and laura bassett. laura bassett is a reporter for the huffington post who has been all over this story writing today about mcdonnell's claim he's didn't realize the ultrasound bill mandated an invasive procedure. thanks to both of you for joining me this evening. >> thank you so much. >> let me start with you. what a week it's really been for mcdonnell. you've heard him speak today. what do you make of his backtrack? >> he just got caught. i think he thought he could push through this social conservative agenda which is extreme. to suggest that doctors don't inform their patients of procedures and what's best for them is really laughable. he knows barn well what he's doing and he got caught. the sfact that he's been promoting a very extreme social agenda, reaching the hand of government between the doctor and the patient. and he's trying to make doctors the agent of the state to push forth his radical agenda. >> now delegate herring, is it not something close to unbelievable that he had said he would s

joining me now laura bassett, with the story from the start and broke the story on the controversy and bob shrum is a professor at nyu and joan walsh is the editor at large at salon.com. thanks to all of you for coming on the show tonight. >> happy to be here. >> laura, let me start with you what is behind karen handle's resignation? more to come out on politics behind decision? >> there was a lot of internal pressure inside the organization, starting last tuesday, the huge backlash happened against komen, people were upset knowing karen handle had driven the decision and come up with the pr strategy to make it look like it was nonpolitical.driven the decisio with the pr strategy to make it look like it was nonpolitical.he up with the pr strategy to make it look like it was nonpolitical. hundreds of thousands of people signed petitions that she be fired or resign. i think she was caving to that pressure. >> joan, you saw where i played karen handel is blaming everything on planned parenthood and saying they brought politics in. let me show you nancy brinker, who is the ceo of komen. he

. >> laura bassett, political reporter for the "huffington post" thanks for your time tonight. >> thanks we discovered an error in our broadcast? a story about a new jersey judge recommending recommending -- as i made clear o'keefe was originally charged with a felony but pleaded guilty to [ laura ] maine is known for its lighthouses, rocky shore and most importantly its lobster. it's the tastiest, the sweetest, the freshest. nobody can ever get enough. [ male announcer ] it's lobsterfest at red lobster the one time of year you can savor 12 exciting lobster entrees like lobster lover's dream or new maine lobster and shrimp trio. [ laura ] hot, right out of the shell. i love lobster. i'm laura mclennan from spruce head, maine, and i sea food differently. >>> 5% of the vote reported so far in michigan his hair still isn't on fire and we do not know if we'll know ever how many democrats came out to vote against him. the polls closing, and we'll have more on them in michigan and arizona. first the worst, from comments on right wing with jennifer granholm. >>i am jenniffer granholm and you ar

. >> laura bassett, political reporter for the "huffington post" thanks for your time tonight. >> thanksme. >> we discovered an error in our broadcast? a story about a new jersey judge recommending recommending -- as i made clear o'keefe was originally charged with a felony, but pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and placed on probation, not on parole. "countdown" apologizes for the inaccuracy. >>> 5% of the vote reported so far in michigan his hair still isn't on fire, and we do not know if we'll know ever how many democrats came out to vote against him. the polls closing, and we'll have more on them in michigan and arizona. first the worst, from comments on right wing blogs. even the commenters on the right wing blogs don't think they are writing down news. next. you are in the war room. it's a beautiful thing. >>jennifer granholm on current tv. >>i'm a political junkie. this show is my fix. >>in politics, she was a gutsy in cable news, she's a game changer. >>be afraid, be very afraid. now, the two term governor from michigan is reshaping the debate with a unique perspective and a forwar

. >> laura bassett, political reporter for the "huffington post" thanks for your time tonight. >> thanksme. >> we discovered an error in our broadcast? a story about a new jersey judge recommending recommending -- as i made clear o'keefe was originally charged with a felony but pleaded guilty to and who doesn't want 50% more cash? ugh, the baby. huh! and then the baby bear said "i want 50% more cash in my bed!" phhht! 50% more cash is good ri... what's that. ♪ ♪ you can spell. [ male announcer ] the capital one cash rewards card. the card for people who want 50% more cash. what's in your wallet? ha ha. ♪ ♪ thermacare works differently. it's the only wrap with patented heat cells that penetrate deep to relax, soothe and unlock tight muscles for up to 16 hours of relief. that's 8 hours while you wear it, plus an additional 8 hours of relief after you take it off. can your patch, wrap cream or rub say that? so if you've got pain... get up to 16 hours of pain relief with thermacare. >>> 5% of the vote reported so far in michigan his hair still isn't on fire and we do not know if we'll know e

laura bassett, political reporter for the huffington post, is joining us again. you have been following this very closely. earlier this week, we saw internal e-mails saying handel was to blame. but handel says policy review predated her arrival at komen. you quoted a source who said handel was the driving source behind this. could just one person make this major decision for this organization? >> absolutely. it wasn't only handel's decision. it had to be vetted by executives at komen and the board. i just said she was the driving force behind the decision. my source told me she pumped up the anti-abortion attacks against komen and tried to convince komen leadership that defunding planned parenthood was the best thing to do. of course, she was successful, and they did end up signing off on it. it was a group effort in the end. >> it's kind of hard to believe there's really one fall guy here. do you think that brinker deserves any accountability here? >> i think she definitely deserves accountability and certainly for lying to the public. she went on andrea mitchel

from richmond, virginia, delegate vivian watts, a democrat from fairfax county and in washington, laura bassett, reporter for the huffington post. she is writing about how the birth control-centered gender swar boosting democratic campaigns. great to have both of you with us. delegate watts, let me start with you. how did this all go down? what happened here? what are you hearing in virginia tonight? >> well, the governor walked it down. it was only a very small step back from the brink. he mentioned in the clip that you used that women have a right to know, well, anyone in elective office has a duty to understand. and although we have a new bill before us in ten minutes, we were told to -- that we had to vote on that bill. we could not take it off the floor for real study and the bill that he drafted, his bill, is full of mistakes. is full of insensitivities and lack of knowledge. you mentioned the one. someone who has rape still has to go through an ultrasound. he also thought that he was fixing, but did not understand that there are various types of miscarriages. and he is forcing a woman wh

. >> laura bassett is a political reporter for the huffington post.did put calls into the komen foundation for a response and they did not return our calls. i'm sure we're in a line of long people wanting conversations. i thought it was interest that they seemed surprised by the backlash. planned parenthood is so political. planned parenthood knows how to deal with political fights. it seemed to me a surprise you take on planned parenthood and not expect them to come back hard. >> it was not handled well from a public relation stainndpoint. you know my opinion on this because we talked about it during the break. >> america missed it, though. >> they weren't listening. >> there's not a table of agreement on the country. there's a legitimate debate between pro life and pro choice. even if this decision was political, even if komen's decision was political, i'm shocked at the vendetta put against them. i'm shocked that the wikipedia page was changed to say they hate poor women. i'm shocked they're calling for the resignation of someone called to it. dona

. >> laura bassett, political reporter for the huffington post. thank you for joining us.all the komen foundation for a response. they have not returned our phone calls. >>> it is 16 minutes past the hour. time to check the stories making news this morning. the new york giants came from behind in the last minute in a nail biter to beat the new england patriots, 21-17. that was super bowl xlvi. ticker tape parade is scheduled for tomorrow for the giants. >>> explosion levels a factory building in lahore, pakistan. you're looking at those pictures there, dozens of people may still be trapped inside. >>> state department says it is deeply concerned about egypt's plan to put 19 americans on trial, including the son of u.s. transportation secretary ray lahood. military leadership in that country is cracking down on non-profit organizations and actually accusing those ngos or helping stir up the political unrest in egypt. >>> also, former panamanian dictator manual noriega is o optized after a stroke. 77 years old. in panama city serving time for crimes committed during his rule