. >> you just have to have the courage of your convictions, particularly if it's a loose mass. well, that didn't go very well, but you can always pick it up if you are alone in the kitchen. who is going to see? >> ifill: that's all ahead on tonight's "newshour." major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> ifill: tough new rhetoric dominated the presidential campaign during the last 24 hours. it was the latest evidence that the battle for the white house will be no holds barred. the pre-convention presidential campaign has become increasingly defined by acrimony and accusation. >> this is what an angry and desperate presidency looks like. >> they are just throwing everything at the wall to see if it sticks. >> ifill: a new war of words was launched tuesday, as vice presi

coming up, a check of other bridges and mass transit >> and moose was set loose by a sheriff's deputyin utah after it got tangled in a swing set in someone's backyard. it happened in beaver county, the deputy use bolt cutters to finally get the job done. the animal then said thank you and skip off into the woods. and five boxers including thomas in the red all had valid visas allowing them to stay in great britain for at least three months. cameroon's diplomats have not commented on the matter but further details are expected sometime today. >> a 12 year-old has his name etched on a microchip on the rover curiosity. he and his father signed up to have his name put on the microchip back in 2009. they can even track the location on the red planet. >> now your name is on the rover on mars >> his friends and family have dubbed him and drew the curiosity kid. not a bad nickname. in the next half-hour, a showdown in the swing states. a brand-new poll shows he has the momentum for the race in the white house >> a double-digit increase we could see at the pump. >> the smoke has cleared from t

mass murder situations than twen years ago. >> i am nolt -- not saying keeping guns from people. but when a criminal breaks loose. maybelet people can get to the criminal before the cops do. bottom line. if you think that controlling guns will make for a crime-free environment why in like chicago and washington where we control the guns are the murder rates the highest in the country and people are truly at risk for walking down the streets? can i tell you why? they are criminals and only ones that aren't. >> and then here's what white house reporter jake tapper had to say on laura ingram's radio show. >> we are spending time in the last few weeks, in the political world and politicians are talking about things other than the economy. a lot of people are hurting out and i would like to see more action taken and more echsis given to the issue. >> jake, i do tompt jake tapper is a professional journalist and i use that term junioralist only to a handful of people when you read the stories, you don't know what they are thinking or if they have a bias or perspective. i put jake in that era and categor. he is being ho

loose chemical weapons? >> i think we have to also be ready to take whatever action is necessary to assure that we do not have any kind of weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of terrorists. and whether that requires troops or whether that requires other action by our friend and allies there-- turkey is very involvedded, saudi arabia is-- but, of course, we have to retain the option to protect ourselves and our friend from weapons of mass destruction. >> pelley: what sort of threat to do the syrian chemical weapons pose? >> well, there's a wide array of potential threats but clearly the concern would be that some terrorist group-- whether hamas, hezbollah, al qaeda or others-- would receive the capacity to carry out a mass destruction, mass death type of event. and therefore america has to be ready, whether it's there or anywhere else in the world. >> pelley: we'll have more of that interview with mitt romney and anne romney next week as we bring you the "cbs evening news" from the republican national convention in tampa. late last night lance armstrong-- arguably one of the greatest athletes of all time-- announced that h

and actually i use the term bill very loosely here, because this really isn't much of a bill. it's a press release mass can raiding as -- masquerading as a piece of legislation. it would create expedited procedures for the republican version of comprehensive tax reform. there is criteria that tax reform has to meet in order to get fast track protection in the house and senate. it's sort of like reconciliation but our republican friend don't want to admit. there are two big problems with the republican approach. first, there is nothing, nothing in this bill that would prevent, quote, comprehensive tax reform, unquote, to turn medicare into a voucher program or eliminate altogether. repeal patient protections under the affordable care act. yes, they could do that do. eliminate the department of education. sure, that gets special treatment. or they might want to privatize social security. one of their oldies but goodies. it is absolutely outrageous. the second big problem is that under this bill the republican author of the tax passage as chairman of the ways and means and the person who was supposed to c

loose chemical weapons? >> i think we have to also be ready to take whatever action is necessary to assure that we do not have any kind of weapon of massof terrorists. and whether that requires troops or whether that requires other action by our friends and allies there, turkey is very involved, saudi arabia is, but of course, we have to retain the option to protect ourselves and our friends from weapons of mass destruction. >>> cbs news will have more of the interview with mitt and ann romney next week when the "cbs evening news" broadcasts live from the republican national convention in tampa, florida. >>> firefighters are braced for gusty winds today at a national forest 120 miles north of sacramento. the fire is half contained and has been burning since last month consuming 99 square miles. 900 homes are threatened. also in northern california, a massive wildfire in the tiny mountain town of mineral has been contained. firefighters used water and flame retardant, 64 homes and 20 other buildings were destroyed. there were no reported injuries. >>> two people were killed last night as gun violence continues to sweep through chicago.