daley will be replaced by jack lou.un focusing entirely on the re-election. daley had been brought in to improve business relations and focus on working with republicans in congress. joining me is malika henderson and nbc news political director and chief white house correspondent chuck todd. chuck, i've got to start with you about this. we knew he had a reduced role because pete rouse had gotten the day-to-day. he was supportive to the campaign. why did he quit right in the middle of a campaign? >> this all happened over the holidays, i'm told. went home for the holidays. realized he didn't like living in washington, d.c. coming back, he thought, all right. i'm submitting my resignation. did it. the president tried to talk him out of it. i think partly out of -- they don't say this was the motivation. they didn't want this story out here. it looks bad for all the reasons we're talking about. it looks -- you throw in that book and it's a west wing not being well managed. but he had a reduced role. figure head's too stro

that is not for all the partners that is on average. >> and i'll put in a republican statement, jack louwhen he worked for city bank. >> you'll not see that in the headlines. i'm all for free market economy. the best person does the best job. with this agreement he was given compensation based on, you know, long-term projection -- >> based on the this. based this machine. >> and he did a great job. >> nearly $400 million is a lot of money. thanks again to our panel. we are sorry we have to cut it off there, that is all for now, i'll see you back here tomorrow, keep it here on msnbc all day, and tune in tonight for special prime time coverage for the voting in new hampshire kicking off at 6:00 p.m. "andrea mitchell reports" is next. greetings andrea, good afternoon. >> good afternoon,al he c aa aft of the republican field is fighting for second place. does that matter as we look ahead to south carolina, plus independents account for 40% of voters here, we will see how big a role they will playing for today and the president's reelection bid with governor lynch, "andrea mitchell reports" r

jessica, we'll get back to you and learn more about jack lou and bill daley out. stand by. we're hours away from the nation's first primary. on the eve of that vote in new hampshire, the frontrunner mitt romney is drawing new fire from his rivals. they're fighting for second place and trying to stay in this presidential race. romney has given them, today, some new ammunition, jim mccosta is joining us. romney under fire for talking about firing people. jim, what's going on here? >> reporter: that's right, wolf. mitt romney has had a couple of stumbles in the last 24 hours over the issue of layoffs. and while the comments may not hurt him here in new hampshire where he's way out in front they could haunt him down the road. touring metalworks factory mitt romney saw the day before, it has manufactured nothing but trouble. at a breakfast event romney used an unfortunate choice of words touting the health care plan he passed in massachusetts. >> that means the insurance company will have an incentive to keep you healthy. it also means that if you don't like what they do, you ca

he'll be replaced by budget director jack lou. >>> people who live in ward 5 spoke out about a replacement for former council member harry thomas, jr. thomas resigned last week just before pleading guilty to stealing $350,000 in money intended for youth organizations. he was also convicted of tax evasion. at the wilson building earlier today, the name plate outside his office was removed. the door was locked. tonight residents gathered at a church in northeast d.c. to talk about the challenges faced in that ward. >> tonight is an opportunity for the ward 5 leadership and the ward 5 family to talk to each other about our current void in ward 5 d.c. council leadership. >> thomas will be sentenced in may. he's facing up to four years in prison. >>> we're following a developing story out of west virginia. we just learned that three men who disappeared in a greenbriar, west virginia, cave, are safely out of that cave. they had plans to spend the night in the cave but when they didn't come home, their parents called police. details about what happened are still coming in. but earlier in the day,

are you surprised by having so many chiefs of staff with short careers, going into the year with jack louo hands on election experience? >> i trust the preside%t to make his own staffing decisions. i have to worry about new hampshire and i assume that he will make the right decisions for himself and the country. >> thank you so much, governor lynch and the warm greeting here in new hampshire. >> thank you. >> who will stop mitt? perhaps mitt himself. you are watching "andrea mitchell reports." only on msnbc. >> i voted for ron paul. >> why? >> basically he seems to be one of those that has clear direction as far as where he wants to take the country. >> he does have problems with foreign policy, but, everyone has problems. but i think he would make a good president and can't stand mitt romney. >> all right thanks very much. >> flip flopping. >> [ ma le announcer ] indulge all you want. now there's no need to hold back. new revolutionary scope dualblast obliterates strong food odors leaving your breath minty fresh. hey. [ male announcer ] so there's no trace of evidence... new scope dualbl

president obama said they decided together that jack lou was the clear choice as a replacement. >> ever since he began his career in public service to speaker tip o'neil, he fought for an america where hard work and responsibility pay off. >> lou will take over next month. the sentenced death. his family says the 28-year-old who is of iranian decent was only in the country visiting relatives. the state department is saying iran has a history of falsely accusing people of spying and holding innocent americans for political reasons. in 2009 sarah shourd, shane bauer and josh fattal were all imprisoned accused of spying. and the united nations confirmed today that iran has begun enriching uranium at an underground bunker. here are old satellite images of the facility under construction. iran is enriching uranium at a level faster than ever before. the fbi announced the arrest of a 25-year-old man who they say was on the verge of going on a bombing and shooting rampage in a popular florida night life district. this is video of him arrested last year by tampa police after a fight with street

my favorite part is you look at jack lou, people are piling on mitt romney. >> there's no bad choice. corporate people in the country like exxon mobile. >> new figures showing it's harder and harder to move up the ladder in america. now below that of england and france. we like to make fun of france for these things, and now it's easier to get ahead in france. >> that's fine. they helps my message about cheating. we don't need the european soci socialism. this is america. you get ahead by lifting yourself up on your father's boot straps. i just think this is why we cheat. there's this myth that the success of the 1% is getting the 99% to think they are the 1%. to think overnight you're going to be a millionaire. that's not what happens. but we're obsessed by money and material things and happiness. >> what did you think of the previous guest? >> i thought he was crazy. money does buy happiness. what do we see? we see tv shows like mtv cribs. we see e little kids wearing t-shirts that say show me the money. that's our motivation. it's money. we can't get rich so we have to cheat. >> i

current white house budget director jack lou, guy on the left of obama there, he's going to replace daleyonth. >>> it is 48 minutes past the hour. soledad o'brien is here with what's ahead on "starting point." >> good morning. so much, so much ahead. we're many manchester, new hampshire, again today back in our diner. ten minutes later, we're going to be talking to newt gingrich live. the speaker as you know has been talking about and been a victim of nastiness in the campaign. now he says it's my turn. he's planning to pick up the attacks on mitt romney. >>> also in mississippi, four killers are off the hook. they've been charged by the governor, fallies are outraged. they say they are not getting any word on why this happened. this morning we'll speak to a nephew of one of the victims. >>> those stories and much more ahead on "starting point" in about ten minutes. short break. >>> welcome back to "early start." i'm zoraida sambolin along with ashleigh banfield. the obama administration is slamming iran this morning after the country handed down the first death sentence against on americ

he's being replaced by jack lou, a seasoned washington insider. >>> the search for a missing maine toddlerti roy joins us. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. it's been 25 days since ayla reynolds went missing from her father's home behind me. friends, family, strangers are trying to keep the public engaged in this girl's story in hope of sparking a break in the case. >> reporter: flyers bearing a little girl's pace. >> would you mind, would that be all right if i hung one up on the door. >> reporter: 20-month-old ayla's father is using tools in texas to find his little girl. >> t-shirts are set to be ready. >> reporter: the center helped find missing children like ayla. >> we're hoping that all of the eyes out there and that are seeing her picture on tv, on posters, and it only takes one person to recognize that picture, to bring that child home. and that's what we're hoping with ayla. >> reporter: on friday night, he and two friends went door to door, trying to pick up when police dropped off. >> wanted to keep her face out there, i want my daughter home, i'm going to do anything to

he takes over from jack lou. no senate confirmation is required for an acting director. up on capitol hill today, the house is returning from its holiday break as a washington post/abc news poll shows that 84% of americans disapprove of the job congress is doing. politics p.a. reporting this afternoon that six-term republican congressman todd platts announcing this afternoon he will not run for re-election in 2012. the house today starts the second session of the 112th congress. that includes electing a new sergeant at arms and that takes place at 6:30 p.m. eastern. tomorrow, the vote on raising the debt limit to $1.2 trillion. and the senate returns to session next week. tomorrow on "washington journal" "time" magazine and white house correspondent michael sherer talks about the superpacts. his article is linked, by the way, on our website at c-span.org. you can join us live tomorrow at 9:15 as mr. scherer talks with us and you. well, this morning, "washington journal" looked forward into voter fraud and state laws designed to stop such fraud. we talked with the head of

today, i'm pleased to announce jack luke has agreed to serve as chief of staff. >> lieu lou is a washingtoneteran serving in the clinton white house as well as capitol hill and at the state department. daily is resigning after a year on the job and wants to return to chicago and spend more time with his family. >> the war between occupy oakland and city it wants to occupy continues tonight. today the battle shifted to the court house, demonstrateor as rested saturday night supposed to face a judge that. is where we find nick smith. >> good afternoon. there is a show of solidarity for those arrested over the weekend. among charges were vandalism and possession of an explosive. police say that was a quarter stick of dynamite. the bailiff posted the list of names, removed from the list were five of the six people arrested in a march saturday night. protesters marched carrying banners directed at police. the protesters marching without a permit were stopped near 7th and police say things got out of control. protesters started of a bonfire, spray painted a media van and smashed windows of this s

jack is in. timing, much sooner than many expected. daly initially committed to staying through november, but told the president last week, i want to go home to chicago. lou, the president's budget chief, third budget cleef in the last three administrations to become chief of staff as some point, will transition into his new post by the end of the month. needs a new budget person now. the president praised him during yesterday's announcement saying, no one in my administration has had to make more important decisions more quickly than bill daly, brought in to fix the relationship in the business community, deal with congressional republicans. unfortunately, his track record on that, not strong. fair or unfair, he took the most arrows after the debt ceiling debacle and those failed negotiations, and from there, some of his duties were a bit undermined and at that point serving as a semifigurehead chief of staff with some of his duties being parched out was something he didn't seem to be enthusiastic about. all right. mitt romney's unforced errors and scrutiny time at bain capital may give opponents what they're been looking for. two guys that control that,