturday is light and fedex and ups doesn't deliver on saturday. the think the american public would get used to having monday through friday delivery. >> when will this be resolved? >> we have legislation in the house and senate and the president has weighed in. it's a matter of getting everybody on the same page and get a good bill to come out of there. >> that is when, april, march? >> i would like to see it the sooner the better, february march at the later. >> all right, patrick done ahue, post master general and ceo. >> back in the day he was fdr's

campaign manager? >> that's right, jim farley. >> stay with us as we continue with breaking news out of virginia tech. a police officer has been shot and possible second victim has been reported near the campus. the campus is in lockdown as police search for a suspect described as a white male with gray sweat pants and gray hat with neon green brim with a back pack. ♪ and just let me be [ male announcer ] this is your moment. ♪ your ticket home [ male announcer ] this is zales, the diamond store. take an extra 10 percent off storewide now through sunday.

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attorney general eric holder was grilled by the house judiciary committee investigating a the atf's operation that allowed guns to be smuggled across the u.s./mexico border. holder did not defend the operation and said the incident had become plikized.

>> operation fast and furious appears to be a deeply flawed effort to respond to these challenges. as we work to avoid further losses and further mistakes it is unfortunate some have used inflammatory and inappropriate rhetoric about one particular tragedy that occurred near the border in an effort to score political points. >> the hearing intensified after sen senbremer raised questions about how truthful he had been in memos involved in the investigation. >> no one has lied. >> why was the letter withdrawn? >> because the information in there that was inaccurate. >> tell me what's the difference between lying and misleading congress in this context. >> well, if you want to have this legal conversation, it all has to do with your state of mind. >> mr. holder also denied that top justice officials were aware of inappropriate tactics. by the way, we have a lot of breaking news so we'll be right

back. virginia tech, penn state, donald trump all after the break. i stepped on the machine, and it showed me the pressure points on my feet and exactly where i needed more support. i had tired, achy feet. until i got my number. my dr. scholl's custom fit orthotics number. now i'm a believer. you'll be a believer, too. learn where to find your number at drscholls.com.

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as we told you lots of breaking news. this from pennsylvania, jerry sandusky has returned home after posting the $250,000 bail after his arrest on additional child sex abuse charges. the charges include involuntary xours and unlawful contact with a minor. both punishable up to 20 years in prison. school officials say a police officer has been shot and there's a possible second victim that has been reported at a parking lot near the campus. the school is in lockdown. a white male wearing great sweat pants and gray hat and maroon hoody with a back pack. if you see him, call 911. former new jersey governor and senator jon corzine is testifying own the massive failure of the financial firm that he used to lead.

the brokerage went bankrupt after a series of bad debts on europe. $1 billion is missing from clients acts. just moments ago he said he could not account for the money but did express remorse. >> as chief executive officer of mf global at the time of its bankruptcy, i truly apologize to all of those affected. >> here watching the hearing. what then could have happened to this money if he doesn't know where it went? >> reporter: that's the $64,000 question. we have an extraordinary spectacle on capitol hill today. remember that corzine is a former united states senator and he has been subpoenaed to appear before the house committee unwillingly. he didn't want to be here. he was forced to be here by the subpoena served on him. now he is explaining himself. he just finished the written part of hi preamble and going into the q and a session on what happened in this $1.2 billion in

missing money. a very important moment, he was asked, did you authorize a transfer of funds out of customer accounts? that's the question at the heart of all of this. corzine did not immediately say no. he said instead, i never inte intended to break any rules. we may have had a fairly important moment there. corzine's lawyers will likely have advised him not to testify at all today, to take the fifth because of the potential huge legal jeopardy. instead he's going the riskier route he is testifying and answering questions. >> already there's a whole bunch of threats of civil suits, both at mr. corzine personally and mf global. but i imagine what he just said there may only add fuel to this fire? >> absolutely. there's a huge investigation going on from the regulator to the fbi, a whole lot of folks are looking into this on the criminal and civil side, so the

potential legal jeopardy for mr. corzine is enormous. that's why the lawyers is he they would have recommends he take the fifth. he said as a former u.s. governor and senator, he think it would be inappropriate for him to come up here and take the fifth. he is answering those questions and that's going on right now. >> all right, get back into that hearing room, brother. >> yep. >> see you soon. house republicans are calling the president's bluff after he said he wanted a bill to extend the payroll tax holiday with no strings attached a day after president obama specifically warned presidents against clutd including a provision on the keystone pipe line. they did it anyway. >> the president says that american people can't wait on jobs. well, guess what, we agree whole heartedly with the president. the keystone pipeline project will create tens of thousands of jobs immediately. it has bipartisan support in the house and senate.

>> maryland democratic congressman chris van holen joins me now. if this is the price for getting the payroll tax holiday extension and unemployment benefits extension, this key stone pipeline which does have opposition in your party but also some support, is that too high a price? >> well, chuck, let's remember where the republicans were a week ago. first they were totally against the payroll tax cut. even though they pushed really hard for tax breaks for the folks at the top, they were willing for several weeks now to say we're going to increase taxes on 160 million americans. now after the president made very clear that he would not take any kind of bill that attached extraneous issues, the republicans decide to put that on anyway. what they are trying to do what they wanted all along, which was

to block the payroll tax cut from happening. they know the president drew the line on thissish why. he said let's deal with an issue cleanly. apparently you say they are calling his bluff but the only people getting hurt here are 160 million americans who won't see a payroll tax cut. >> do you believe key stone provision is a poison pill? >> the president has been clear. >> he did not directly issue a veto threat. he was careful. said he didn't want it, wouldn't support it but very careful. and then today we didn't hear a reiteration of the veto if it was truly a veto threat. and frankly, that does mean something, does it not? >> well, i think the administration statements have been very clear, that he doesn't want any extraneous provisions tied to a clean tax cut for 160 million americans. and again, we know what the republican plan was just a few weeks ago. it was to oppose the tax cut.

they've just found another way to try to accomplish that purpose by slowing this down. i predict at the end of the day they'll remove this provision in the senate and then the house republicans will have to face a very clear up or down choice on this. >> all right, at this point though, do you feel as if you've won the political argument here as you note? the language has changed but it does seem there's bipartisan agreement on unemployment insurance benefits and extending that and the payroll tax holiday. >> chuck, i am glad that the republicans are now saying they are for extending the payroll tax cut and that they are for extending unemployment compensation. it would be a little more sincere if they decided to not attach these other items to these provisions. and again, given where they were a few weeks ago on this, you have to ask yourself whether this is just a way to put these things at risk, to try to

prevent them from in fact happening given what the president has said. i hope that's not the case and i hope at the end of the day we'll be able to provide that tax cut for 160 million americans. >> but it's fair to say you'll vote no on this version of the house bill that probably does pass and get sent to the senate? >> that's right. i agree with the president. we should deal with this up or down vote. one of things i think the american people don't like about the congress is this effort to try to attach all of these christmas tree ornaments. let's address each of issues on their merits one at a time. i would have hoped that our republican colleagues would have seen the merit in extending this payroll tax holiday to 160 million. we know they've been fighting hard to provide tax breaks, permanent tax breaks for the very wealthy. they opposed efforts to try to pay for this by asking millionaires to pay a little bit more on the amount they earn over a million dollars. so they fought really hard there. but i'd like to see them fight

just as hard to have a clean up or down vote on unemployment compensation and the payroll tax cut. >> will you support paying for this extension by any -- in any other way that doesn't include some sort of tax increase on the wealthiest? >> well, i think that we should continue to fight on that issue. now, as you know, the senate democrats have included some other what we call pay fors, provisions to pay for this, including increasing so-called guarantee fees for fannie and freddie, i think there are additional things we can do. but i still think we should point out to people, that whenever it comes to asking, you know, folks at the top, the millionaires to pitch in more, republicans double down in their opposition even as they drag their feet on providing this payroll tax cut to every working american, 160 million americans. look, i hope our senate democratic colleagues will keep fighting on that issue, even as we look for ways for reasonable

compromise. but what the republicans are doing here in the house, is simply as you said, calling the president's bluff except for i don't think he's bluffing. he wants a clean up or down vote for the american people. >> okay. congressman chris van hollen, always nice to talk with you. >> good to be with you. >> we continue to follow the breaking news as the search continues at virginia tech where school officials say a police officer has been shot following a traffic stop. a possible second victim has been reported. the school has alert the students and faculty to stay indoors and lock their doors. the suspect described as a white male wearing gray sweatpants and maroon road hoodie and back pack. >> a 20-year-old murder suspect is facing charges that he abducted and killed a 7-year-old girl. he was arrested yesterday after investigators found the young girl's body in a trash

compacter. in germany, a mailbox was sent to the ceo of deutsche bank. this is andrea mitchell reports, only on msnbc. what is this shorty? uh, tissues sir, i'm sick. you don't cough, you don't show defeat. give me your war face! raaah! [ male announcer ] halls. a pep talk in every drop.

i'm tamron hall, president obama defends kathleen sebelius after she overrules the fda decision to allow girls under the age of 17 to buy the morning after pill over the counter. i'll talk with irwin about the fallout over this decision. a heated exchange between eric holder and some republican lawmakers over the fast and furious operation. holder says tactic's views were inexcusable but believes these lawmakers are trying to score political points. plus, is this how rick perry hopes to climb out of the bomb the bottom?

>> gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate christmas. >> we'll talk about perry's new ad up on "news nation." tamron hall gives me a great transition to rick perry. rick perry is the latest candidate to say no to donald trump's december 27th debate. in a statement ray sullivan said governor perry talked to donald trumps and respects him and the folks at news max. there are two debates in the next seven days and traditional retail campaigning in the days and weeks leading up to the caucus is the perry campaign's top priority. they said no, mitt romney said no. so far the only confirms are newt gingrich and rick santorum. maybe it turns into one of the lincoln douglas debates which means donald trump would have to be a time keeper. president obama offered a

powerful response to republicans who questioned his foreign policy and whether he's too weak to take on america's enemies like iran. >> ask osama bin laden and the 22 out of 30 top al qaeda leaders who have been taken off the field whether i engage in apiecement or whoever is left out there. ask them about that. >> william cohen served as defense secretary under president clinton and currently the chairman and ceo of the cohen group. that was -- everybody wondered how would the obama president obama use this big foreign policy victory of his, osama bin laden if it came up in a political campaign. i think we heard the response. >> well, clearly he will use that during the course of the campaign, but frankly it's going to be old news by that time. he got a one week or two week bump if that with the news. it was something that republicans have been

longstanding commitment to try to achieve president bush, smoke him out, dead or alive. the president produced on that. that's been discounted at that point and the attack will come that he's weak on foreign it will -- with respect to iran, wwe have to take care. we have to approach this with some care and prudance and not say it's time to get tough, let's start cranking up the weapons and go after iran on a military basis. i think there are other options that have to be pursued leaving the military option very much on the table but putting it certainly last among the option to be pursueded. >> secretary cohen, it's interesting watching this campaign with the republicans, this is the only issue they seem to bring up on foreign policy, any form of foreign policy question, they might answer it if it's not about israel and

iran. whatever the question is. then they turn it no to israel and iran. it is a base republican party issue more than it is an actual foreign policy disagreement, is that a fair way to put it? >> i'm not sure there's any disagreement on what to do. i have not heard any of the candidates to date say that we should exercise the military option at this point. they are talking about getting tough. one way to get tough with iran is to get the chinese and russians on board to impose serious sanctions. they haven't been there yet. to that extent it's a foreign policy issue. we have to make it very clear to the russians and chinese, unless they are winning to crack down on iran to prevent them going forward on the nuclear weapons program, then the military option does become a more plausible option for the israelis and others to pursue, including the united states. absent that, i don't know of any republican at this point calling for an attack. if that's the case, i think we

have to call into question exactly what are the consequences of this and untoward consequences and predictable consequences. i think this is something worth a foreign policy debate rather than policy debate rather than saying let's get tough. >> i want to shift gears to pakistan. the pedestrian of pakistan, one of the three leaders of the country unofficially and the way this country looks. he is in dubai and suffered a heart attack and seems to be a lot of what i call -- i feel like there is a bunch of kremlinologists out there trying to figure out if something else is going on. too many conspiracy theories and maybe he had a health problem. >> sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. it may be a health problem. we don't know at this point. it's mixed reporting and i summer don't have information to let me to believe this is part of his scheduled departure

because things are not going well. time for him to get out of the country and let things unfold. i don't know that to be the case. i haven't heard any reporting either from the administration or other sources to say that's the case. we are all living in a world of speculation right now. >> all right, secretary bill cohen and former republican senator from maine. good to get your perspective, sir. thank you. more on the breaking news at virginia tech. the school newspaper is reporting the shooting suspect has been apprehended. a university spokesman said two people were killed in the shooting on campus. more developments as we get them. we'll be right back.

good morning and welcome to "morning joe"! i made an oath -- i didn't make an oath just to my wife, but to god when i married my wife. i think it's an important issue, but the american people will figure out these issues and work their way through them.

>> there it is. which political story will make headlines in the next 24 hours. managing editor joins us. it looks like it's the headline that everybody is gunning for newt. that was rick perry not so subtle jab at speaker gingrich's multiple marriages. >> while i think it's important, but i will leave it to the american public to judge. the raising of an issue. i am always skeptical of how you do this. as a political reporter you hear about the various things out there and this is going to be the end for this or that candidate. newt's marriages are something that i think are well-known in the political community. how well-known are they in the activist community, the people who will come vote. we know about it, but do they care? >> the new rick perry ads are

going after newt on that front and talking about christianity and going after the evangelical support. if you were mitt romney, isn't that what you want, one of the other conservative candidates sneaks in a victory. >> who would think rick perry would be mitt romney's best friend in this. it shows you how unpredictable with the romney alternative. >> we will see who is friends. my enemy might be my enemy in this case. thank you, sir. that does it for this busy edition. my friend is back tomorrow. my colleague tamron hall is up next. take it away. big breaking news. >> we have a lot to talk about. great show. thank you. the fight of the morning after pill. health and human services kathleen sebelius to make the morning after pill available to girls under 17.

why some progressives are criticizing the obama administration saying the decision boils down to a fear of teenagers having sex versus public health. why is russian prime minister putin going after secretary of state hillary clinton and we have new details on the breaking story out of virginia tech. two confirmed fatalities. we have the latest for ow "news nation." ♪ [ female announcer ] we never forget the nearly 12 million cancer survivors in america today... and the countless lives lost. we owe it to them to protect funding for cancer research, prevention and access to care. congress, make cancer a priority and give millions of americans what they need most. ♪ and just let me be [ male announcer ] this is your moment.

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