first up, what, no etch-a-sketch? when mitt romney's aide compared his shift in the primary to the general election as a etch-a-sketch, the new toy was a must have prop for santorum and gingrich, but ron paul, not so much, his campaign came out with in new ad on the topic and sounds like a bromance with him and romney. >> it is like an etch-a-sketch and you shake it up and start over again. >> the etch-a-sketch. >> where is my etch-a-sketch at. >> do you have an etch-a-sketch? >> we are talking about the big things, folks. >> see it mainly goes after gingrich and santorum, but going after romney? not here. the paul campaign has released ads going after every campaign, but never mitt romney. >>> and the debate heats up over birth control. and there is a as some call it a war on women. well, senator hannah was a sole congressman who had quite a message for the women in the crowd. wait until you hear it. let's watch. >> contribute your money to people who can speak on your behalf, because i have a lot of it. it is a dog f

no etch-a-sketch, when mitt romney's advisor compared his candidate's shifts to an etch-a-sketch, the became a must-have prop for santorum and gingrich. but ron paul not so much. they came out with this new ad on the topic. is sounds like more of a bromance between him and romney. >> it's like an etch-a-sketch, you can shake it up. >> do you have an etch-a-sketch? >> we're talking about big things here folks. >> see, it mainly goes after gingrich and santorum. going after romney? not here, the paul campaign goes after every other candidate, but never mitt romney. money talks, but the debate on birth control that sparked debates in recent months, a lot of democrats say republicans have had a war on women. richard hannah was the sole republican in a rally in washington, and he had quite a message for the women in the crowd, let's listen. >> contribute your money to people who can speak out on your behalf because the other side, my side, has a lot of it. and, you know, you need to send your own message. this is a dog fight, it's a fist fight, and you have all of the cards. i can only tel

what, no etch a sketch? 's adviser compared his shift from the primaries to the general election as an etch a sketch, the 1960s toy soon became a must-have prop for santorum and gingrich. but ron paul? not so much. his campaign came out with this new ad on the topic. i it sounds like more of a romance continuing with him and romney. let's watch. >> it's almost like an etch a sketch, we shake it up and start all over again. >> where is my etch a sketch app? >> we're talking about big things here, folks. >> see, it mainly goes after gingrich and santorum. going after romney, not here. the fall campaign has released ads that go after every other candidate but never mitt romney. >>> next up, money talks, but the heated debate on employer-covered birth control sparking a heated debate in recent months. republican lawmakers have waged a sort of war on women. well, richard hannah was the equal rights spokesman on monday and he had quite a message for the crowd. le let's watch. >> you're giving money to people who ca

etch a sketch candidate. you're looking for someone who writes what they believe in in stone. >> you got to keep focused. >> there is noaylight between governor romney and republican leade leaders. not even romney's etch a sketch can change that. >> george will, does it stick? >> i think that november this will be as distant as -- right now, it's effective because it simplifies the narrative about romney. it happened unfortunately after the most important victory he has had so far, illinois. it's the kind of typical state, if there is one this country, the northern part of illinois is cape cod and the southern tip is south of richmond, it's urban, rural, it's where romney demonstrated that he can't break out of his southern evangelical base. romney became the nominee -- >> the etch a sketch the reason because it holds -- >> because it is true. >> well, all right. but, it only worked if they play in an already did -- >> it won't cost them the nomination. it won't cost them the nomination. but what i think this is ux eric didn't say this because he misspoke, eric said it because that's how they see the campaign. he'll ge

no. >> it's a gaffe a minute. team romney and the etch-a-sketch comment. first the no confidence vote in sanford, florida.resident of the rounds out current's new morning news block. >>it's completely inappropriate for television. what's up? >>hi! >>how ya doing? >>good. >>what you got there? >>a u.v. light lunch box. >>wow! how does it work? >>you put the fruit in, you turn it on, you wait for ten seconds, you take it out. it's a healthy apple to eat. >>that's big. if you sell as manny of those as we sold records, one day i'm going to be going to your house. >>got a cool idea of your own? enter it now at wouldntitbecoolif.com. four finalist will have the chance to pitch their idea to will.i.am. one winner may see their invention idea brought to life. >> the deet of trayvon martin has reached as far afield as new york city. the council city has passed a no confidence vote on its own police chief. george zimmerman's formerfian say had filed a petition against him for ladies and gentlemenly pushedladies andallegedly pushed her andhe had open hand smacked her in the mouth and the year over that, groped her o

. >> a romney campaign aid said the campaign can be reset like an etch a sketch. he made no public appearances thursday as he focused on private meetings in washington. rick santorum implied that president obama would be better than mitt romney. >> he may be the etch a sketch candidate for the future. >> mitt romney responded in a statement. the candidates' bickering underscore the fact that mitt romney has more than half of the delegates needed for the nomination. >> the sooner we can come around to a nominee, the better we are as a party. >> mitt romney looks to be the better candidate -- the favored candidate in many up, contests. >> early voting starts in maryland tomorrow. coming up on 11 news at noon, the president comments on a teenager shot in florida. >> when i think about this boy, i think about my own kids. >> plus, the reports you at progressive, you can bundle your home and auto policies and save. don't worry, tiny people. flo is a gentle giant. bundle home and auto at progressive.com. >> nearly 25,000 people showed up at a rally -- a rally in florida calling fo

forget your ipad, let's go etch-a-sketch. >> no ipad. >> where is your etch-a-sketch.now you're old school. who would have ever thought this would have become a campaign -- chris is shaking his head. a part of the campaign. let's roll the montage. >> you have to stand for something positive and you have to -- pardon me. let me borrow that for a second. have you to last for something longer than something like this. >> shake it up and it'sing and he's going to draw a whole new picture for the general election. that should be comforting to all of you voting in this primary, whoever you're going to vote for is going to be a completely new candidate. >> all right, guys. why is this even a controversy? why are we talking about it? why is everyone grabbing the etch-a-sketch? everybody can be blamed for having an idea that goes away and then another idea. why does this have so much tracks, roland. >> first of all, thanks soledad o'brien starting point because that's where the conversation began with a question to romney's communications director. if you're mitt romney, fire y

etch-a-sketch in 1777. we have michael musto thank you for your time, age. >> hi. >> is etch-a-sketch the best toy analogy for the romney campaign? >> no-yo. he's a total ptts, but a yo-yo comes up once in a while and marriage so maybe not. >> is this a gaffe? do we get insight that even romney's advisers think of his campaign as toys. >> romney is a conservative like everyone else. they probably think of it in systems of sex toys. but it's awful of the adviser to say this is a campaign of giant dildos, so he went to the etch-a-sketch motif. it was way more family friendly. >> i think you missed a researching to two adult toys there and i'm grateful. what children agency toy, and let me emphasize children's toy would best describe the campaign of rick santorum? >> i would say a chatty kathy doll. really anointing spin top. all those toys you hated. all the toys you would give to children less fortunate than yourself in a very patronizing way. >> and the same question for the newt gringrich campaign. >> mr. potato head. and mr. potato head is a veggie version of an etch-a-sketch. you shake it up, eat it or turn it into vodka. >> do we t

we have an alligator chomp on an etch-a-sketch. no one is a more greater opportunist than the newtster. >> they can bite it. oh, my god. >> there's louisiana treatment of the etch-a-stech, all right? >> finally a clown-like moment for newt to play. >> an intentional clown-like moment. >> where is donald trump? he has to come back and herman has to come back, herman cain ought to come back. an etch-a-sketch opportunity, we told you so. >> today i went to the tidal basin to look at the cherry blossoms. >> good for you. >> i couldn't resist being a reporter down there and assumed nobody would care about the etch-a-sketch story but the americans i talked to as opposed to the japanese tourists, i said you know about the etch-a-sketch thing? they said of course, it's all about mitt romney, penetrated the public consciousness because of the symbolism of it, which people know about. >> thanks, matt, for coming. great reporting. howard as always it gives me enough now that you mentioned the beautiful cherry blossoms my wife and i drove past th

. >> i want to ask you about that, you're not worried about this label etch a sketch candidate? >> no, i'm not. our candidate will be strong. we'll be united as a party. >> on health care, you just heard david plouffe say that he, the white house and the president, are very confident that the supreme court is going to uphold the president's plan and a lot of independent analysts say they have seen what's most likely, is a 6-3 or 7-2 decision in favor of the president's plan, do you agree? >> well, it depends on what the supreme court decides to rule on. one issue that they may try to narrowly construe is the antiinjunction act. president obama said that this is not a tax. now, when this bill is before the supreme court, president obama is adamantly saying that this is a tax. the complete flip flop and that's dealing with this issue of an anti-injunction act. but the real issue that most americans are concerned about is the constitutionality of the government forcing americans to pay for a very expensive health insurance policy. it is extremely expensive. families won't have a choice.

they say etch-a-sketch because he is an empty vessel and devoid of a soul. no, he was plastic and made of sand. >> you are much better at drawing lines than an etch-a-sketch. the last thing i do is shake. >> dana, you don't know what we are referring to. >> i am not that naive. i heard about it. >> before we move on, i want to ask you, jeb bush, one of the few republicans that didn't endorse gold and endorsed mitt romney. >> it hasn't been reduced to that. >> does this mean anything? >> pretty much every political consultant would have told you the most important endorsement for these candidates was from -- was going to be from jeb bush. but he did wait until it was obvious that romney was going to win. >> isn't this kind of a political equivalent of a lapse out of saigon? he waits until it is complete. >> and will he campaign for him? how active is he going to be? florida is an absolute must win for the republicans. i think they probably will win it this year. and he will be key to that. >> i am looking for, bill, as you know gavin ross le of -- rossdale of fr

no return. >>> a toy from the 1960s takes center stage in presidential politics, the etch a sketch comment that is hurting mitt romney at what should be a shining moment. >>> again, tonight, we will show you right here, live protest in new york city for what's being called quote, the million hoodie march, a reference to the hoodie trayvon martin was wearing when he was shot and killed in sanford, florida. new calls for the arrest of a noob hood watch volunteer that shot and killed the 17-year-old boy. martin was unarmed, walking from a convenience store to the home of his father's fiancee last month in sanford near orlando when george zimmerman shot him. he says he fired in self-defense after he felt threatened. something he would be entitled to do under florida law. today on cnn, one of zimmerman's neighbors came to his defense. >> george zimmerman is a good dude. he is straight up. that's why i am front-runner for him today. i, myself, credit george for thwarting a burglary to my own house. >> members of trayvon martin's family blame racial profiling for his death. the stanford police departm

no etch a sketch. written on your heart. romney says he will run as a conservative. i will not run as a conservative. i am a conservative. [cheers and applause] i ask for fellow conservatives -- someone who understands the reagan coalition is lives because it is not the reagan coalition. it is the founders coalition. if you stand by that, if you stand by that, do not listen to the pundits. i bet you there are a lot of people out here to get frustrated when you elect members of congress or others and they go to washington and they say they will be a conservative and in order to pass a bill or two, the compromise. -- they compromise. poll ratings are 10%. they're telling you the same thing. to compromise. they're telling you to give up your principles in order to win. how has that been working out for us? giving up our principles in order to win. do not do what you criticize your elected officials of doing. stand up for what you know is right for america. stand up and vote your conscience because you know what, what you know is

etch-a-sketch. you kind of shake it up and we start all over again. >> later they say no, nothing like an etch-a-sketch. can that etch-a-sketch mess be cleaned up this morning? we'll see. >>> i've done this, actually. not fallen into a lake as she did, but other things that are not so great. it is thursday, march 22nd. "starting point" begins right now. >>> yes, that's mariah carey. my play list this morning, that's "fantasy," by the way, is all long islanders who have contributed to the great cultural contributions of our nation. we're celebrating long island this morning, everybody. our panelists this morning, washington correspondent for the new yorker, nice to have you. where about? what town? john fugal is with us, asked the question of the day on this show yesterday. we'll talk about that straight ahead. >> i'm representing stony brook as well. >> that's right by me and will cain. >> thank gadness i'm here. >> helping it out. let's get to our "starting point" this morning. the standoff we've been watching for days is now over. cnn affiliate in france says the terror suspect is now dead. police st

a whole. martha: phil, important story. we'll stay on it. in miami. bill: there is no more etch-a-sketch but there is this.ople it volt for barack obama over mitt romney. fair and balanced debate coming up. martha: living in the "twilight zone". mysterious loud booms shaking homes in one wisconsin town. now, some possible answers. ♪ all right, let's decide what to do about medicare and social security... security. that's what matters to me... me? i've been paying in all these years... years washington's been talking at us, but they never really listen... listen...it's not just some line item on a budget; it's what i'll have to live on... i live on branson street, and i have something to say... [ male announcer ] aarp is bringing the conversation on medicare and social security out from behind closed doors in washington. because you've earned a say. bill: we might have the new answers now on the mystery what might be going boom in the night. residents in a small wisconsin town west of green bay plagued by a week of loud unexplained sounds shaking their homes and triggering a rash of nervous 911 calls. now t

etch-a-sketch. is that's problematic. >> bret: santorum campaign was handing out etch-a-sketches to the crowd in the afternoon events. >> nos not what the romney campaign wanted to talk about today. clearly, the problem they are experiencing is well deserved. that is the wrap on their candidate. that is a fact of life. however, i don't think it rises to the gaffe level that the very poor comment did and other things. the candidate didn't say it. that is helpful. number two, i think this is not the kind of thing that can or will really come back to haunt him in a general election. the way some of the other thing he is has said can and will. i think outside of our circle as much as everybody understands etch-a-sketch. i agree with you on that. most voters i don't think will get wrapped up in this. the way they with other things. why this is problematic, as you said, jeb bush endorses and he comes off a huge victory. all he needs to be talking about is basically, i'm the nominee and this is another day he squanders an opportunity to do that. >> bret: although, the democrats desperately want himto be included. rick santorum an

etch-a-sketch. and in a sense rom no can't win. it is just talk really .he voters will have to make a decision about this kind of action on entitlement spend this is what the election was about as to whether they are ready to support a candidate and party that is to do manage serious about them and that is a central interest in the race. that is a issue in the campaign. president obama has punted and his budget doesn't do anything about it. and so that's how it should be. >> the flip side of that. do you think that this is good grounds for republicans, for democrats, rather? under the president's budget he never balances it. >> it is dangerous for republicans because it is extreme in the terms of the cut to make it happen . there is not a lott of talk about that. >> chris: we'll have to leave it there and maybe we'll talk about it coming up. thank you, panel. we'll talk about it when a group picks up on the discussion of "fox news sunday".com. we'll post the video. upnext, we go on the trail. t to. right. but... home security systems can be really expensiv

thank you for coming michael. >> hi, keith. >> is the etch-a-sketch the best toy to compare the romney campaign? >> no, a yo-yo, but least aio quoayo-yo comes back up, but it comes back up. >> romney is a conservative like everybody else. i think it would have been awkward for the campaign adviser to say, we think of this campaign as a giant dildo so he went to the etch-a-sketch motif. i thought it was delightful. >> i think he missed two or three references to adult toys and i'm grateful. now what children's toy, and let me emphasize children's toy would best describe the campaign of rick santorum? >> i would say a chatty kathy doll mixed with a bratt and an anointing spinning top. all those toys you hated. all the children you give to children less fortunate to yourself in a very patronizing way. >> and compared to children's toys, what is newt gringrich's campaign. >> a mr. potato head. you can just eat it or turn it into vodka. >> do we think that the comment about etch-a-sketch will have more life to it than seamus the dog story, letterman has been doing a yoke a night, 35% of the people polled s

. >>> as someone who doesn't have my policy positions written on an etch a sketch, i carry this with me. >> but it is no laughing matter. day two of mitt romney's rivals going after his advisers' etch a sketch moment. why this is not an issue of child's play for mr. romney. >> the degree to which mr. romney lies all the time about all sorts of stuff and doesn't care when he gets caught is maybe the single most notable thing about his campaign. >>> hi, everyone. the "news nation" is following news right now in the trayvon martin shooting case. the city of sanford, florida just announced the city manager will hold a news conference at 3:30 this afternoon. there's no word on the topic yet but it comes less than 24 hours after the city commission gave a vote of no confidence to its police chief. the vote was 3-2. the city manager says he will be giving an update on the events surrounding the investigation. we'll bring you the latest developments. meanwhile a massive rally planned in sanford has been moved to another location because so many people are now expected to attend. those are pictures from atlanta

romney's rivals were holding up etch-a-sketches at rallies, talking about how romney had no core principles. it was a bad day for the romney campaign. >> we see both doing just that. it's tough for the romney campaign because this is a day that should have been spent celebrating that win in illinois. >> reporter: that's exactly right. it was a day that began with lots of talk about how rick santorum and newt gingrich should drop out. that there was no math, that equaled hem being able to win the nomination. jeb bush came out and endorsed mitt romney. but by the end of the day, mitt romney felt the need to dispute the etch-a-sketch comparisons made by his own staff. josh? >> again, perhaps they'll end this with an epic game of twister. jake tapper in washington. we do appreciate it. robin? >> all right, guys. >>> we're going to turn to the new video of the crash of a udz apache helicopter in afghanistan. the crash happened last month. but the video has just emerged. it's amazing no one was seriously injured. and it's raising a lot of questions about what caused the crash. here's a look. >> o

no question about it. the fact is that etch-a-sketch image will be useed by other republican bes and democrats as he goes forward. that's his problem. >> one thing i wonder about it is, during obama's primary race with clinton, you know, the argument is that she made him better. and what i want to know is, do you think that santorum or newt gingrich, are they making romney better? >> no question, from the 2008 race when romney only won four congressional districts in california, you can say romney is a much better candidate than he was the last time around. >> a democrat issue. talked about that at the beginning. we have a confession in terms of mishandling campaign funds. explain a bit. >> we have to mention the case the case being described as the largest political imbecilement case in history. she pled guilty to five charges of mail fraud. the fbi's been after her. a woman who managed, as campaign treasurer, dozens of promised campaigns including dianne feinstein, estimated a loss of $5 million in the embezzlement. why this went on for years is still a mystery. we did a story back in 2004 that linked her to a

etch a sketch, gop. you never know. maybe the truth will disappear. like karl rove's attempt to rewrite presidential history suggesting the killing of osama bin laden was no deal. he writes in a "wall street journal" op-ed, obama did virtually what any commander-in-chief would have done in the same situation. even president bill clinton says in the film, that's the call i would have made. for this to be portrayed as the epic achievement of the first term tells you how bare the white house cup boards are. >> are you about a commander-in-chief by the name of bush? here's what president bill clinton actually said. he said, i hope that's the call i would have made. i'm going to bring in our panel now with us from washington. msnbc contributor jonathan, opinion writer for the "washington post." msnbc political analyst david corn. the author of the brand new book, showdown. thanks for being with me on my first show. >> good to be here. >> i want to start with you. you talk about the bin laden raid in your new book. now karl rove says this is no big deal? >> it was a very big deal. in the book showdown, there is a whole chamt on the decision making that led to t

coming on the heels of this etch a sketch thing, another headline that says santorum wins, you know, a southern state. that's not going to be good for the romney campaign. >> nothing about this etch a sketch gaffe yesterday is that it totally obliterated the news of, you know, romney's big win, double-digit, solid victory here in illinois, the jeb bush endorsement was all overwhelmed by talk of this etch a sketch is. romney had to come out last night and address it. it's probably it'll continue today and fold right into this, the louisiana primary on saturday, and that will in itself generate another round of headlines that won't be favorable for romney, so it's a back and forth battle. jon: as carl pointed out, a lot of that is the work of democratic operatives, sending those storylines out to the media, and the media biting, right? >> well, the democrats certainly joined in, but the republicans, i mean, rick santorum and newt gingrich, it took them about an hour before they had etch a sketches in their hands on the stump. so democrats were happy to join in, but this one was, you know, primarily driven by his republican rivals. and, again, it's one of the th

the etch a sketch issue not going away so quickly. noise that mitt romney's rivals were playing with their etch a sketches today, but the gop front-runner is shaking things up again and lining up key support for his campaign on capitol hill. >> i carry -- i carry one of these around now. >> reporter: it's the gaffe that keeps on giving. rick santorum and newt genning rich can't leave home without one. >> if you're serious about changing washington, d. krchc., can't use an etch a sketch. you can't have a child's toy. >> the issues i'm running on will be exactly the same. >> reporter: romney appeared to be finished wednesday with answering questions about his aide's descriptions about the jenn campaign about everyone a skefrp. >> one question, governor, if you don't mind me sailing. >> it was a chance to respond to the question that i didn't get a chance to respond to. >> the democrats are still toying around. one party activist created the etch a sketch mitt romney.com and lib, they pounced on a massachusetts newspaper which quotes romney

etch a sketches to each campaign saying thanks for the publicity. >>> coming up, surprise announcement at a school assembly. why the principal says hugging is no longer allowed on campus. >>> are you ready for mega millions? $290 million. a whole lot of people in san lorenzo are, and they're going to what's considered a lucky store coming up in a live report. >>> another update on breaking news, a live look at the scene where five people were found dead inside a san francisco home. stay with us. we're back in two tes. honey...? [ mom ] yes. honey, i can't find my internet cord. oh, i'll borrow hailey's. you're downloading movies. fast! from here? where is her cord?! we switched to at&t high speed internet and got wireless access. no more cords. wireless, okay, honestly, can i just get a cord, please? dad, the cord's invisible. [ female announcer ] call at&t today to get high speed internet for just $14.95 a month for 12 months with a 1-year price guarantee. it's the fastest internet for the price. oooh. videos online? here? how much is that? nothing. at&t high speed internet at home includes access here. our invisible cord is really long, dad.

. >> you guys working on an etch a sketch ad now? >> no. but i think somebody is.ust for fun. >> rick tyler, thank you very much for joining us tonight. >> thanks, lawrence. >> we're going to be right back. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] not everything powerful has to guzzle fuel. the 2012 e-class bluetec from mercedes-benz. see your authorized mercedes-benz dealer for exceptional offers through mercedes-benz financial services. without the stuff that we make here, you wouldn't be able to walk in your house and flip on your lights. [ brad ] at ge we build turbines that power the world. they go into power plants which take some form of energy, harness it, and turn it into more efficient electricity. [ ron ] when i was a kid i wanted to work with my hands, that was my thing. i really enjoy building turbines. it's nice to know that what you're building is gonna do something for the world. when people think of ge, they typically don't think about beer. a lot of people may not realize that the power needed to keep their budweiser cold and even to make their beer comes from turb