, christi stuart rothenberg we will be back. >> i am joined by michael beschloss, richard smith and jeff stein, now we have a few results, michael to put them in some larger political historical context here, ron paul, for example, his success? >> i am trying and i think we are going to have to try for a long time, because there is one paradox after another, ron paul believes that the government should be so limited we shouldn't have had a civil rights act in 196 power that interesting grated public praise places, at the same time he believes in fortress america, defending ourselves at our coast and you sort of wonder who are the people that voted for him tonight, because you can see that perhaps, anti-war liberals are very much captivated by that message of ron paul, but do they really believe that the government should be so limited that it shouldn't have acted for civil rights? so you have to ask, do they think he was joking or are they in denial and the same thing on the other side, limited government conservatives, do they also think that we should do nothing to defend ourselves bey

. >> brown: plus, we get analysis from stuart rothenberg and susan page. >> ifill: then, ray suarez looks into the arson attacks in los angeles that sent more than 50 cars plus homes up in flames. >> brown: we update the turmoil in egypt. charles sennott of global post reports on the egyptian military, once supporting the protest movement, but now engaging in a crackdown on demonstrators. >> ifill: we assess what's behind the recent raids on american-backed groups, and what they mean for u.s.-egyptian relations. >> brown: and we close with the story of some cutting-edge scientific research that just might reveal what you're thinking. >> we're not doing mind reading here. we're reading your brain activity and using that brain activity to reconstruct what you saw. those are two very, very different things. >> brown: 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 by the bill and melinda gates foundation. dedicated to the idea that all people deserve the chance to live

florida today but planned to take part in tonight's debate. >> ifill: for more we're joined by stuart rothenberg of the "rothenberg political report" and "roll call" newspaper, and susan page, washington bureau chief of "u.s.a. today." she's in tampa, where the republicans meet to debate tonight. susan, you're on the ground in florida. what are these two especially leading candidates up to to take advantage of what happens in south carolina, in newt gingrich's case and to overcome what happened in south carolina in mitt romney's case. >> this is the ninth presidential campaign i've covered. i have never seen anything like we see happening in these last few days. eight days ago, mitt romney had a 23-point national lead in the gallup poll over newt gingrich. today that's down to a single and significant point. you know, romney has had an organization. he's had a lot more money than newt gingrich. newt gingrich has the surge the likes of which we've never seen. i think this debate tonight and another debate that is scheduled for thursday night are going to be the keys to whether this race really ge

. >> thanks, judy and now we are back to stuart rothenberg and kristina bellatoni. >> we are now up to 26 percent of the vote, that is the news, more amazing thing is we still have so few -- we still have this dead heat between romney, santorum and paul, take a look at that. >> what do you make of it, stu? >> it is going to be tight and tight all night, i mean, when you have this chunk of the vote in and what we have seen from the entrance polls it looks like photo finish, this is a kentucky derby, i don't know, somebody is going to win by a nose but in politics it is not quite that clear-cut. and the fact that we have three contenders who are seemingly headed for the finish line at the same time, i think that probably makes it worse for the people who aren't close behind at their heels because if you add those numbers up, we talk about 70 percent of the vote right there, if my math is pretty close. >> yes. >> and, you know, they are not much left for the rest of the field. >> we have a few more votes since you started talking, still a dead heat, kristina. >> yes when you drill down on

for that, we are joined by stuart rothenberg of the "rothenberg political report" and "roll call" newspaperand susan page, washington bureau chief of "u.s.a. today." the electorate has changed so much in this four weeks which we have had. it feels a lot longer than that. from iowa to new hampshire to south carolina. now to florida. how is it different? you were in florida last week, susan. >> for one thing hispanic voters really matter. that hasn't been the case in these republican contests but a lot of cuban americans and other hispanics vote in the florida primary. cuban-america has been a source of support for newt gingrich in a landscape that's been tough for him, they've mattered. also the number of seniors 65 and older obviously a big part of the florida electorate. this is a group that is really breaking for mitt romney. half of seniors 65 and older in some of these statewide polls we've seen say they're supporting mitt romney. younger voters more likely to be newt gingrich supporters. >> ifill: newt gingrich by all accounts isn't going to do well tomorrow night. we'll wait and see w

. >> brown: and we get analysis from stuart rothenberg of the "rothenberg political report" and susan page of "u.s.a. today." >> brown: plus, we examine the arguments in two supreme court cases on redistricting in texas and environmental regulations with marcia coyle of the "national law journal." >> brown: and ray suarez talks with susan dentzer about the slow-down in health care spending. that's all ahead on tonight's newshour. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> bnsf railway. >> and by the bill and melinda gates foundation. dedicated to the idea that all people deserve the chance to live a healthy, productive life. 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. >> brown: there were grave new developments today in iran's war of wills with the west, and with the u.s. in particular. one involved the regime's nuclear program; the other, an american condemned to death. margaret warner has

ann selzer, stuart rothenberg of the "rothenberg political report," and newshour political editor christina bellantoni. >> woodruff: and perspective from historians jeffrey stein, michael beschloss, and richard norton smith, and newshour regulars mark shields and david brooks. >> ifill: plus, hari sreenivasan reports on syrian americans who say they are being watched by syrian spies in the u.s. as their families are being harassed at home. >> when they were beating my wife, she was screaming, why are you killing me? why are you hitting me? they said we're doing this to teach you a lesson because your son is demonstrating against us. >> ifill: that's all ahead on tonight's newshour. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: and the william and flora hewlett foundation, working to solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. 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. >> wood

. >> woodruff: we get analysis from new hampshire pollster andrew smith, stuart rothenberg of the "rothenberg political report," and newshour political editor christina bellantoni. >> ifill: then, jeffrey brown looks at today's supreme court arguments about government regulation of profanity over the airwaves with marcia coyle of the "national law journal." >> woodruff: margaret warner updates the bloodshed in syria as president assad threatens an "iron hand" against protesters. >> ifill: ray suarez examines north carolina's move to compensate people sterilized against their will. >> woodruff: and we close with some final thoughts on the campaign from mark shields in new hampshire and david brooks. that's all ahead on tonight's newshour. major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: the william and flora hewlett foundation, working to solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. 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 pb