of gasoline. a gallon of regular is inching closer to the $4 mark. an economic hardship that's translating into a problem for the white house. there's a new documentary on his biggest accomplishment while joe biden enters the fray with a major speech in the key swing state of ohio. msnbc analyst mike vi ka ro joins me. what is the president going to alleviate the fears that surround the growing problem of gas prices. >> it's interesting. things can change quick ly. the price of gas can change. while they taught us never confuse correlation and cause, there's a close correlation between the president's approval ratings, prospects for reelection, and those two statistics going in the opposite directions. we are getting a kickoff to the democratic side of the campaign today. two top democratic officials speaking in stereo.

one at an official campaign event. you mentioned joe biden at local 12 of the uaw hall in thooledto ohio, and the president in nearby largo, maryland, today. biden will be talking about republicans. he will be talking about a bright spot in the obama administration's economic record. and that of course, is the dramatic turn around of the auto industry. and the president, to a certain degree, will be on defense about gas prices. now topping $3.82 a gallon. the highest it's been at this time of year. joe biden is going to be at that uaw hall. we have exerts of what he's going to say. he's simply going to call the president a man with a smien of steel. he knew he was taking a chance in the auto industry and he will be talking to a receptive audience there.

the president will be talking about his energy policy and his pursuit of developing alternative means of energy. twice last week the president was on the road in virginia and north carolina with that message. we expect him to repeat that today. >> mike, thanks so much. we want to talk politics with our panel. perry bay con, editor, and republican strategist joe watkins. good morning to all of you. perry, i want to start with you. no matter how much someone likes the president, there's frustration. that's going to trump how much they like him. john goodman has a great line saying "only fools put themselves between the american lelectorate and the gas guzzlin suvs." >> i think the president needs

to articulate a policy. i'm not sure that he also between now and november gas prices will go down during that time. but the key is to make sure he has a policy that he's trying to address the problem and not just talking about it it. >> it's easy to make the president the political target about gas prices. people know the influence or lack thereof that the president has. are republicans going to make this a bigger issue if the president is able to tackle gas prices and get them down closer in november? >> of course, we know that presidents have limited ability to change gas prices, but as they say in politics issue the buck stops at the president's desk. i know that presidents get the blame when gas prices are too high. the president has to work hard and republicans are smart to chip away at it. as long as you are paying more money at the pump, you need to think about who will be your

commander in chief. so republicans will continue to chip away at that issue as long as gas prices are headed upward. >> so we have two events today. biden in ohio and the president talking about how bad gas is. car industry, great. what you need to fill it up, not sod so good. >> what they have a good record to stand on is they are both concerned about the ups and down of gas prices. this is something that we have needed to deal with for years in this country. how do we increase domestic oil production which has happened every year that the president has been in office. and what do we do to invest over the medium and long-term in renewalable energy so we're not as dependent in years to come. that's sml the president and vice president will be talking about not just on the campaign trail, but in their roles as vice president and president of the united states. >> thanks. standby. the president has arrived there.

let's listen in. >> thank you. thank you so much. thank you. thank you, everybody. thank you. thank you. what a wonderful reception. you're all just cheering because i know michelle. well, it is wonderful to be here. folks who have a seat, feel free to take a seat. i want to thank roy for that introduction. he talks pretty smooth, right?

it's great to be back in maryland. it's great to be here at prince georges community college. i love you back. but before i start, i want to thank your other president, dr. charlene dukes. your governor, marte o'mally is in the house. lieutenant governor brown is here. we've got one of the finest members of the united states senate that you could hope to have in ben cardin.

congresswoman donna edwards is here. and county executive rush baker is here. i want to thank all of you for coming out here today. now, i just finished learning about some of the work that you're doing here at this community college to make sure that homes are using less energy and helping folks save money on their heating and air-conditioning bills. and i was very impressed. i'm even more impressed because i know this program is giving a lot of people a chance to make a decent living. everyone from veterans to folks with disabilities, to folks who

just have been down on their luck but want to work. so i want you to know how proud i am of this program, of this institution, and of all of you. [ applause ] >> the skills that you gain here at this community college will be the surest path to success in this economy. because if there's one thing that we're thinking about a lot these days is first of all, how do we make sure that american workers have the skills and education they need to be able to succeed in this competitive global economy. and community colleges all across the country and all across maryland are doing an outstanding job providing young people that first opportunity after high school, but also helping older workers retrain for the jobs of the future. because the economy is

constantly adapting. [ applause ] >> so community colleges are big. community colleges are critical to our long-term success. what's also critical to our long-term success is the question of energy. how do we use less energy? how do we produce more energy right here in the united states of america? and i know this is an especially important topic for everybody right now because you guys have to fill up at the gas station. and it's rough. gas prices and the world oil markets right now are put iting lot of pressure on families right now. and you know, one of the things that's important to remember is

for a lot of folks, just doing what you have to do to get your kids to school to get to the job to do grocery shopping, you don't have an option. you've got to be able to fill up that gas tank. and when prices spike on the world market, it's like a tax. it's like somebody is going into your pocket. we passed a payroll tax at the beginning of this year to make sure that everybody had an extra $40 in their paycheck on average. [ applause ] >> in part because we anticipated that gas prices might be going up like they did last year given tight world oil supplies. but that doesn't make it easier for a lot of families out there

that are just struggling to get by. this is tough. now, the question is how do we meet had this challenge because right now we're starting to see a lot of politicians talking a lot but not doing much. [ applause ] >> and we have seen this movie before. gas prices went up around this time last year. gas prices shot up in the spring and summer of 2008. i remember. i was running for president at the time. this has been going on for years now.

and every time prices start to go up, especially in an election year, politicians dust off their 3-point plans for $2 gas. i guess this year they decide we're going to make it $2.50. i don't know where -- you know, why not $2.40? why not $2.10? but they tell the same story. they head down to the gas station. they make sure a few cameras are following them. and then they start acting like we have a magic wand and we will give you cheap gas forever. if you just elect us. every time. been the same script for 30 years. it's like a bad rerun.

now here's the thing. because we have seen it all before, we know better. you know better. there is no such thing as a quick fix when it comes to high gas prices. there's no silver bullet. anybody who tells you otherwise isn't really looking for a solution. they are trying to ride the political wave of the moment. usually, the most common thing when you ask them, how is it you're going to get back to $2 a gallon gas? specifically, what is your plan? typically, what you'll hear from them is if we just drilled more for oil, then gas prices would immediately come down and all our problems would go away. that's usually the response. now, maryland, there are two problems with that answer.

first of all, we are drilling. under my administration, america is producing more oil today than in any time in the last eight years. [ applause ] >> any time. that's a fact. that's a fact. we have quadrupled the number of operating oil rigs to a record high. i want everybody to listen to that. we have more oil rigs operating now than ever. that's a fact. we have approved dozens of new pipelines to move oil across the country. we have announced our support for a new one in oklahoma to help get more oil to refineries on the gulf coast. over the last three years, my administration has opened

millions of acres of land in 23 different states for oil and gas exploration. offshore, i directed my administration to open up more than 75% of our potential oil resour resources. that includes an area in the gulf of mexico we opened up a few months ago that could produce more than 400 million barrels of oil. so do not tell me that we're not drilling. we're drilling all over this country. there are a few spots we're not drilling. we're not drilling in the national mall. we're not drilling at your house.

[ laughter ] >> i guess we can try to have like 200 oil rigs in the middle of chesapeake bay. well, that's the question. we are drilling at a record pace, but we're doing so in a way that protects the health and safety and the natural resources of the american people. [ applause ] >> so that's point number one. if you start hearing this drill, baby, drill, if you start hearing that again, just remember, you have the facts. we're doing that. tell me something new.

that's problem number one. here's the second problem with what some of these politicians are talking about. there's a problem with a strategy that only relies on drilling, and that is america uses more than 20% of the world's oil. if we drilled every square inch of this country, so we went to your house, and we went to the national mall, and we put up the rigs everywhere, we'd still have only 2% of the world's known oil reserves. let's say we missed something. maybe it's 3% instead of 2%. we're using 20%, we have 2%. now, you don't need to be getting an excellent education at this community college to know that we have a math problem here. right?

[ applause ] >> i help out sasha occasionally with her math homework. i know if you have 2 and you have 20, there's a gap. there's a gap. right? anybody who is good at math here? am i right? okay. so if we don't develop other sources of energy, if we don't develop the technology to use less energy to make our economy more energy efficient, then we will always be dependent on foreign countries for our energy. and that means every time there's instability in the

middle east, which is the main thing that's driving oil prices up right now, it's the same thing that was driving oil prices up last year, every time that happens, every time that there's unrest, any time that there's concern about a conflict, suddenly oil futures shoot up. you're going to feel it at the pump. it will happen every single time. we will not fully be in control of our energy future if our strategy is only to drill for the 2%, but we still have to buy the 20%. and there's another wrinkle to this. other countries use oil too. we're not the only ones. so you've got rapidly-growing nations like china and india and they are all starting to buy cars. they are get wealthier. they want cars too. and that means the price of gas

will rise. just to give you an example. in 2010 china alone added ten million new cars. that's just in one year. and there are about a billion chinese. so they have a lot more people who are going to want cars in the future, which means they are going to want to get some of that oil, and that will drive prices up. so we can't just drill our way out of the problem. we are drilling, but it's not going to solve our problem. that's not the future i want for the united states of america. we can't allow ourselves to be held hostage to events on the other side of the globe. that's not who we are. america controls its own destiny. we're not dependent on somebody else. [ applause ]

>> so we can't have an energy strategy for the last century that traps us in the past. we need an energy strategy for the future. an all-above strategy that develops every source of american-made energy. yes, develop as much oil and gas as we can, but also develop wind power and solar power and biofuels. make our buildings more fuel efficient. make our homes more fuel efficient. make our cars and trucks more fuel efficient so they get more miles for the gallon. that's where i want to take this country. and here's the best part of it is thousands of americans have jobs because we have doubled the use of clean energy in this country since i came into office. and i want to keep on making those investments. i don't want to see wind turbines and solar panels and

high-tech batteries made in other countries by other workers. i want to make them here. i want to make them here in maryland. i want to make them here in the united states of america with american workers. that's what i want. so when i came into office, we said how are we going to move america into that direction? it's not a thing we get done in one year, but how do we move in that direction. so after 30 years of not doing anything, we raised fuel economy standards on cars and trucks so by the next decade our cars will average 55 miles per gallon. that's double what we get today. 55 miles per gallon. so the young people here who are

driving those beaters, you know, that get 5 miles per gallon, we're going to get you to 55. and that will save the average family more than $8,000 over the life of a car. $8,000. that will help pay some bills. that means you'll be able to fill up every two weeks instead of every week. and those are the cars we need to keep building here in the united states. yes, we can do that. all right. so now to fuel these cars and trucks, obviously, if they are using less gas, that's great. but we also want to invest in clean advanced biofuels that can replace some of the oil that

we're currently using. that's important. already we're using these biofuels to power everything from city buss to ups trucks to navy ships. i want to see more of these fuels in american cars. home grown fuels. because that means we're buying less oil from foreign countries and we're creating jobs here in the united states. include i including big parts of rural america, rural maryland where the economy often times is struggling, you have a real opportunity to create entirely new industries and put people to work. it's happening all across the country. so all of these steps have put us on a path of greater energy independence. here's a statistic i want everybody to remember. next time you're talking to somebody who doesn't know what

they are talking about. since i took office, america's dependence on foreign oil has gone down every single year. [ applause ] >> in 2010 our oil dependence, the percentage we're bringing in, was under 50s f% for the fi time in years. we've got to do better than that, and we can do better than that. yes, we can. but in order to do better than that, we have to tell the folks who are stuck in the past that our future depends on this all of the above energy strategy.

it can't just be -- it can't just be drilling for more oil. we're drilling for more oil, but that can't be all the solution. that's just part of the solution. now, here's the sad thing. lately, we have heard a lot of professional politicians, a lot of the folks who were running for a certain office, who shall go unnamed, they've been talking down new sources of energy. they dismiss wind power. they dismiss solar power. they make jokes about biofuels. they were against raising fuel standards. i guess they like gas guzzlers. they think that's good for our future. we're trying to move towards the future. they want to be stuck in the

past. we have heard this kind of thinking before. let me tell you something. if some of these folks were around when columbus set sail, they must have been founding members of the flat earth society. they would not have believed that the world was round. we have heard these folks in the past. they probably would have agreed with one of the pioneers of the radio who said, television won't flash. it's a flash in the pan. but one of henry ford's advisors was quoted as saying "the horse is here to stay, but the automobile is only a fad."

there have always been folks like that. there have always been folks who are the nay sayers and don't believe in the future and don't believe in trying to do things differently. one of my predecessors, rutherford b. hays. it's a great invention, but who would ever want to use one? talking about the telephone. that's why he's not on mount rushmore. he's explaining why we can't do something instead of why we can do something.

the point is there will always be cynics and nay sayers who just want to keep on doing things the same way we have always done them. they want to double down on the same ideas that got us into some of the mess that we've been in. but that's not who we are as americans. see, america has always succeeded because we refuse to standstill. we put faith in the future. we are inventors. we are builders. we are makers of things. we are thomas edison. we are the wright brothers. we are bill gates. we are steve jobs. that's who we are. that's who we need to be right now. that's who we need to be right now. i don't understand when i hear

folks who are in elected office or aspiring elected office who ignore the facts and seem to just want to get a cute bumper sticker line instead of actually trying to solve our problems. what i just said about energy, by the way, is not disputed by any energy expert. everybody agrees with this. so why is it that somebody who wants to help lead the country would be ignoring the facts? if you want an example of what i'm talking about, consider an important issue that's before congress right now. i think somebody may have

fainted. remember if you're going to stand for a long time, you need to eat. it's true. you got to get something to eat. you got to get some juice. i'm just saying. it's true. they will be okay. just make sure to give them space. there's a question before congress i want everybody to know about. the question is whether or not we should keep giving $4 billion in taxpayer subsidies to the oil industry. the oil industry has been subsidized by you, the taxpayer, for about a hundred years. 100 years. a century. so some of the same folks who are complaining about biofuels getting subsidies or wind or

social energy getting subsidies or electric cars and advanced batteries getting subsidies to help get them off the ground, these same folks, they say we need those. oil companies are making more money right now than they have ever made. on top of the money they are getting from you at the gas station every time you fill up, they want some of your tax dollars as well. that doesn't make any sense. does it make sense? it's inexcusable. it is time for this oil industry give away to end. so in the next few weeks, i

expect congress to vote on ending these subsidies. and when they do, they will put every single member of congress on record. i guess you can stand up for the oil companies who really don't need much help. or they can stand up for the american people because we can take that $4 billion. we could be investing it in clean energy, in a good energy future, and fuel efficiency. we could actually be trying to solve a vital problem. they can place their bets on the energy of the past, or they can place our bets on america's future. on american workers, american ingenuity, american science, american efficiency, american productivity. we can bet on america and our own capacity to solve this

problem. that's the choice we face. that's what's at stake right now. maryland, we know what direction we have to go in. and every american out there, as frustrated as they are about gas prices right now, when you actually ask people, they will tell you, yeah, we have to find new sources of energy. we have to find new ways of doing things. people understand that. we just got to get washington to understand that. we have to get politicians to understand that. we have to invest in a serious, sustained, all of the above energy strategy that develops every resource available. we have to choose between the past and the future. that's a choice we shouldn't be afraid to make, because we have always been on the future and we're good at it.

america is good at the future. we're good at being ahead of the curve. we're good at being on the cutting edge. ending these subsidies won't bring down gas prices tomorrow. even if we drilled every inch of america, that won't bring gas prices down tomorrow. but if we're tired of watching gas prices spike every single year and being caught in this position where what happens in the middle east ends uptaking money out of your pocket, if we want to stabilize energy prices for the long-term and the medium te term, if we want america to grow, we're going to have to past what we've been doing and put ourselves on our path to real sustainable energy future. that's the future you deserve.

i need all of you to make your voices heard. get on the phone. write an e-mail. send a letter. let your member of congress know where you stand. tell them to do the right thing. tell them we can win this fight. tell them we're going to combine our creativity and our optimism, our brain power, our man power, our woman power, tell them yes we can. tell them we are going to build an economy that lasts. tell them we are going to make this the american century just like the last century. thank you. thank you, maryland. let's get to work. god bless you. god bless america. >> president obama wrapping up his official energy speech this morning. thanking the community college where he is to a roaring crowd there this morning.

there is a campaign speech going on with joe biden. we're going to show you that in just a second. but i want to bring back in our political panel who have been patiently waiting and listening to the president's speech. jen, i want to start with you. was that the sell of reelection there? >> the president is pretty fired up about moving our energy policy forward. and i think the point he was making, i'm going to steal a line he used. you see a lot of people talking out there but not doing much. i think what frustrates him is that this is a problem that we all need to take a look at what we can do over the medium and long-term to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, which the administration has made progress on and stop using sound bytes that are not going to solve the problem over the short-term. >> joe, as we were saying, people know the president has

little to no influence truly on gas prices in the country. that's up to the speculators on wall street right now. but some people question why not have eric holder open up a subpoena probe and get people on wall street scared? >> i think the real thing is looking at what will bring down gas prices and also what good energy policy might be. the president took credit for the fact there's an oil boom in this country. there is indeed one. but as jonah goldberg points out, the administration can't take credit for that because oil production in federal land is down 11% between 2010 and 2011. this administration has done really nothing to increase the production of oil on federal land. so it's something that republicans are still going to talk to the president about doing because we believe that in the long-term it will bring down the price of energy. >> the president though talking about the fact that the country needs an all of the above type

of approach whether it is biofuels, wind turbines, all of the things that have been ideas and don't have a collective push behind them to get energy done in a more consistent way to bring the gas prices down. perry, as we talk about the fact the president was bringing up the other people out there, not naming anybody specifically, but bringing up the gop contenders. was he able to draw enough distinction between him and mitt romney and newt gingrich? >> he did in the ways he basically said i'm for new sources of energy and they are against it. he didn't name them in the remarks. he only attack eed rutherford b hays. but instead of arguing that pie in the sky and not really thought out, i think he made it clear. he definitely made clear battle lines between them saying i'm realistic basically and they are being pie in the sky. >> panel, thank you.

we have this stereo speech going on in ohio with vice president joe biden taking the obama reelection message on the road. now the first major stop moments ago in ohio. what may be the most pivotal swing state. the command er in chief had had their back. >> i'm back. you're back. the industry is back. mitt romney, rick santorum and newt gingrich, these guys have a fundamentally different economic philosophy than we do. simply stated, we're about promoting the private sector. they are about protecting the privileged sector. we are for a fair shot and a fair shake. they are about no rules, no risks, and no accountability. >> so as i made the distinction, the president making an official

speech. this being joe biden making a campaign speech. bob king, the crowd there the vice president was speaking to. bob, it's nice to have you here this morning. >> good to be here. >> the obama administration got behind the auto bailout that turned into this political hot potato. now we have the economic positive numbers that everybody wants to get behind. here's more from the vice president emphasizing that point. take a listen. >> folks, that's exactly what we have. a president with the courage of his convictions. he made the tough call and the verdict is in. president obama was right and they were dead wrong. >> so bob, this was a bet on the american people. the american workforce that the president put himself on a political limb for. now it's paid off. what has this meant to the auto workers who don't just see in the overall profits for gm and chrysler, but in the success of the brand and the bounceback that it's had.

>> well, for auto workers and families and more importantly for communities across america, it means manufacturing jobs. good middle class jobs. the more workers in the manufacturing sector, the more tax re knew comes in. the more hospital systems are able to survive. it's really important for our economy. the president really backed american workers and corporations and the american public is winning because we had a strong president who took the courage of his convictions as vice president biden just said. >> when you speak of the the other members of the uaw, is there a lingering worry within their communities that the economy as a whole isn't strong enough to throw its support behind the president? >> no, i think people really appreciate this president. they appreciate him fighting for manufacturing jobs. you know, you have to have compassion and understanding for all the people who are out there -- not so much our members in auto, but other sectors of the economy that are making less

money than five years ago. they have gas prices going up. it's tough on them. they appreciate this president, just like he had the courage of his convictions in the auto industry, he has a plan. he has a strategy that is going to make all americans stronger financially. when the gas prices come down and people have to put less gas in their automobiles, that's more money in their pockets. so i think our members were overwhelmingly supportive of the president. >> isn't that the oddity of these speeches? the fact that there the vice president is harlding the auto industry. there the president is talking about gas prices being so high. >> well, you know, there are different factors. what you need is a leader who will take a strong position and will have a plan and a strategy like the president did in the a

auto industry. like he does with energy. the policy that he's putting together that will, in the long run, really financially benefit people. and a president who really understands the pain and suffering that people are going through and wants to move a program quickly to alleviate peoples' pains. >> certainly not overnight solutions. bob king, thank you for your time today. >> thank you. goldman sachs. an employee quits after 12 years and writes a scathing op-ed. what it cost the company so far. plus the richer sex. and it's not who you think. how women are quickly becoming the breadwinners for many families. are you still sleeping? just wanted to check and make sure that we were on schedule.

the first technology of its kind... mom and dad, i have great news. is now providing answers families need. siemens. answers. only hertz gives you a carfirmation. hey, this is challenger. i'll be waiting for you in stall 5. it confirms your reservation and the location your car is in, the moment you land. it's just another way you'll be traveling at the speed of hertz. i get my cancer medications through the mail. now washington, they're looking at shutting down post offices coast to coast. closing plants is not the answer. they want to cut 100,000 jobs. it's gonna cost us more, and the service is gonna be less. we could lose clientele because of increased mailing times. the ripple effect is going to be devastating. congress created the problem. and if our legislators get on the ball, they can make the right decisions. have given way to sleeping.

where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. with scottrader streaming quotes,

any way you want. fully customize it for your trading process -- from thought to trade, on every screen. and all in real time. which makes it just like having your own trading floor, right at your fingertips. [ rodger ] at scottrade, seven dollar trades are just the start. try our easy-to-use scottrader streaming quotes. it's another reason more investors are saying... [ all ] i'm with scottrade. the greatest betrayal of all was the revelation that goldman sachs derisively called their clients muppets.

some of them actually were muppets. and unfortunately, ernie took a real bath. >> some of the blow yuf from the resignation. the scathing op-ed in "the new york times" by former goldman sachs president. the bad publicity cost goldman over $2 billion in market value yesterd yesterday. goldman says it always works on its clients behalf saying we will only be successful if our clients are successful. >> where's mommy keep the extra diapers? hey! cowards. >> remember that movie. it was a clip from the movie "mr. mom." scenes like that are now reality in many households. more women than ever are become the breadwinners of their families.

the cultural shift in gender roles is one of the most significant since women enter the workforce in drones in the world war ii era. it's the cover story on "time" magazine which looks at women as the richer sex. joining me this morning is the managing editor nancy gibbs. so this is really interesting. we're seeing this shift in 2012. women being power houses within the workforce. something they thought to be. but how is this changing societal roles for women and all the other hats they wear? >> we have seen these economic shifts for years. it hasn't just happened because of the recession. this has been happening over the last 20 or 30 years as women are getting more college degrees. they have better equipment in the sense to head into the job market. they are getting better jobs. what we're seeing as a result, in more and at in 4 in 10

women outearning men in 2009. in this trend continues, the majority of women will then jump over their male counterparts in terms of being the breadwinners, although in current times, women still don't make dollar-to-dollar matchups to most of their male counterparts. is the glass ceiling cracking in huge ways now adays for women? >> the glass ceiling is still there if you look at corner offices and the number of women in top management positions, that has been very slow to change. but if you look at median wages and if you look at sort of the leading edge. if you go to major cities across the country and look at people who are under 30 and still childless, starting their careers. women are already outearning men, and so if this is the rising generation of employees, then this is why it is likely that this trend is only going to continue. >> real quickly, i'm pushed against the clock, but the biggest surprise from this cover story for you. >> how this could be good news for everyone. fit ends up that people end up

organizing their households in a way that makes the most sense for them, and not according to predetermined gender roles. >> a fascinating read. nancy gibbs, appreciate it. we'll be right back after this. stick around. americans believe they should be in charge of their own future. how they'll live tomorrow. for more than 116 years, ameriprise financial has worked for their clients' futures. helping millions of americans retire on their terms. when they want. where they want. doing what they want. ameriprise. the strength of a leader in retirement planning. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you one-to-one. together for your future. ♪ hello, i am chef boyardee. together for your future. i make real italian ravioli. filled with hearty italian seasoned meat, in a sauce made with vine-ripened tomatoes. and no preservatives.

80 years of real great food from a real great chef. diarrhea, gas or bloating? get ahead of it! one phillips' colon health probiotic cap a day helps defend against digestive issues with three strains of good bacteria. hit me! [ female announcer ] live the regular life. phillips'. oh. let's go. from the crack, off the backboard. [ laughs ] dad! [ laughs ] whoo! oh! you're up! oh! oh! so close! now where were we? ok, this one's good for two. score! [ male announcer ] share what you love with who you love. kellogg's frosted flakes. they're gr-r-eat!

blago heads off to prison and that kicks off today's poly side bar. his motorcade taking him off to prison in colorado, off to the airport. the former governor of illinois flew from chicago to denver this morning to begin his 14-year sentence. that is from the airport to the jail. rod blagojevich was all smiles this morning as this picture was taken in his seat. he held one last news conference yesterday. >> i am proud as i leave and enter the next part of what is a dark and hard journey that i can take with me the sense of -- the sense of accomplishment and the

real belief that the things that i did as governor and the things i did as congressman have actually helped real, ordinary people. off to washington, d.c., where the president and british prime minister sealed their b bromabr bromance last night. >> michelle, i'm sure that like sam, you often wonder what happens when your husband goes for a night out with the guys. so maybe i should come clean about last night. we went to basketball and we had a real man-to-man chat. barack tried to confuse me to talk about bracketology, but i got him back by running him gently through the rules of cricket. >> and lbgt couples among those at the state dinner. it is one issue that keeps dogging mitt romney. a santorum strategist took a hit at romney again yesterday for

strapping his dog, seamus to the roof of the family car years ago. >> quite frankly, i'm not going to listen to the value judgment of a guy who strapped his own dog to the roof of the top of his car and went hurling down the highway. >> last january, david axelrod tweeted a picture of the president and his dog, bo, with the caption, how loving owners treat their dogs. now with alex wagner, coming up next. and you have a special guest host in luke russert. don't go anywhere. two. three. one. two. and, three. [ male announcer ] with the bankamericard cash rewards credit card, earn more cash back for the things you buy most. 1% cash back everywhere, every time. 2% cash back on groceries. 3% back on gas. automatically. no hoops to jump through. it's as easy as one. -two. -three. [ male announcer ] the bankamericard cash rewards card. apply online or at a bank of america near you.

here's a chance to create jobs in america. oil sands projects, like kearl, and the keystone pipeline will provide secure and reliable energy to the united states. over the coming years, projects like these could create more than half a million jobs in the us alone. from the canadian border, through the mid west, to the gulf coast. benefiting hundreds of thousands of families throughout the country. this is just what our economy needs right now.

♪ oh, my maltipoo's depressed. but my affordable prius c means i can pay for his acupuncture. whew. i love my pooch. oh no! my homemade sushi... turned p-ushi! use estimated 53 mpg to find a gluten-free alternative. look, this means i'm a chef. [ male announcer ] be a winner with the all-new prius c from toyota. ♪ from toyota. this one's for all us lawnsmiths. grass gurus. doers. here's to more saturdays in the sun. and budgets better spent. here's to turning rookies - into experts, and shoppers into savers. here's to picking up. trading up. mixing it up. to well-earned muddy boots. and a lot more - spring per dollar. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. lay down a new look - with earthgro mulch, now 3 bags for just 10 bucks.

[ female announcer ] introducing new nature valley protein bars. 100% natural ingredients like roasted peanuts... ♪ ...creamy peanut butter, and a rich dark chocolate flavor. plus, 10 grams of great tasting protein in every bar. so it's energy straight from nature to you. new nature valley protein bars. find them in the granola bar aisle. joey biden is reminding mitt romney that that was wrong about the auto bailout. blago is in colorado heading to prison, and president obama is counting on north carolina for more than just a few votes this year. it's thursday, march 15th, and this is "now." i'm luke russert in for