the government and take hosni mubarak out. we are close to dawn just a few hours away. who knows what the 18th day of protests will actually bring to egypt who have been on the brink today. shep? >> shepard: our correspondent dominick dinatale live for us in cairo. and now the protesters are chanting in tahrir square. our interpreter tells us their words are as follows. "what does mubarak want? does he want us all to die?" the white house says it watched president mubarak's speech on air force one while heading back to a previously planned trip to michigan. apparently it was a surprise to him as well. here is what the president said before mubarak spoke. while the protesters were still dancing in the square expecting him to resign. >> what is absolutely clear, is that we are witnessing history unfold. it's a moment of transformation that's taking place because the people of egypt are calling for