you see a lot of paintings or drawings of the time of francis scott key. it almost looks like he was right next to the fort when in fact he was quite far away. >> right. it makes a better painting if you have key right next to the fort. in all honesty, he was four to five miles away, now, he could still see the flag but he's looking through a spyglass and even through a spyglass that flag would have looked small, four miles away. i went out there on a boat with my dad once and i brought a pair of binoculars, and my buddies were flying the big flag, and can you see it. you can see it four to five miles away. >> let's hear from mays landing, new jersey, hi to john. >> caller: hi. i just thought it might be interesting if you gave a little bit of information on the reason behind the war of 1812, the background and why the war was foul. -- fought. >> sure, excellent. i'm going to tell you. this one, go to ft. mchenry's website, tell your kids. we have a thing called cast your vote, click on that, all different perspectives from historic people from the war of

francis scott key wrotengled b mr. swindal bid their this we our mot motto end in god we our trust did it was made ours on model and it is on our. money. sweeney to realize how fundamental the transformation of the tries to bring about in america. this is the year to bring it to an end. [applause] >> live from the university of virginia.ristveran f i notice and apathy with political issues.chur to to this motivate the church? to get involved withe it politics were higher do we? get them excited? >> guest: this is why if o wrote the book. taking a sin to european socialism and other things such as violating our laws but nobody writes about this. i have a co-author who has collaborated doing research. i hope people realize our future is at stake. wit to with it.get 50% of the evangelicals are pers among them nonvoters. we need them this year. make sure they are registered to vote. >> hi o d you keep going? at 87 years old you arey probably more relevant and whe important today than in 1970 to. i think this greatof wonder

scandalized washington by showing up to galas with well-known prostitutes and shot dead the son of francis scott key in laugh yet park in front of witnesses because key was having an affair with sickle's wife. but nonetheless he shot key for returning the favor. he managed to get off on the first successful plea of temporary insanity in american history. in 1861 he races a regimen and rises very quickly by 1863 to core command and unfortunately in his case rank and colorful ness and nearly lost it when he advanced his core beyond the line leaving it dangerously exposed. in the process of the battle, one of his legs was shot off or was amputated and that bone may be seen in what used to be the army -- well it is now the national museum of health and medicine. it is just a bone. sickles who was nothing if not shrewd and canning realized that his bacon was on the fire even with missing his leg. he started telling everyone that he was the one who had really compelled mede to fight at getty gettysburg rather than retreat and he was the real hero over the battle oeven though he had almost lost the bat

. >>> maryland transportation police will conduct a sobriety check point tonight at the francis scott key toll plaza. they will be given information about driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, motorists caught driving while compared will be arrest and had prosecuted. back in 2011, the mdta police issued more than 2600dui citations citations. >>> phoenix mother accused of putting beer in a sippy cup. witnesses say they saw the whole thing happen. the mother poured beer into her son's sippy cup ask that toddler was -- and that toddler was taken to hospital and later released to his father. >>> a new pleasure to keep airports more secure for travelers and has some travelers angry. passengers in colorado say they've been asked to hand over their drinks at a terminal for additional testing. they say they test drinking at flight gates is an overkill. >> i'm always glad that my safety is a priority. i think testing drinks after they've already been bought might be a little extreme. >> the tsa says that employees have many layers of security throughout airports and passengers can

still burn as brightly in our collective memory as the rocket's red glare of september 1814 when francis scotton the deck a british warship and watched and waited to see if if our nation's tattered flag still flew here over fort mchenry after a night of unrelenting fire. when dawn showed that flag still there, his experience became a central part of our identity in the star-spangl"star-spangled ." this war gave us the enduring navy watch word, don't give up the ship. from the war emerged some of america's most memorable hero, andrew jackson, leading the final victory at new orleans. the wonderfully named oliver perry building a fleet and then leading it to victory in lake erie and in nine separate great lakes campaigns to help secure our upper midwest. dolly madison risking her own life it to previous the fan jibl tangible possessions and the constitution. much as has been noted has changed in 200 years. britain, our foe then, and canada, othur foe then, have become our staunchest allies. in all my pentagon meetings with the first sea lord of britain, aadmiral sir mark stan hope including one

-- who scandalized washington by showing up to galas with well known prostitutes and shot dead francis scott key in front of witnesses and managed -- because key was having an affair with sickles' wife. sickles had affairs with a lot of people's wives but nonetheless he shot key for returning the favor. he managed to get off on the first successful plea of temporary insanity in american history. and 1861, he raises through his connections and raises a regiment and rises quickly by 1863 to core command. and unfortunately in his case, ambition, rank and colorful were not congruent with competence and he nearly lost the battle forgetties burg when he advanced his corps beyond the federal line leaving it dangerously exposed. and in the process of the ensuing battle, one of his legs was shot off or amputated and that leg may be seen or the bone may be seen in the what used to be the army -- now the national museum of health and medicine in silver spring. it's just a bone, not really disgusting. at any rate, sickles, who was nothing, did not shrewd and canning, realized that his bacon was on the f

you'll have that same viewpoint, same fuelling that francis scott key would have had and all the other key players at that time. >> reporter: climate controlled deck? >> that's right. the lower deck is climate controlled, the upper deck is open to the elements. we have a covered level as well as a sunroof. >> reporter: it's a beauty. water mark cruise ares,s -- cruises, you've been doing this a long time and you have 13 boats? >> that's correct. we have two here, 11 in annapolis. our boat boats can can travel any -- our boats can travel anywhere. >> reporter: i have to bring in captain dean. i brought you over not only to say hi but you are picture of splender. tell us about this. you're in purple. >> this is our uniform. this is what all out of our employees wear for raven purple. >> reporter: we love it. thank you so much for joining us. >> thank you very much for coming out this morning. >> reporter: thank you for making me captain for the day. >> thanks for coming. >> reporter: there she is, raven. >> what is their other boat in baltimore? >> reporter: right behind us there. your o

now, most people don't realize there are actually four verses to the poem by francis scott key.t, of course, became our national anthem. so in celebration of this july 4th, we put together a tribute and an honor to old glory and the men and women who are fighting for our freedom. >> ♪ o say can you see ♪ by the dawn's early light ♪ what so proudly we hail ♪ at the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪ ♪ through the perilous fight ♪ o'er the ramparts we watched ♪ ♪ were so galiently streaming ♪ and the rockets red glare ♪ the bombs bursting in air ♪ gave proof through the night ♪ that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ o say does that star spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ o'er the land of the free ♪ and the home of the brave ♪ on the shores ♪ through the mist of the sea ♪ where the foam's hardy hold ♪ silently through ♪ that which the free ♪ of the towering steed ♪ now it catches the morning's first beam ♪ ♪ glory reflected now ♪ ♪ shines in the stream ♪ 'tis the star spangled banner ♪ ♪ how long may it wave ♪ o'er the land of the free ♪ and the home of the br

the whole part of what our flag means to us, was demonstrated 200 years ago when sir francis scott key british commander said all you have to do is take down that flag and i will stop this carnage. those patriots refused to take down the flag. continually people were dying. patriots would pick up where those people had fallen. and would take the flag and made sure that that flag flew all night. it is amazing to me that so many people died to raise the flag then. now, we have a bureaucrat that says you have to take the flag down. not a shot has been fired. i wonder what they would have thought. >> dave: at the bottom of your screen we're telling viewers there is a rally on the bridge, july 22nd. what is the plan and how can people join you. >> anybody that wants to come out with an american flag and, only an american flag, and, parade across that bridge as long as they could do not obstruct traffic and obey the laws, this is a very peaceful way we have a right in america to show our support for what we are doing. >> dave: from the vfw, thanks for joining us and let us know how it goes.

francis, nbc bay area news. >>> infamous death row inmate scott peterson is appealing his 2004 conviction and his death sentence saying he had no involvement in the murders of his wife laci and their unborn son. peterson's attorney filed that appeal with the state supreme court. it claims scott peterson was unable to get a fair trial with all the publicity. an appeal is expected to take months, maybe even years to make it through the system. peterson was sentenced to death for murdering laci before dumping her body in the san francisco on christmas eve back in 2002. >>> well, a marin county judge has approved serial killer joseph mason's request to analyze the pantyhose of one of his victims for dna. mason has been charged with the murder of 18-year-old roxanne rogast h-back in 1987. during a preliminary hearing a criminalist who processed and examined the pantyhose said that semen came from two men. the trial is expected to start in november. >>> decision 2012, contrary to national opinion in california, president obama is running away from mitt romney in the race for the white house. a new california field po