hallie is standing by comes under fire from conservative right. a few years ago she was seen as a key party crusader, a star in the making in that >> hallie jackson, thank you. growing contentious from the democratic side with four days until the next debate which will air here on nbc, the latest polls show troubling news for hillary clinton. with her numbers slipping, clinton and stepping up attacks on each other. we get more from nbc's kristen welker. >> reporter: hillary clinton and bernie sanders escalating the sniping today. clinton firing the first volley, repeating her toughest attacks on health care and guns. >> senator sander has been a reliable vote for the gun lobby and i have been standing against them for a long time. >> reporter: on msnbc today, sanders punched back. >> to say i'm a supporter of the nra is a mean-spirited and unfair and inaccurate statement. comes with the democrats locked in an unexpected nail-biter. a new national poll showing her lead tumbling. she still tops sanders but only by 7 points, a sharp decline from her

and much to the surprise of many, trump surfaced the republican response to the president's as hallie jackson reports, one of the her national platform to take her party's front-runner to task. >> reporter: even when be in the spotlight, donald trump still is. nikki hail's republican response rebuking not just president obama but her presidential front-runner. >> during anxious times it could be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. we must resist that temptation. >> in that context, you are referring to donald trump, correct? >> he was one of them, yes. mr. trump has definitely contributed to what i think is irresponsible talk. >> reporter: trump now hitting her back. >> i'm very strong on illegal immigration, she's weak on illegal immigration. maybe it will turn out to be bad for her because people know where i stand and you see the numbers. >> reporter: governor hallie and house speaker paul ryan represent what some think the gop should be, more diverse. more inclusive. what the gop has is donald trump, leading the pack and mobilizing a new base of support for t

hallie is standing by her speech even as she comes under fire from leaders on the conservative right. a few years ago she was seen as a key party crusader, a star in the making in that party. >> hallie jackson, thank you. >>> the race is growing contentious from the democratic side with four days until the next debate nbc, the latest polls

hi, hallie. >> reporter: good evening, lester. republican party leaders here in iowa tell nbc news they are getting ready for record turnout one week from tonight, something that could help donald trump, but with as many as four in ten people saying they will wait until the last minute to make up their minds about who to support, what happens over the next seven days? these closing arguments will make a difference. from the back of the pizza chain where she works angie point watches candidates and a speech. >> with seven kids at home i do like homeland security as an issue. i want to keep my kids safe. >> reporter: who top two. who are the top two? >> in between trump and ted cruz. >> reporter: and recently she decided on trump as he surges 11 points, ted cruz slipping four. what's changed? >> i like ted cruz. he's been very nice to me. >> reporter: trump's tune. >> he's a nasty guy and he brought it up at the debate. he started it and i finish it had. >> reporter: hammering cruz for days on his eligibility, his positions on ethan

. >> reporter: governor hallie and house speaker paul ryan represent what some be, more diverse. more inclusive. what the gop has is donald trump, leading the pack and mobilizing a new base of support for the party. even as the establishment strikes back and his closest rival fights back. >> donald comes from new york and he embodies new york values. and listen, the donald seems to be rattled. >> reporter: trump keeping up birther attacks on cruz, and republicans now saying it brothers them he was born in canada to an american mother. >> that is a big factor. >> reporter: the rivals now fighting for first in iowa. leaving little room for the establishment candidates. >> the establishment being left out entirely for the first time in history. are we going to be able to pull everyone together. >> reporter: the battle lines drawn and the gop civil war, the fight for the party's future. hallie is standing by her speech even as she comes under fire from a few years ago she was seen as a key party crusader, a star in the making in that party. >> hallie jackson, thank you. >>> the race

hallie jackson hey good morning and this morning we are putting our today

thank you, hallie. one more question about, were they surprised by this? we all got this as news today and chuck todd confirmed it, that "new york times" had it today. did they get blindsided? >> reporter: i'm not sure that they necessarily had advanced notice that this was come, but they were sort of aware that this was a possibility today. i spoke with a communications director for the campaign, who said to me early this morning, that he would be disappointed to see palin endorse, if she were to endorse, because he believed she was a champion for conservative causes and donald trump is simply not conservative enough. that actually got him in a little bit of trouble, when he said said the same thing on a different network, got some blowback from bristol palin there, when he said, it would be a blow to sarah palin if she did endorse donald trump. zpli noticed one of the strongest arguments from her right now is that he's a real conservative and if anybody attacks him -- >> reporter: this is where she's going to help bolster his bona fides, help bolster his

. >> hallie jackson is with cruz in iowa. hallie, seven stops in one day? how you doing? >> and countless cups of coffee, kate. we were wrapping up earlier with the senator, now on thhis thirdr fourth stop of the day. he's hoping to hit eight or nine counties by monday, all the counties in the state. cruz has to make closing arguments. that's the focus of his campaign right now, six days out from the caucuses. you're seeing him get backup from his superpac, his allies and supporters working independently, but hanging that same line against donald trump, that trump is simply too liberal to win the nomination or win the caucuses in iowa. i can tell you the campaign is glad to see the superpac start to roll out with these advertisements. the campaign itself is also pushing out a couple negative ads against trump, including one on those new york values. governor rick perry, the former texas governor, is with senator cruz today, and this is something governor perry talked about a little bit. he said, hey, people in iowa understand what new york values are, they know what texas

thank you katy tur and hallie jackson and robert costa. warning signs. hillary clinton and the democratic establishment getting nervous about bernie sanders. wait until they see the numbers tonight. sanders rise in the polls has coincided with a more forceful warning call. i'm going to speak with a top bernie adviser tonight. sarah palin facing back lash for her comments that seem to blame president obama for her son's misbehavior. veterans groups are not pleased with the former half governor's comments in the wake of her son track's domestic violence arrest. >>> 2015 goes down in the history books as the world's warmest in record. has the time come for science deniers to face the facts. >>> the "hardball" round table will tell me something i don't know. guys, to celebrate super bowl 50 i'm rewarding fans with a special offer. order a large pizza and get a second large pizza for 50 cents. 50 cents?! that's pocket change! if only we had pockets... what? purely decorative. get a large,1-topping pizza for only 50 cents when you order any large pizza at regu

more from hallie jackson. >> reporter: 9:00 a.m., lindy's diner. and ted cruz getsrved yet another question about his closest rival. >> are you really going to get mr. donald trump to build that wall? >> if he doesn't, he'sd. >> reporter: at the same time, donald trump is on his way to liberty university in virginia hoping to prygelical support from cruz. >> 2 corinthians. 3:17, that is the whole ball >> reporter: and taking off for comfort in new hampshire. and so are we. following the two front-runners in one state on one day and their former >> he is a nasty guy. nobody likes him. >> he is losing in the polls and it seems his response is to attack and get personal. i don't intend to respond in kind. is responding. and hitting donald trump as too liberal. d reagan when he was younger was a strong libery and he became conservative. >> robld reagan not spend the first 50 years of his life supporting democratic competitions. >> rep toward a photo finish in iowa. today's trip highlighting the difference on what they are caming and campaigning on ands

covering it all from the campaign trail, hallie jackson and katy tur. >> hallie joins us from iowa where ted cruz's bus tour is right now, traveling throughout that state. hallie, this is very interesting. you have donald trump saying, listen, i like this guy. i'm just bringing this up for his own good with friends like that, do you really need enemies? and now you have someone like john mccain saying there is a legitimate question here and big differences. >> reporter: and just moments ago, tamron, a campaign aide for the cruz team indicated that there would be no response, at least not at this point to john mccain's most recent comments. you talk about, though, this idea that mccain and cruz, mccain's not giving cruz any backup here, this should be zero surprise to anybody who's followed politics. we talk about a political bromance between trump and cruz. there is no bromance at all between mccain and cruz. john mccain, as you know, called him a wacko bird on the senate floor a couple years ago, has apologized but no love lost between the two of them. cruz, meanwhile, will be dealing w

more from hallie a.m., lindy's diner. and ted cruz gets served yet another question about his closest rival. >> are you really going to get mr. donald trump to build that wall? >> if he doesn't, he's fired. >> reporter: at the same time, donald trump is on his way to liberty university in virginia hoping to pry evangelical support from cruz. >> 2 corinthians. 3:17, that is the whole ball game. >> reporter: and taking off for comfort in new hampshire. and so are we. following the two front-runners in one state on one day and their former bro-mance blows up into a brawl. >> he is a nasty guy. nobody likes him. >> he is losing support and going down in the polls and it seems his response is to attack and get personal. i don't intend to respond in kind. >> reporter: but cruz is responding. and hitting donald trump as too liberal. >> ronald reagan when he was younger was a became conservative. >> robld reagan did not spend the first 50 years of his life supporting democratic competitions. >> reporter: sprinting toward a photo

i just don't want to work for him any more. >> reporter: hallie jackson, nbc news, washington. >>> when we come back, new hope for a new year as cities around the globe welcome >>> finally tonight, >>> finally tonight, hopes and dreams for 2016 as the world turns a page on a year that some are ready to bid farewell. around the planet tonight, displays of optimism at a time when we could use a good helping of that. the fireworks and other celebrations began in australia and asia, including the simplicity of white balloons being released in tokyo. from the pyramids of egypt to red square in russia, a turning many languages with a universal wish. in a still-recovering paris, a new year's display of resilience. the french president calling on people there to make 2016 a year of courage and hope, words that resonate far beyond france on this new year's eve. here at nbc, we will welcome the new year with our own toast. it all begins with hoda and kathie lee with a farewell to 2015. that's at 8:00/7:00 central time. get your glasses ready. that will do it for us on this new year's eve. i'm kat

as nbc's hallie jackson reports, republicans are already unleashing attacks on what they expect to hear from the president. >> reporter: skipping the state of the union? soerntd ted cruz. >> i think there is a canadian curling contest on. >> reporter: instead firing away at president obama. at a second amendment rally in new hampshire. >> why not join your colleagues tonight. >> tonight is no president will say. >> my prediction is we'll see heights of demagoguery that the president has not reached in his final farewell state of the union. >> others taking aim at the president's leadership. >> he can't be thrilled with me. and frankly, you know, the country is a mess. and we're going to straighten it out and we're going to make america great again. >> the state of the union is way too pessimistic for the american people. they do not believe that it is good. and it needs to change. >> the state of the union will not be a call to action tonight. it will be fantasy wish list by a president who has failed us. >> reporter: on the democratic side, not hitting president obama, but hillary clin

>> i'm sure there are a few. >> hallie jackson, nbc news. >>> a urgent plea for help from the fbi over a critical gap in time in the foemts following the terror attack in san bernardino. the husband and wife killers were on the run after wounding and killing peoplement and investigators want to know what they were doing in the missing minutes. pete williams has late details. >> reporter: the fbi said it cannot account for 18 minutes on the eager to solve. 8:37 a.m., december 2nd, farook leaves his house in redlands, california. ten minutes later he arrived at the inland region center. he sits down a backpack that turns out later to have contained pipe bocks. 10:37 a.m., farook leaves the center and returns 9 minutes later when he and his wife open fire with assault rifles killing 14 people and injuring 22 more. at 11:45, farook and malik drive to this nearby lake. but what were they doing that afternoon from 12:59 to 1:17? the fbi said they were in this area driving back and forth on the highways but where did they go and did they meet with someone else? >> we want to ensure if they ma

hallie jackson, thanks. >>> let's bring in our political director, chuck todd. chuck, back to the clinton e-mails. it's a scandal that won't go away but does it resonate with voters? >> you know, that's unclear, but i will say this, timing and inn union dough are not her friend her. 72 hours before caucus night just as democrats are having this conversation about elect ability, i was at a sanders event, bernie sanders spends a lot of time because he thinks that issue has been hurting him, hillary clinton has been making this issue but here comes in e-mail issue, here comes real you see the words top secret but we don't know much about it. that's what frustrates the clinton campaign, they feel as if once all of it is out it will be easy to explain but right now 72 hours before the caucus it isn't. i've talked to plept kree of democrats that are undecided at events for clinton and sanders who say to me one of the hesitations on clinton is this stuff that's always around her. well, e-mails is part of that stuff and frankly right now it looks like a bit of a mess fo

has he hit a hot streak too early. >> hallie, thank you. >>> we turn to the scene playing out in oregon. a tense scene. a look inside of the siege where armed anti-governm otesters have n ke reporter: for the third straight day, the wildlife refuge is under the control of armed anti-government protesters. >> i'll stay here as long as it takes. >> reporter: concerned or t entire week. >> our town is a safe town. and i don't want the kids to feel scared in their own town. >> reporter: for a brief period, the media was allowed inside the refuge, where things were largely quiet. government cars are still parked and no visitors. the fbi wants a peaceful resolution but won't detail how they plan to respond to the occupation. >> is there anything that would make you say, okay, we could end this and go home now? >> i wouldn't say words would do it. i would say action would. >> reporter: the group wants local control of this federal land. the siege is motivated by the case of two oregon ranchers, dwight and steven hammond, who were convicted of lighting fires on federal land near their ranch. la

nbc's hallie jackson has more. >> reporter: good morning. this time the candidates are getting ready for a dozen events in the final countdown to the caucuses, the last big push. hillary clinton. the favorite target on the campaign trail, facing new fire from the gop rivals. >> hillary clinton is disqualified. disqualified from being commander in chief. >> reporter: marco rubio calling the latest news about the e-mail release unacceptable. >> maybe she thinks she's above the law or maybe she read the stuff on her blackberry and have that convenient.n her e-mail server had 22 top secret e-mails. well, that actually is anatement. this is getting more and more serious. >> reporter: clinton's campaign spokesperson on defense. >> we know that these they were not marked classified at the time they were sent or received. >> reporter: republicans quick to pounce. donald trump tweeting the e-mail release is a disaster andng what he calls clinton's saving his hardest hits for republican rival. >> ted cruz may not be a u.s.n, but he's an anchor baby. h

nbc's hallie jackson is in iowa covering the trump campaign.republican strategist and jeremy peters writes for "the new york times." hallie, give me a sense. did cruz people expect this assault from every direction? >> reporter: yeah, they weren't surprised by it. senator cruz had been preparing for that once it was clear that trump would probably be -- not be on that debate stage. it became clear that the person who then took center stage, ted cruz, then the front-runner, was going to be facing that incoming fire. you know, the headline, i asked him about that. "the des moines register" headline, saying he had a rough night, and cruz did what he often does, which is pivot to hitting the media, saying he's not surprised that the mainstream media wouldn't have liked his performance. what matters to him, he says, was getting out here, turning out the vote, making sure that those caucusgoers show up on monday. we spent a little time with our crews down at his campaign headquarters here in iowa. they talk all the time about their nearly 12,000 volu