mark critz did not put medicare at risk, but jason altmire did. >> so altmire has the slight edge, critz has closed a double-digit gap to four points in a recent poll and is making the most of an endorsement by bill clinton and the balanced budget amendment. >> former president bill clinton said the amendment would require massive reductions in social security and major cuts in medicare. that's why bill clinton endorsed mark critz just like the mine workers, steelworker, afl-cio and 16 other unions. >> do you know what's interesting about this race both critz and altmire, they are definitely centrist democrats but they're sort of old school, the old bold time of jack murtha school of democratic politics and then you have jason altmire more of a new face even, though, again critz hasn't been in office that long, a clash more of style than ideology. and health care is an issue in the 17th house district where the more liberal lawyer matt cartwright is trying to unseat tim holden. holden's district has been redrawn, three-quarters is in new territory and cartwright has run squarely against

who came out against particularly jason altmire? pent a lot of money plus there was a very big gun and that was bill clinton came out and said altmire has got to go and he will. a fellow by the name of mark kritz will head on to the general. it's pretty much a done deal in that district. it always goes democrat. he essentially won. >> that cartwright is the one that beat holden. >> file that in the back of your minds what that might mean. now to your headlines and we start with a developing story. fox news learning the republican senator marco rubio receiving special police protection. authorities say a credible threat was made against the florida senator. he's getting protection at his home in miami and in washington. he's frequently mentioned as a possible republican pick for vice president. authorities are not releasing specific information about that threat. time is running out for a 5-year-old boy snatched from his hospital bed in st. louis. he was next on the list for a heart transplant and he only had enough medication for 48

some of the incumbents areç drawn together and next week in pennsylvania with mark krits and jason altmireere is vulnerable to the republican challenge, and redistricting is one of the most chaotic and complicated processes that we have in the country, and it is so important that most people don't realize how it can dramatically affect the election before it even comes. >> and so if in fact we have a presidential election that is looking at safe red and safe blue states and so not that the republicans and the democrats are not sending in their ground game into the states, because these are safe states, how does that impact the down card? >> well, one of the things that happens with the house races is that early on in the candidates have to define getting back to tester point have to define themselves independent of everything else going on and democrats when they were really good and successful in '06 and '08 they were able to recruit the candidates in the southern districts and the rural districts to define themselves as people of part of that district, as part of that community. they wer

the pennsylvania map shows two democrats, jason altmire and mark critz. john, a republican from chantilly, virginia. caller: thanks for taking my call. the problem is no one wants to stand up for what is right. i am an immigrant who came to this country. there are a lot of good things that immigrants can bring this country, but the problem is those who are breaking the laws, they should be punished. if they commit a crime, they should be dealt with immediately. but the republicans want to use them when they are cutting the grass or building the houses come all these things. -- building the houses, all these things. this country needs to stand up. the problem we have our politicians using both sides -- the problem we have are our politicians using both sides to gain votes. they look at the issues than they solve the problems of the country has? host: paul is next, from greenwood, arkansas, an independent. caller: on social security and medicare, the problems could be easily fixed. all they need to do is increase the cap. that might solve it forever. the po

jason altmire and mark criths are the race to watch -- critz are the ones to lose. chantilly, virginia, go ahead, john, with your thoughts. open phones. caller: thank you for taking my call. i just want to say that actually immigration, there is a problem. the problem is no one wants to stand up. as an immigrant who came to this country, there's a lot of good things that immigrants can bring to this country but the problem is those breaking the laws should be punished. as they do. if they commit a crime, they should be dealt immediately. the republicans feel they want to use the immigration -- to use them when they -- when they're building the houses, cutting the grass, all these things. here is a democrat, if you vote for me, i'll make you about immigration. this country needs to step up. the problem we have is politicians who are using both sides to gain votes. this is the problem. as a good politician is, look at the issues as they solve the problem that the country has. host: all right, paul. paul is next, he's in greenwood, arkansas. independent. caller: yes. o