this president doesn't get how his policies are hurting america. >> i'm joined now by "washington post" editorial writer and msnbc contributor, jonathan capehart and by "usa today" reporter, jackie kucinich. happy friday. i think actually after all the social issue stuff, jonathan, that this tax debate is going to get interesting. there's general agreement that the system is broken, so when mitt romney says a flatter, broader based takz system, it sounds good, but where is this going? >> we'll hear what he has to say, then you have to put it up against what rick santorum is proposing. what the president is proposing. his budget for 2013. clearly, as you said, everyone know that is the tax system the broken, it needs to be fixed. it's just a matter of how and in the days ahead, we're going to find out whether what he's saying, if it not only sounds good, but if it is good fiscal policy. >> here's the problem i see with

this and i consider myles in many ways, just the typical voter. these plans, they're complex. you see these people who are lot smarter than i am about how you calculate this stuff. you know, what's going to be good, what's going to be bad. who's plan is going to sell? is it really about a details or is it about the ability to sell it? >> probably a lilt l of both. right now, we don't know how romney's plan raises revenue. we don't know how it's going to pay for things yet. i think we're waiting to see how that happens. i think it's a good message, but also, i think voters are just interested in content. you hear them, in congress, the read, the bill stuff and all of that. i think people are going to take a good look at this plan because the economy is such a big issue. >> could it be we're going to pivot away from the social issues on the republican side? >> sure, unless someone says something or something is is dredged up from someone's past. but more to the point of what you were saying and what jackie

was saying, remember 9-9-9? sounds great, but when you get into the details, which there weren't many, it was very lacking. when you asked the candidate, get beyond 9-9-9, he couldn't talk about it, so it is very important. what specifically these plans do. >> there is an argument to be made that romney and republicans, jackie, start this fight at a deficit. the president outmaneuvered them on the payroll tax cut. the signs do point to an inproving economy and there is no indication is there that this romney plan is bold? republicans like tom coburn argue that the party needs a bold plan. i think romney, from what we're hearing, seems to be sticking with don't deviate from what's safe. >> i also think he wants to make sure he can do it, you know. he wants to -- i was -- i saw this morning some of the proposals he had. they're do abl. they're safe. but you know, with bold plans

comes the devil is in the details. jonathan mentioned mccain plan where they said that you know, what about people who aren't paying taxes or people -- in the lower income brackets. just kind of make it up as he went along saying they won't pay taxes. the romney campaign wants to avoid that kind of okay, those people, too. tack ons and details. >> let me bring in peter alexander who is in detroit ahead of mitt romney's speech today before the economic club there. so, peter, what is the romney campaign hoping to get out of this speech? >> two big challenges over the course of this. first one is to get across their economic message. romney has had a challenge throughout the course of this campaign specifically with fiscal conservatives. he will make the point he wants to lower taxes. he wants to cut spending. he wants to reform entitlements over the course of the day, but this is going to be a challenge for him for a variety of

reasons, not the least of which that he's doing it here in detroit. a place where the auto bailout was really popular. a bailout he opposed and only a short distance from where we are, the democrats and some members of the unit ed auto workers union are now preparing a big protest rally where they're putting about 26 american made cars on the top of a parking garage spelling out the words romney, let detroit go bankrupt. it's attacking his opposition to the bailout, referring to an op-ed "the new york times" a couple of years back. >> peter, thank you, as we are waiting for that speech to start a couple of hours from now. jonathan, so here's the problem i think. the strategy has been for mitt romney to pretty much keep it safe and he's had to do that fighting a whole series of candidates. the latest of which is rick santorum, but he hasn't been able to convince people that he really is the one to go up against barack obama. right? >> right. is he the one, but not just the one to go up against barack obama, the republican, with

primary voters, they want to be sure that he is the conservative to go up against barack obama. >> i was just showing you that jeb bush and something that we're just seeing said among other things, i used to be a conservative and i watched these debates and i'm wondering i don't think i've changed, but it's a little troubling sometimes when people are appealing to people's fears and emotion rather than trying to get them to look over the horizon for a broader perspective and that's kind of where we are. he didn't name names, but certainly, a criticism of right now what's going on in the republican side. >> right. among all the candidates, we just spent the last couple of weeks talking about contraception and abortion and all sorts of hot button social issues that you know, deal with a lot of fear, some fear mongering, but also unsettling issues. and here, you have an elder statesman within the republican party saying look, i have haven't changed. but there's stuff going on here

that really concerns me about the party and as you and i were talking before the show as you said, his father was president. his brother was president. he knows how these campaigns work and so for him to step out and say, hey, hey, hey, something's not right here, i think the party should listen. >> i think the other thing that occurs to me is four years ago when barack obama and hillary clinton were in a slug fest, supporters on both sides woul tell you then they had two strong candidates. they would say this shows you deep the democratic bench is. you don't hear that now with the republicans, but you hear is jeb bush coming out and you know, he has stay t independent in this. hasn't endorsed anybody. criticizing the way this is going. >> when you talk to voters, they are so just unhappy with what's going on with this administration. republican voters, that's who i've been talking to on the campaign trial. they want a contest and i don't think some of them, the ones that you see kind of swinging from cain to santorum to

gingrich, they don't see enough of a contrast with romney and you saw a little bit of that concern go away after the jacksonville debate where he showed some fire. i think they want that fire and say what you will about it, but i think there's not enough of a contrast for some especially very conservative republican voters now. i don't know how romney gets there. his supporters say he's a business man. he's conservative, but i don't know that for the more evangelical part of the party, that's enough right now. >> mitt romney's problem is he's a conservative compared to president obama. but for conservatives, they don't trust him because on a lot of, on key fundamental issues that are important to conservative voters. mitt romney has been on the opposite side of those issues in the past. whether it's gay rights, pro-life, choice issues, the environment and other things where people think, wait a minute, it's okay to change your position on one fundamental

issue, but three or four, makes me leery of you. >> there are some mind fields out there for the president even in the economy. the most obvious is rising gas price is. let me bring in jared bernstein and a senior fellow at the center on budget and policy priorities. good morning. >> good morning. >> gas prices are up another three and a half cents from yesterday. 27 cents from a month ago. republicans are sensing a big opening here. i want to play for r you a clip of both the president and newt gingrich on the campaign trial. >> only in politics do people root for bad news. they greet bad news so enthusiastical enthusiastically. we're not going to overnight solve the problem of world oil markets. there is no silver bullet. there never has been. >> now, that's just wrong. defeating obama is a single

thing that would change everything. >> well, it's a good line there. some debate about how much a president can do, so let me ask you this. how different are these rises gas prices to the recovery and i guess it ties in to the president's re-election strategy. >> they're a significant threat to the recovery and the recovery is critical to the president's strategy, but when i say significant, i don't think they're a tangible threat right now. it really depends on where these prices are going. the president is absolutely right. there's nothing anyone can do to wave hands to make those prices come down, but the way economists tend to think about this is that the price of oil goes up $10 a barrel, that saves a couple of tebt tenths off gdp growth. is the underlying economy stable enough to take that magnitude of a hit and the answer is probably, but you really don't want that kind of insecurity

right now. >> and let's not play that game. let's not find out. obviously is what we prefer, but in the meantime, you've got newt gingrich promising gas. elect me president, gas will be $2, $2.50 a gallon. i want to play something else the president said about that. here's his take on newt gingrich and the republicans in general for dealing with gas prices. >> step one is to drill and step two is to drill and then step three is to keep drilling. anybody who tells you that we can drill our way out of this problem doesn't know what they're talking about or just isn't telling you the truth. >> well, i mean, whone of the problems for the president is that the xl pipeline is popular. an overwhelming majority, the idea, but do you think that the president strategically and factually is giving out the right message there?

>> i actually do, but i don't think he's giving it out strongly enough on the factual side in the following sense. people probably don't know this. you would be very hard pressed to find a president who has done more to promote domestic production of oil and gas than president obama. for the first year in many decades, we actually exported more petroleum products than we imported. we're actually importing less crude oil than we used to. now, it's 50%. that's too high. but this guy actually has great street crede when it comes to domestic production and he's trying to do some useful things on the conversation side. i would say these guys are are attacking me on the basis of drill, drill, drill. i've been doing that. and the prices are clearly a global matter. iran is in the mix and he's right. that's nothing that you can wave your hands and get to $2. that's just nuts.

>> jackie, is the problem the president may be having here, not what he's doing, but the way he's messaging snit. >> perhaps. gas prices are tricky. earlier this year and this is definitely going to be a huge issue going into the summer if we're looking at 5.50 gasoline. and you're going to be hearing congress screaming, too. there's going to be a lot of noise this summer. >> and you heard talk about this at the debate, that there's almost $6 gas in just a couple of stations around orlando, florida. is it going to be $5 a gallon? >> i would be amazed if the national average got up that high. i was looking at forecasts yesterday. the folks who look at this closely don't expect things to get above $4. now, they could be wrong, but the thing to keep in mind is there's a couple of pressure valves that we haven't really talked about. china's a big energy consumer. they've been growing a bit more

sl slowly and pulling in less energy. also, interestingly, drivers have been responding in a more elastic way than in the past. they're driving a bit less. when prices go up than they used to. they're a bit more responsive. maybe buying more fuel efficient cars, so there has been some pressure valves. i'd be just shocked if we saw anything nationally in the $5 range. >> there are people who hope you're right about that. we have a will the of folks who drive in from jersey. great to see you. always a pleasure to have you. now, we shouldn't say it's all about the economy because a new front has opened in the battle over birth control. seven states are now suing the obama administration over that new mandate requiring birth control coverage for employees of religious affiliated hospitals, schools and other programs. they're making a first amendment argument. the obama administration says

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mitt romney, then again last night speaking to voters in michigan. >> one of the first things that i'll do actually on day one is i will end the government's favoritism toward unions on contracts and i will fight to repeal davis bacon. didn't know that was going to get that kind of response. i just said that earlier. >> joining me now, rebecca pringle with the national labor association with more than 2.7 members. good to see you. >> good morning, chris, how are

you? >> it's a specific promise romney is making and he wasn't the only one who's gone after unions around the campaign trail. what's your reaction? >> well, i was very disappointed when i watched the debate in arizona the other night when once again, governor romney took on unions and tried to separate the teachers and bus drivers and counselors who work so hard every day to make sure our kids arrive to school safely and have the learning environment that they need to succeed. >> in the speech last night, he said i have nothing against union workers. it's the bosses that i think are the problem. >> i guess that's you. >> i'm a teacher. a science teacher from harrisburg, pennsylvania for 31 years and i have to tell you, i take offense to those kinds of comments. i depend on my union to help me be a collective voice for our students and for our schools. we are the -- members like sarah

ferguson, this network did a great job of bringing her story to the american people where our unions, both our teachers and esp unions in chesterland, pennsylvania, voted to stay on the job without pay because they knew our kids had no other options. these are the men and women who dedicate their lives to the nation's children every day because they you said they are the future of america. >> mitt romney talks specifically about the teachers unions. let me play what he said. >> with regards to no child left behind, the right answer this, president bush said the teachers unions don't want school choice. i want school choice to see who was succeeding and failing. he was right. there are things that should change. but we have to stand up to the federal teachers unions and put the kids first and unions behind. >> the clarification is that unions like yours serve

teachers, not students. >> if you look at our history, we have been out in the forefront of making sure that every student gets the kind of education they deserve. we've done incredible job focusing on our lowest performing school in which the national education soes calls our priority schools, to make sure that the adults in the building, the parents in the community, the administrators and the policymakers are all coming together to provide the resources that our stupts need. we are the -- you know, these kind of tactics have been tried before where politicians have tried to separate our members from their union. but they are not fooled by that and i know the american people are not going to be fooled by that. we represent the middle class of this country. and we want to make sure that we have elected officials that understand that we are the backbone of america and we have to invest in our children if we're going to have the kind of

bright future we all want. >> we should say your union backed the president for re-election back in july. so even before we had any idea who the republican might be, we could say we still don't know who the republican is going to be, but then the nea passed a resolution outlining 13 areas where your union disagrees with the policies of secretary dunk can. do you think that the rank and file are going to get out and work for the president for this election? >> absolutely because our members care about their kids. the communities, their schools and what we're doing at the nea is making sure they have the information and our members are informed voters and we're making comparisons between the candidates who are running, the highest elected position in this country. >> let me stop you there because i think that's one of the criticisms and steve forbes was on this program yesterday and he compared the donations you make to political candidates to the

billionaires who contribute to super pacs and the implication is that obviously, you're buying political influence here. and there's been criticism, strong criticism, it's almost a talking point on the republican side, about the money that's from dues that is given to political candidates. mitt romney would like to see that outlawed. >> let me tell you, chris, our greatest asset at the nea is that we have over 3 million members and we have members in every single congressional district in this country. that is our asset. those are the resources that we're going to be using in this election and we're going to make sure that they are informed about the candidate's positions on education. making sure that we get the kind of funding we need to that not one, but every student has the r resources they need to be successful. that's what our members care about and that's how they will vote come this november. >> rebecca pringle, it's good to

see you. thank you. gay marriage proponents are celebrating another victory after the maryland state senate voted for same-sex marriage. governor martin o'malley has vowed to sign it into law and then maryland would be the eighth state along with the district of columbia aloeing gay marriage. who are the your business entrepreneurs of the week? seven years ago, jesse bought a run down staten island movie compl complex. they upgraded with new seating, state-of-the-art technology and lobby renovations. it is now one of the few remaining independent complexes in the new york city area. my name is robin. i'm a wife, i'm a mom... and chantix worked for me. it's a medication i could take and still smoke, while it built up in my system. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation,

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every innovation, every solution, comes together for a single purpose -- to make the world a safer place. that's the value of performance. northrop grumman. it looks like the john edwards will never see the light of day. a settlement has been reached between rielle hunter and andrew young. a judge ordered the tape destroyed within 30 days, but edwards still faces a long list of charges that ended his political career. marco rubio on many short lists for the vice presidential nomination was baptized in the mormon church before converted to kai thol when he was 14. he plans to make the revelation in his up coming mem oir.

and they've refused to criticize each other in the slug fest leading the speculation there's some kind of deal. paul throws his support to romney in exchange for political favors for his son. but here's the reaction of romney supporter tim flent pawlenty on "morning joe." >> think about ron paul cuttinging a deal as an insider to get some political favors. >> he's a father. he's a father. >> come on. probably the last person to quote unquote cut a back room deal in american politics would be ron paul. >> president obama's million dollar man. bill maher has donated a million bucks to the obama super pac. the mega donation comes just a couple of weeks after the president gave his super pac his blessing to bring in the big money. and february is black history month. on this day, 1964, mohamed ali coined one of the most memorable

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in the trial of a former rutgers student using a web cam to spy on his encounter with another man. msnbc's craig melvin is live in new brunswick, new jersey, so what's the defense strategy today? >> defense strategy, in fact, i

just talked to steve altman during a break. their strategy is to say that the 19-year-old who's on trial here, that he is a college prank center. that he is not a homophobic boy. that is what we are going to hear over the next few weeks. the trial started this morning. opening statements going on now. we expect to see or hear from a number of witnesses after their statements today. i also asked steve altman why the defense passed on a plea bargain that had been offered. last month, the state offered aavi six months, no jail time. altman telling me they passed because his client is innocent. let me bring you up to speed. this of course, a case that brought to the forefront cyber bullying and homophobia, but again, fall of 2010, college roommates, freshman roommates at

rutgers university. tyler clemente and ravi didn't know ocho other before they started going to the university. three or four weeks in, one night, clemente sends a text message or says he wants to use the room. ravi sets up a camera and then proceeds to watch what you described as an intimate encounter with another man. in addition to watching that, he shares it with friends, tweets about it, texts about it and days after that, tyler clemente committed suicide by jumping from the george washington bridge. so he faces 15 counts in addition to innovativasion of p, witness tampering. if convicted, he faces ten years in prison. >> thank you so much for that update from the courthouse. now to other stories people are are talking about right now. he was accused of drowning his new wife while scuba diving in australia on their honeymoon.

34-year-old dave watson relieved after the judge dismissed the case saying it would be impossible to prove murder beyond the reasonable debt. the fathers had very different reactions to the ruling. >> conclusion that dave did nothing to harm his wife. >> we're disappointed in the fact that there was a lot of suppression of evidence about the defense, obviously. >> watson was facing a sentence of life without parol if convicted. an 8-year-old washington state girl is still in critical condition after she was shot when a gun went off in the backpack of a classmate. it's now up to the judge to decide if the case against the 9-year-old should go forward. he was in court yesterday crying and wearing an orange jump suit. his father said quote, it was a terrible mistake. winter has arrived in the midwest.

more than 150 flights have been canceled at chicago's o'hare airport. delays are mounting after about six inches of snow and the snow is moving east into new england. new protests breaking out for a fourth day in afghanistan over the burning of k ororans a u.s. military base there. take a look at this new video taken today by our nbc news crew. thousands of protesters are out in the streets in two provinces. let's go live to kabul and atia. does this show any signs of letting up? >> reporter: well that's a big question that remains. many hope that the violence will slow down. the protests will slow down. as tomorrow is the beginning of the workweek here in afghanistan, many expected today to be the most violent day we have seen and the largest casualty figures. at least ten died throughout the country. the reason many thought today

would be the most violent day, it is friday. the holiest day for muslims and the muslim world. when many of them go to mosques and listen to sermons. they were mullahs out in afghanistan telling people to go and protest, but there were other mullahs in mosques telling them it was not worth it. violence forbids killing anyone, including westerners, so many people happy with these mullahs who tried to quell the violence, but we have to also give credit where credit is due. the afghan security forces throughout the country were out in full force anticipating the violence and in fact, when we were out, it was the afghan army who protected us as the riders were coming towards us and them and western compounds. >> did you have a chance to talk to them? i was reading in the "washington post" and they talked extensively and agreed with your assessment, that they have

really done a lot to keep this under control as much they can, but they say they're doing it in spite of the fact that many of them agree with these protesters. >> reporter: that's an interesting point you made, chris. we went with an afghan crew. if any westerners went out, the feel was that the protesters would go after those westerners and in fact, some of the people in the army might allow them to go after them. the fact that i speak the language, the fact we had an afghan camera man will be to help the afghan army, they let us run at the protesters were coming near. the army mere, many of the police officers, the shootinging we saw yesterday was because an afghan army soldier was angry at the u.s., but many feel that they should demonstrate that they should do it peacefully. >> thank you so much and take care over this. i want to bring in to talk more about the situation unfolding as well as other violence in the

region, foermer ambassador, mark ginsburg. these have been afghan civilians and not the taliban as many might expect who are behind this. give me your take on what's happening right now? >> there's no doubt that throughout the arab and muslim world, the burning of thekoran is a -- act. i would get down on my hands and knees if it meant saving one more american life and to make sure that apology was carried out and broadcast as wide as possible. >> let me stop you there. i want to make sure people, that we know that the president did send this letter of apology to meet karzai. he called the incident inadd ver tant, promised to hold those involved accountable.

>> yes, it's clear that there are some mullahs in afghanistan who clearly advised today to not go out and engage in violence, but it shows you what's going on as a dee tier ration of support in the afghany people and nato. and that's the real problem. we just put one spark to this and then you see the evidence to this and it raises a broader question of what to do about the dilemma the obama administration faces right now. >> violence also continues in syria, where activists there say two more people have been killed in homs after the government renewed bomb attacks on that state. so let me bring in richard engel, here the border with syria and let me ask you first of all what the situation is there as we know it in syria, richard. >> reporter: the situation is very desperate.

activists -- neighborhood, which is the worst hit part of homs. he put the death toll today at 15. there are fires in the city. they are running out of food. he is living on onions for the last two days. says he's been going outside and other people in the city of homs and picking the shrubs to try and create some sort of nourishment. there is a desperate situation. while we were talking on the phone, he said i think i'm going to die. i have to go. there are explosions and we could hear explosions as the phone line cut out. they are pleading for immediate assistance and they are to a degree encouraged by what is going on in tunisia, they think it's a step in the right direction, but they need urgent assistance otherwise, they think they're going to be wiped out. >> you're speaking of this international conference going

on today in tunisia. >> reporter: it is a conference involving 60 plus nations. hillary clinton is there. they are calling for an immediate cease fire and for an aid convoy or humanitarian corridor to allow in relief supplies into syria. the problem is nothing very quick is likely to come of it. turkey is already discussing when it's going to host the next conference. so the people think yes, this is the right direction. we need to have a humanitarian passageway, but they need it in the next few hours, not weeks. there is not even consensus among the people, the key players who would have been representative at the conference, russia and china are boycotting this conference and

russia says we should have talks. there should be a consensus to allow humanitarian relief, but by not being at this conference, it's not putting its full weight behind this effort to put pressure on bashar al assad. >> thanks to you. i want to go back to you just briefly, mr. ambassador, so what can the international community do? >> there's many things that could be done in the absence of a security council, including a recognition of a syrian national council. delegitimizing the syrian government and most importantly, the russians are engaged in the diplomatic equivalent of felony murder. they're still shippinging in arms to give the syrian army. we have seen this from satellites. we should be calling them on the carpet of the united nations. there should be a real effort to open up humanitarian corridor, i just came back from turkey two days ago, the government is going to have to do more. it's talking the talk, but not walking the walk of opening these corridors. and in the final analysis, all

of these things are going to have to be done, but it's not going to stop the showing unless there's military intervention and that is highly unlikely. >> it is always good to have you, thank you. there has been a setback in what's been a much improved outlook on the jobs market. brian sullivan is here with what's moving your money and it is the postal service pushing ahead with a cost cutting plan and proctor and gamble has just announced cuts as well. >> yes, not the kind of news you want to hear on friday, but that's what we have to do. proctor and gamble cuttingbout 5,700 jobs. all part of about a $10 billion cost cutting plan. going to be tough for the folks in ohio. then the post office. i know you guys have documented their problems very well. basically, consolidate 260 mail processing centers. regional centers. that's going to result in about 35,000 job cuts. we know the financial wows that

the post office has been undergoing. there's been talk of no saturday delivery. about 35,000 cuts, another 5,700 at proctor and gamble. 41,000 total job cuts. not what i normally like to do. >> we thank you for that update. a pepsi helping to revive the cola wars and bring back drinkers with its biggest launch in years. bring on pepsi next. about half the calories of regular pepsi. soda sales have been sliding because people have been moving away to sugary drinks to healthier options. it should hit shelves by the end of march. the employee of the month isss... the new spark card from capital one. spark miles gives me the most rewards of any small business credit card. the spark card earns double miles... so we really had to up our game. with spark, the boss earns double miles on every purchase, every day. that's setting the bar pretty high. owning my own business has never been more rewarding.

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in here, the landscaping business grows with snow. to keep big winter jobs on track, at&t provided a mobile solution that lets everyone from field workers to accounting, initiate, bill, and track work in real time. you can't live under a dome in minnesota, that's why there's guys like me. [ male announcer ] it's a network of possibilities -- helping you do what you do... even better. ♪ on the agenda next hour, can you say broker convention, anyone? jeb bush slamming the gop presidential field. does he have plans of jumping in

the race himself? the fight for michigan as mitt romney prepares for a major economic speech. team obama is on the ground and slamming his opposition to the awe though bailout that slammed detroit. and rick santorum a lady's man? why he is surging with women despite his opposition to contraception. plus, the big vote in virginia on the controversial ultrasound bill. national journal is out with its list of most liberal and conservative members of congress. they represent the extreme sides of the republican and democratic parties. reed wilson is editor in chief of the national journal's hot line. how are you this morning? >> well. >> what gets a member of congress to the top of the list for most conservative or liberal? >> sure. we looked at every vote, both the house and senate took this year and you take out the ones that are the observe, names a post office or congratulating a sports team.

take a look at the votes that really divide the two chambers and the people who defect here and there might build a more conservative or r liberal voting record than some of their colleagues. >> any of the names on the list surprise you? >> what surprises me is just the number of names on the list. we've got 19 democrats and ten republicans tied for the most conservative in the u.s. house. that really tells you that -- sorry, i should say 19 democrats ranked as the most liberal. ten republicans ranked as most conservative. that tells me the parties are becoming more homogenous. not a single district is more conservative than the most liberal republican and not a single democrat is more liberal than the most liberal democrat.

i think it speaks to the level of partisanship. >> we've been talking for so long about how divided this congress is and how it's been so did i feel to get things done, but sometimes, you wonder is it more about what they're saying? is it more about their talking points or a reality. it looks like when you examine their votes, we are far more divided than we were ten years ago. >> get away from the press releases, the talking points and we are a divided nation. president obama got famous for saying there are no red states and blue states. well, there's a red and a blue party. >> at this week's gop debate, the ratings came up. rick santorum said to ron paul, you were 145 on the conservative voting record and paul pushed back. and so here's what he had to say. >> some of the conservative ratings you have to realize sometimes conservatives want to spend money, too. can't just go by the ratings. >> is he right?

let's see if you're a conservative and would seem to be a conservative position that you vote for defense spending, but he doesn't because he doesn't think the government should spend money on almost anything. does that make him more liberal? >> he is exactly right in how these rankings come out. ron paul is ranked as the third most liberal republican. something i'm sure his fans don't buy. that's because he votes for a lot of things that units the rest of the republican conference. he is sort of the outlier, the one republican vote against the rest of his conference. same thing happens on the democratic side. i remember a few years ago, i asked bernie sanders, formally elected as a socialist, whether he wasn't really the most liberal member of the senate and he said he wasn't willing to give up that title, so a couple of votes here and there can make a big difference and when you vote against your party because they're not idea logical enough, sometimes can move your vote the

other way. >> thanks so much for coming on. other than politics, one of the biggest things people are talking about is the weather. today, it's raining, but nin th 50s in new york city. yesterday, it was pushing 60 and warm enough to play in the park. today's tweet of the day comes from alec baldwin. this winter has made me want to cry. i like it when the wind bites me on the --

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let's go down to the wire. looked a lot worse than it was for danica patrick. she got bumped during her quality race sending her into the wall, but she walked away. this is her first year on the nascar circuit. another close call for a customer at a massachusetts store when a truck plowed right through the store front and into the 26-year-old man. he was treated for minor

injuries. the driver thought he hit the brake, but hit the gasz instead. one other crash caught on tape. this brazilian rescue helicopter literally tore apart seconds after landing. four people walked away. they call id ground resonance when the chopper continues to turn while on the ground. different type of crash for jeremy lin. the knicks lost to miami, but no more couch surfing for him. he's got his own digs. lin is renting a two-bedroom apartment in the w new york hotel. lists for $13,000 a month. word is he got a deal. what's a deal on a $13,000 apartment? that wraps up this hour. luke russert up next. have a great weekend. one. -two. -three. -one. -two. -three. [ male announcer ] with the bankamericard cash rewards credit card, earn 1% cash back everywhere, every time.

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