ted koppel is here tonight. he's just back from the campaign trail to report that it's only just starting thanks to the u.s. supreme court, a boatload of money and those lethal weapons known as super pacs. >> i talked to the man who heads up mitt romney's super pac. they figure they will have raised, before this campaign is over, $350 million. >> whoa. wow. >>> and you may be one of the millions of adults addicted to farmville and words with friends. tonight meet the man who has made them so addictive and made a fortune in the process. >>> and the stuff girls say. the web videos that remind everybody of someone in their lives. tonight we meet the unlikely star of the show. >> i know, right? >> do me a huge favor. >> did i lock the door? shut up. >>> "rock center" gets under way now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television >>> good evening and welcome to "rock center." we'll report on that cruise ship disaster in italy in just a bit but first tonight we wanted to bring you the reporting of our colleague ted

ted koppel joins us tonight. and if the jon huntsman campaign tells us anything, it's that the republican party has not much use for a thoughtful campaign of ideas that tries to positively build bridges and not burn them down. huntsman, who once praised president obama, did the opposite today. let me finish with words from the man we honor today, martin luther king. we begin with the evangelicals helping rick santorum trying to get, well, stop mitt romney. jim garlo is the pastor of a church down in san diego. he supports newt gingrich for president. tony old pal, thanks for joining us. you come on the show quite regularly. let's watch newt gingrich yesterday on "meet the press" responding to david gregory's question as to whether or not he, gingrich, feels pressure to drop out of the race now that the evangelicals have consolidated support behind rick santorum. >> i think that report was highly exaggerated. we basically split that group. i got a good number of votes. the one consensus was that virtually no one w

special correspondent ted koppel has been looking into the super pacs. his report will air tonight on "rock center." thank you for coming on tonight. i have to ask you a point of curiosity. was colbert asking like the guy or actor when you interviewed him for the show? he can play the part or not. >> he's never out of character. in fact, it was just wearing jeans and a sweatshirt or something like that. i was in jeans and a jacket. he was razzing me about not wearing a tie because he went back inside and changed because when he talks on this subject, he's always in character. >> he plays this seiny right wing character. let's look at the add he's running to make the point. you explain why this is an important. here's an ad that stephen colbert campaign is airing in south carolina. basically, it's done by a super pac. it's going after mitt romney in an over the top fashion. >> mitt romney says he's for corporations. >> corporations are people, my friend. >> but mitt romney has a secret. as head of bain capital, he bought companies, carved them up, and got

ted koppel will take it all on for us tonight.oduce us to an american innovator whose products you may know whose name you should know. harry smith on why we shouldn't feel bad about china's growth for once. it appears the u.s. is about to rebound in at least one area. finally tonight i'll sit down with a guy who may have the number of women everywhere. he seems to be able to imitate the stuff women and girls say as they go through life every day better than it's been done and to great comedic effect. so all that and more. please stop by and visit us tonight on rock center. for now back to you. >> all right. rock center with brian williams airs tonight right here on nbc 4 at 10:00. >> i'm going to watch because his tie was perfectly tied if you saw that. yes t. is going to be a little bit of rain this evening. some of that rain mostly on the moderate side by wake up tomorrow morning. that is what we can look forward to. if you like the warmer temperatures they're coming. how about 60 tomorrow? i think some areas if the wind and th

. >>> monday night on "rock center," ted koppel will have a special report on these new big money super pacs that are changing the face of presidential politics this year. monday night on "rock center." >>> now to the rising tensions overseas with iran, over that country's threat to close a vital oil-shipping lane in international waters in retaliation for sanctions over its nuclear program. the u.s. is warning iran now publically and through back channels privately, not to try anything. our chief foreign correspondent richard engel has more on this high-stakes dangerous standoff. >> reporter: today in tehran, the funeral of a nuclear scientist assassinated this week, and everyone knows who to blame. "death to israel," "death to america," they shout. u.s./iran relations are plunging fast and military analysts warn this could escalate well beyond angry rhetoric. the likely slash point, the strait of hormuz, the most important waterway on earth. 1/5 of the world's oil moves through the strait, 21 miles at its narrowest and it crosses right through iranian waters. tensions escalated dramat

you can watch ted koppel's interview this coming monday night at 9:00 central right here on nbc.ack in a moment. but first this is "today" on nbc. >>> still to come on "today," a cruise ship nightmare. we'll have the latest of the cruise ship that overturned forcing thousands of passengers into the say. what went wrong. >> and then new worries for john edwards, the former presidential candidate awaits a sears of tests for his heart condition. we'll find out. first these messages. something with it... i'm just not sure what... what is it? oh just return it. returning gifts is easier than ever with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. plus i can pick it up for free. perfect because we have to get that outta this house. c'mon, it's not that... gahh, oh yeah that's gotta go... priority mail flat rate shipping starts at just $4.95. only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship and return. but does bringing a floor back to life really make us heroes? [ chuckles ] yes. yes, it does. ♪ call 1-800-st

you can watch ted koppel's interview this coming monday night at 9:00 central right here on nbc.ack in a moment. but first this is "today" on nbc. laces? really? slip-on's the way to go. more people do that, security would be like -- there's no charge for the bag. thanks. i know a quiet little place where we can get some work done. there's a three-prong plug. i have club passes. [ male announcer ] now there's a mileage card that offers special perks on united, like a free checked bag, united club passes, and priority boarding. thanks. ♪ okay. what's your secret? ♪ [ male announcer ] the new united mileageplus explorer card. get it and you're in. >>> still to come on "today," a cruise ship nightmare. we'll have the latest of the cruise ship that overturned forcing thousands of passengers into the say. what went wrong. >> and then new worries for john edwards, the former presidential candidate awaits a sears of tests for his heart condition. we'll find out. first these messages. something with it... i'm just not sure what... what is it? oh just return it. returning gifts is easier

ted koppel. . ted, do you remember when i was your intern on "nightline?" >> how could i forget. katie couric was my intern. >> that's your way of saying -- >> if only i had succeeded the way my -- >> i was forgettable. i want to hear what you found, but before i just want to say i'm hearing from sources about jon huntsman's speech today when he officially steps down, he's going to be calling for an end of the negativity and the super pacs, as well. >> well, you know, all the candidates are on the surface. they're all saying -- >> against it. >> these super pacs are surface this superpacs are determining the course of the election. if you think the superpac,s are -- he told me by the end of the campaign, they expect to have spent 300 to 3$350 million and santorum went literally whoa. he can't compete against that. no one can compete against that. >> ted, can you pull back the curtain on this force? romney on this show saying i had nothing to do with the super pac. you had former staffers working f

you can watch ted koppel's interview this coming monday night at 9:00 central right here on nbc.a moment. but first this is "today" on nbc. "and what's your name?" "oh, it's flo." "and what do you do?" "oh, i sell insurance like no one else." "oh, that's nice." "thank you." now, that's progressive. call or click today. okay... is this where we're at now, we just eat whatever tastes good? like these sweet honey clusters... actually there's a half a day's worth of fiber in every ... why stop at cereal? bring on the pork chops and the hot fudge. fantastic. are you done sweetie? yea [ male announcer ] fiber beyond recognition. fiber one. hey, i love your cereal there-- it's got that sweet honey taste. but no way it's 80 calories, right? no way. lady, i just drive the truck. right, there's no way right, right? have a nice day. [ male announcer ] 80 delicious calories. fiber one. >>> still to come on "today," a cruise ship nightmare. we'll have the latest of the cruise ship that overturned forcing thousands of passengers into the say. what went wrong. >> and then new worries for john e

see you from new hampshire tomorrow night for "nbc nightly news" and next week on "rock center," ted koppelorts on what may be the biggest simple development in year. super pacs funding the air war of negative ads. join us for na next monday night. for now, from all of us, good

see you from new hampshire tomorrow night for "nbc nightly news" and next week on "rock center," ted koppelorts on what may be the biggest simple development in year. super pacs funding the air war of negative ads. join us for na next monday night. for now, from all >> live, local, and late- breaking, this is wbal tv 11 news tonight. west good evening, everyone. we begin with a developing story out of baltimore county where officials said a fire has claimed the lives of two women. the flames broke out in

still remember on the tenth anniversary of watergate, he and karl were on nightline, and at the end ted koppelem eachhat the story meant to them personally, and karl's answer was well et gave me faith in the constitution and the role of the fourth estate and bob said, you know, with my midwestern accent of his, you know, it was a great learning experience as a reporter. >> rose: yes. >> i am thinking he broke the greatest story o all-time and said it was a great learning experience but that is bob woodward. >> rose: and he continues. >> he continued to learn. >> rose: it is different today. it is different today. >> totally. >> rose: why? >> well, because the world has changed, and when i first got in the business, for one thinge were all using typewriters. >> rose: yes. >> but beyond that. >> rose: electric, probably. >> you could just go, i still have my mother's select trick typewriter you could walk in the locker room and nobody stocked you .. >> ther there weren't interviews with corporate logos and no internet and guys didn't communicate through the web site, through twitter and commerci

. >> newt gingrich talking to ted koppel on nbc's rock center about the terms of this relationship., we still have you. you mote a book about gambling. i believe you interviewed adelson about it. tell us about how he built his fortune. >> sheldon is one of the most visionary businessmen i've met. trump avoiding bankruptcy, steve wynn who knows the business. they are pip squeaks compared to sheldon. sheldon had the vision of creating a convention center and bringing business and he parlayed his money brilliantly and his political connections. his casino employs 21,000 people. it is a way for the chinese government to get untaxed money and it is bringing in so much money along with the other casinos that the government can't spend it as fast as it comes in. do you ever hear sheldon complain about his 48% tax. he got rich because government made him rich. government gave him a privilege, a license, and we need to remember that government is instrumental in determining who gets rich and who is kept in poverty. >> one of the things -- one of the points i want to make in that piece and i