the republican candidates take the stage in this, their last face-off before the florida primarily. i'll moderate tonight's republican debate right here on cnn. everyone's talking about the tension on the tarmac. in your face airport encounter between arizona's republican governor. what was that all about? and newt gingrich vows to establish a permanent colony on the moon. will that idea take off with voters? i'm wolf blitzer on the campus of the university of north florida in jacksonville. you're in "the situation room." just four hours from now, the four remaining republican candidates will square off right here in jacksonville. it's the final debate before next tuesday's crucial florida primary. it's become a grudge match between the front-runners, mitt romney and newt gingrich. our chief analyst gloria borger is here and jim acosta has been covering this campaign. jim. let me start with you. it looks like romney may try to go to the jugular. >> somebody may go to the moon tonight, but it won't be to establish a lune flare colony, wolf. just listening to the rhetoric today, the only thing missing tonight will be the steel cage. >> we're getting ready for another debate tonight. i can't wait. >> reporter: he seems to be channeling his own newt gingrich. >> if you all can get there, we would love to see you there and cheering -- no tickets? well, just storm in. >> nancy pelosi -- >> in his campaign running the kind of negative ads one left to a pro-romney super pac. this cites nancy pelosi's interview with cnn's john king earlier this week. >> there's something i know. >> reporter: when she said she was holding on to damaging information. >> information so damaging it would help obama win. newt gingrich, we can't afford the risk. >> i think all the way to this negative advertising has hurt us some. >> reporter: he's still fighting off charges from romney. now the former speaker is trying to tie romney to florida's foreclosure crisis, pointing to rivals' past investments. >> i am running as president to represent you, not to represent the washington lobbyists, not to represent goldman sachs, not to represent the people ruining this country and i need your help. >> reporter: the former speaker fending off another attack. it shows nancy reagan praising gingrich. >> barry goldwater handed the torch to ronnie, and in turn ronnie turned that torch over to newt and the republican members of congress to keep that dream alive. >> reporter: all week the smackdown has overshadowed rick santorum who's down in the polls and denying rumors he's considering dropping out. >> i know they're coming from the other camps. i get that. i guarantee you, we'll be in this race for a long time. >> reporter: just to give you a sense to how ugly this race has become, the romney campaigned referred to newt gingrich as dr. newt and mr. hyde, with the hashtag "unhinged." that's the kind of opposition material that democrats will be accumulating in the fall, wolf. >> i want to bring in our chief political analyst gloria borger. she's getting ready to watch tonight's debate. >> i'm here to watch him moderate. >> romney really went after gingrich gingrich in the debate. what will we see tonight. >> romney's numbers started to increase in this state, so the romney people i talked to sort of say, you know, good to play offense rather than defense, so i would assume that romney would continue to go at them, but it's a fine line. too much attacking makes you seem kind of whiney, and romney is not known as a terrific attack politician. in fact, newt gingrich is known as someone who was much more adept with it. what i would expect is for gingrich to fight back more, because he was a little more demure, if you will. >> will gingrich fight back more aggressively tonight? >> i think so. i think he was saving himself for an all-out assault tonight. both are playing as if this is the super bowl. one thing i picked off last week is that mitt romney seemed to be on the defense ichb. this week it seems that is flipped and it's newt gingrich on the defensive over these issues with freddie mac and whether he's a true reagan conservative. he's the one on his heels. he needs to turn that around tonight. >> they're both fighting over the ronald reagan legancy. >> the reagan primary, you think. if reagan with are alive, he would win, right? >> we wouldn't like this rhetoric. >> no, he would not, but newt gingrich according to "new york times" has, what, mentioned him more than 50 times in these debates. it's part of trying to tell the voters you are the conservative heir to ronald reagan. the romney campaign is responding by saying you were only mentioned once in the reagan diaries, you are not the air, and gingrich fights back and shows that video that you showed of nancy reagan saying she's passing the torch to newt gingrich, and by the way, mitt romney where were you? you were running for senate in 1994 in massachusetts, and you were saying, quote, i was an independent during reagan/bush. so there will be quite a fight over that. >> the fact is hundreds of thousands of floridians, early voting is allowed. they voted already. >> you have absent tee ballots and early voting. i was talking with an official here in the state who said they have about 200,000 early voters between early and absentee, and they expect turnout to be about 2 million republicans. back in 2008 it was about 1.9 million, so they expect it to be up. it's an exciting race here. >> that could be a factor as well depending on if they voted -- it might too late for them if they already voted. thanks very much. president obama is making the rounds in key battleground states. his tour is taking him today to nevada and colorado, but everyone is talking about yesterday's stop, with an in your face encounter with the republican governor jan brewer. dan lothian has the story. dan, what exactly happened? and what's the fallout? >> reporter: first of all, as know, you've traveled with presidents in the past, when they fly into various states or around the world, they're met by officials, either state or local, and it's not very controversial. this time it was different. at the heart of it all, border security, a book and an oval office meeting. it's the water cooler story of the day, the tarmac tiff. president obama and arizona governor jan brewer clash over her account of an oval office meeting in 2010 on immigration and border security. >> i felt a bit threatened, if you will, was a little bit disenchanted, if you will, about how he was portrayed in the book. >> reporter: governor brewer's book deals with border security, and discusses her meeting with the president. in this passage, she writing, the president's tone got serious and condescending, and that he proceeded to lecture me. but a white house officials says the governor inaccurately described the meeting in her book. in fact, at the time she appeared to paint a much different picture. >> it was a very cordial discussion. i feel that it was a successful meeting, and i'm encouraged about i that. >> the testy tarmac exchange aside, the issue is back in the headlines. just days after the president against pushed for comprehensive reform during hi state of the union address. >> we should take on illegal immigration. >> reporter: it's a toughish for latinos. buttali nurani, executive director of the forum, says in 2012. the latino community is -- >> he's deported more than any previous administration, but they also know the rpgs stood in the way of the dream act and republicans frankly haven't put a proposal to put the immigration system on the table. >> reporter: latinos are frustrated at the pace of reforms. president obama is courting this crucial segment, doing an interview with spanish language television, pushing policies in states like arizona and nevada. even the first lady is in another key state, florida, joining latino organizations in promoting healthy eating habits. >> at the end of the day good policy makes for good politics. >> reporter: now, back to governor brewer, she said all she wanted to do was welcome the president to her state, invite him to another meeting, and then talk about the economic recovery in her state. she says she respects the office of the presidency, and never meant to be disrespectful. wolf? >> all right. thanks very very much. that iconic photo of with her finger up. i expect that's the last for some time. the moon ha surprising issue here in florida. and former florida governor jeb bush, he's disappointed many republicans by deciding against the white house run. what does he make of this campaign unfolding here in florida right now? plus my interview with florida's current governor rick scott. he's not endorsing anyone, at least not yet. he is speaking highly of one particular candidate. ♪[music plays] when you're responsible for this much of the team... you need a car you can count on. ♪[music plays] when bp made a commitment to the gulf, we knew it would take time, but we were determined to see it through. today, while our work continues, i want to update you on the progress: bp has set aside 20 billion dollars to fund economic and environmental recovery. we're paying for all spill- related clean-up costs. and we've established a 500 million dollar fund so independent scientists can study the gulf's wildlife and environment for ten years. thousands of environmental samples from across the gulf have been analyzed by independent labs under the direction of the us coast guard. i'm glad to report all beaches and waters are open for everyone to enjoy. and the economy is showing progress with many areas on the gulf coast having their best tourism seasons in years. i was born here, i'm still here and so is bp. we're committed to the gulf for everyone who loves it, and everyone who calls it home. a little bird told me about a band... ♪ an old man shared some fish stories... ♪ oooh, my turn. ♪ she was in paris, but we talked for hours... everyone else buzzed about the band. there's a wireless mind inside all of us. so, where to next? ♪ jack cafferty is here with "the cafferty file." newt gingrich is sending chills down the spine of establishment republicans, and it is positively entertaining to watch. these republicans say things like it would be a disaster if he's the nominee. there's a reason most people that know him best aren't supporting him, and newt means losing 45 states. these establishment gopers say they're worried he could bring back the erratic leadership from his time as leader of the house. in a nutshell they don't thing he could ever beat president obama. in fact so far only 12 sitting republican lawmakers have backed him while more than 60 support mitt romney. many who worry about gingrich also say they doubt he'll be the party's nominee. the irony is being the antiestablishment candidate could be the best thing he has going for him. the so-called establishment includes a few hundred of the most powerful and elite republicans. but americans are fed up pretty much with the establishment, and if the inner circle is nerve out about newt, it would actually help him. gingrich also seems to thrive when playing the insurgent. you can bet he -- they say they're not at def-con5 yet, and presents an even more serious challenge. i love this. here's the question -- is it good or bad that newt gingrich makes establishment republicans nervous? and he does. go to cnn.com/caffertyfile. post a comment on my blog, or go to our post on "the situation room's" facebook page. good question, jack. thanks very much. it sets up perfectly my next guest. rick scott is the governor of this beautiful state. governor, thanks very much for coming in. let me pick up where jack left off and read to you what bob dole, the former republican presidential nominee, just like jacques machine contain of four years ago, blasting newt gingrich. he said this in a statement -- if gingrich is the nominee it will have an adverse impact on republican candidates running for county, state and federal offices. hardly anyone who served with newt in congress has endorsed him and that fact speaking for itself. he was a one man bad who rarely took advice. if my pin if we want to avoid a sweeping victory, reps should nominate governor romney as our standard bearer. what do you think? are you with bob dole on the po templeal down side of picking newt gingrich? >> well, this is the first time i ran for office, so i think, you know, this state elected manage -- i think what i hope he'll talk about tonight is jobs. what we want in florida, we want something to help our state get back to work. we've had a lot of success this last year. but we need or federal partner, not help, really, about you a federal partner that thinks the same way we do. and get our state back to work. >> i know you haven't endorsed anyone yet. it's getting closer to tuesday. that's when the florida primary takes place, but you did say some nice things the other day about mitt romney. it was from a radio show. then we'll discuss. >> if you're going to hire somebody, we're basically hiring a new president, would you hire someone successful in business our unsuccessful? the thing that mitt romney has going for him is he was successful in business. he said, look, this is the greatest country in the world and i can go build companies, and that's what he did. >> sounds pretty close to an endorsement. give me your interpretation. >> here's what i believe. the candidate with the best jobs plan will be the candidate that wins. all these candidates are going beat president obama, because he hasn't been able to turn around our economy. i think in the end, though, the candidates will win if they have, you know, 3, 5, 7 steps to how they're going to turn our economy around, that's what we want in florida. we've had a lot of success. 147,000 private sector jobs last year, but we need a federal partner. >> so of these four candidates, who do you think has the best plan as you see it now? >> i don't think they've talked enough about jobs. there's way too much attack in this, just talking about some of these negatives. ultimately that doesn't work and we're beating that right now to do it. i think they're making a mistake. this is what i will do to get you we're not doing it enough. >> governor, with all due respect, and i have, i've been prepares like crazy, they have extensive proposals on how to create jobs, how to improve the economy, 50 steps here for mitt romney. newt gingrich has a very detailed plan. all of them i'm sure they would tell you that. >> absolutely. maybe i don't see all ads down here, but all the ads are negative. these are the 3 or 5 or 7 things i'm going to do to turn around the federal economy to make sure this is the greatest company to build businesses. instead of attacking the free market, we need to support the free market. that's how we get jobs going. that's what they ought to be talking about instead of some of these other things i hope tonight that these candidates will talk more about what they're gog to create jobs rather than saying this is person is negative for these reasons. >> thanks very much, governor, i know you'll be watching appreciate the hospitality we're getting from the floridians. >> have a great time. >> governor rick scott. thank you very much. we will. coming up, a man base on the moon? getting slammed here f. alex castellanos, and maria cardona are standing by. in the wake of a new daring operation, new questions about special operations forces, why one former commander says they're starting to fray. let 'get right to our strategy session. joining us the democratic strategist maria cardona, and the republican strategist alex castellanos. lovely campus here, isn't it? >> beautiful. i love the energy. north florida in jacksonville. newt gingrich had a comment today, and his proposals for space and the response from rick santorum. listen to this. >> bit the end of my second term -- [ cheers and applause ] -- we will have the first permanent base on the moon, and it will be american. >> the idea that anybody's going out and talking about brand-new very expensive schemes at a time when we do not have our fiscal house in order in my opinion is plays politics and not being realistic with the people of this country to the nature of the problems. >> alex, newt gingrich said this is a bold idea, popular with a lot of nasa employed workers, along the space coast as they call it here in florida. some are ridiculing them. what do you think? >> i think his campaign launches a lot of rockets. some land him on the moon, some land on grandma's house. the space program is one of the few things that has produced economic growth, something that the private sector, it produced everything from tang to wd-40 to the microchip and the computer. the gold coast of florida, there are so many people who not only have lost their jobs, but they've lost their confidence in america's future. i think this is a very smart move, tactically and strategically for gingrich. >> a colony of americans living on the moon by the end of his second term if he's elected. you're smiling? >> i do think it's a grandiose idea, and i think voters are desperate for one of their candidates to capture their imagination. and i agree in general, it is a great idea and what americans like to hear, but rick santorum is right, the reality of today, and if you look at his economic plan it slashes medicare, slashes medicaid, and basically slashes all the programs that middle-class americans and those that are most vulnerable, that's where reality does not meet what he is saying, but he's saying to florida voters that there once was a country that can do great things, we can bet that country again. i think it will help. >> it might work. >> you wrote last may a little column. newt gingrich is the devil in a red dress. i'll remind you what you wrote. you wrote the opponent obama needs to run against, the only one he can beat is the old, uncaring republican. it is not the caricature he needs to create. it lives, it walks, it breathe. it's the gingrich. in this op rattic campaign of sell dug, he is the devil in a red dress, a tempt tres who would lead republicans to ruin. >> put me down there as undecided. yes, i city believe that. he has many great strengths, but he's barry goldwater. he's an expression of the party's principles, but he at the top of the ticket? he is such a polarizing force that his 21% with obama's favorable among independents. i think he would wipe out republicans for the house. we may not win the senate, lose the presidency. newt gingrich could very possibly bring back the first two we're when he ran everything, and boy, that is not something that -- did you see bob dole's statement today? very similar things. it looks like the republican establishment is really going after newt gingrich. ironically, as jim acosta pointed out, that could help him. >> that could absolutely, especially in this year that's very anti-washington, and i think the more they go after newt, the more it's going to hurt romney. it's that romney is so wanting. >> and a great bob dole story, newt asked him once why is it so many people take an instant dislike to me, and bob dole says, ah, is saves them time. >> under the hispanic vote, latinos, they're voting big numbers, as both of you know, i don't know the percentage of the overall state. republicans, alex, and you're cuban-american, they're in trouble, not necessarily cuban-americans in south florida, but with others. why? >> i think the tone of some of the immigration debate hat not been productive, has sent a message we're not just anti-illegal immigration, but mere antiimmigrant, and that's alls a mistake. we've got marco rubio in the senate, suzanna martinez, governor sandoval, and once we're looking at employment-based immigration, republicans are supportive of that. out of a -- you know how many people we let come into this country every year? for jobs? 140,000. that's it. that's the cap we put every year. we have waiting lists that are a million people long, smart, highly skilled people who want to come here and can't. we're spending our best choices other places. republicans wants to fix that. >> can the president take the vote for granted now? >> no, and he ''s not. for the first time this campaign is reaching out to latinos in a way they had before from the timing perspective. alex is right, i wish the republicans would hear his advise. republicans are in trouble. are you mentioned doesn't matter. latinos are not going to listen to them, if on the dream act, wolf, they used to be a bipartisan issue that overwhelmingly latinos support the dream act. romney said he would veto it. >> he said military personnel would be able to qualify if they -- >> that's not the dream act. >> but you know the point on the dream act is his spannics know any other group in this country want to be -- i thinks it lessens, hey, unless you give them something, you won't get something. they come here for the opposite. they come here for opportunity, for a growing economy, for jobs, for an opportunity to raise their family. >> i'm sorry, that's a ridiculous argument to make. hispanics do notisms my family -- >> and my family cake here. they never expected a handout. they came here for freedom and came here for opportunity. >> not for help. >> they came for opportunity, and you know what? republicans are not giving hispanics the same opportunity they give people like mitt romney. >> we're going to continue this conversation -- by the way, the his spain leadership network which governor jeb bush, they're going to co-sponsoring our debate tonight. we'll get some questions from them remote, in miami as some of you probably know thanks, guys. many wanted to be jeb bush in the 2012 campaign race. what does he think of the nasty campaign? we'll hear from him. and they killed osama bin laden, and saved hostages, but now major concerns at least by some that the special forces are fraying around the engine. ♪ ( whirring and crackling sounds ) man: assembly lines that fix themselves. the most innovative companies are doing things they never could before, by building on the cisco intelligent network. a little bird told me about a band... ♪ an old man shared some fish stories... ♪ oooh, my turn. ♪ she was in paris, but we talked for hours... everyone else buzzed about the band. there's a wireless mind inside all of us. so, where to next? ♪ you know, typical alarm clock. i am so glad to get rid of it. just to be able to wake up in the morning on your own. that's a big accomplishment to me. i don't know how much money i need. but i know that whatever i have that's what i'm going to live within. ♪ ♪ the defense secretary leon panetta unveiling details of a plan to slash spending over the next deck indicate. spending will not be reduced for special operations forces, but now concerns about how those troops are in fact holding up. >> the big news we heard today is the special operations budget is going to keep increasing over the next several years. this issue with their workload is not a matter of money, but manpower. >> they killed bin laden, rescued an american hostage and thousands of other secret missions in iraq and afghanistan, but when it comes to special ops, how much is too much? >> i have said this great force is beginning to fray around the edges. >> the former special ops commander sounded the alarm last year, but thursday pentagon officials announced special operations will be spared in the new spending cuts. >> more opportunities for special operations forces to assist and advise or partners in other regions. >> its budget went up 7% from last year to this year. temperature keep growing, but it's manpower, not money that's an issue. >> president obama has dramatically increased a covert war around the globe, relying more heavily than any of his predecessors on the use of special forces to achieve missions beyond counter-terror. >> so while some conventional troops have deployed on four or five combat troops. >> special forces operators are in double-digit territory, 10th, 11th and 12th tours, this is simply unsustainable. >> reporter: budget cuts about mean 20,000 fewer marines. that means a smaller pool for special ops to recruit from. >> they'll probably have some trepidation about losing ever more personnel to the special forces community. >> reporter: it can take up to 30 months and half a million to train a single special operations fighter, compared to a few months and $50,000 for infantryman. pentagon officials claim this budget accounts for that. >> special operating forces can only be, quote/unquote special if there's a conventional force that allows them to conduct their operations and shape the environment. so we have to do all of this in balance. i'm confident we have done that. >> reporter: there are proposals for potentially big changes, including establishing trachk sessions closer to where they live, so they don't have to travel to train quite so much, but maybe more importantly establishing special operations networks around the globe to get them closer to potential problems that they may have to react to, and also as panetta mentioned, to start building relationships with other armies to develop their own capabilities, wolf. >> here in florida, the governor, at least the former governor jeb bush goes one on one with our own john king and has advice. speaking of -- the debate floor, this is the fine arts center, on the campus of the university of north florida in jacksonville. you see four podiums up there. i'll be moderating the debate. it all begins tonight, 8:00 p.m. eastern, only here on cnn. you know what's exciting, graduation. when i look up into my student's faces, i see pride. you know, i have done something worthwhile. when i earned my doctorate through university of phoenix, that pride, that was on my face. i am jocelyn taylor, i am committed to making a difference in peoples lives and i am a phoenix. ♪[music plays] when you're responsible for this much of the team... you need a car you can count on. ♪[music plays] dave. -hey, dave. -hey, dave. hey. -hey, dave. -mr. dave. -dave. -what's up, dave? 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[ male announcer ] in a small business, it's all you. that's why you have us. at staples, we have low prices on everything your small business needs. staples. that was easy. clashes in syria. lisa sill vest terr is monitoring that and other top stories. what's going on? you wouldn't know it from syrian state television, but opposition activists say at least one member of the syrian security forces was killed and nine injured in a clash with arm deeffectors, and they report regime troops firing into homes. the syrian government restricts news media access to the country. the ointo mania administration is putting 38 million acres of the gulf of mexico up for sale for oil and gas leases, it's part of a push to increase domestic production. the interior department says the area could yield as much as 1 billion barrels of oil and 4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. the only second such sale since the gulf oil disaster in 2010. and australian prime minister julia julliard is rushed out of as an angry mob started banging on the windows. they're members of an aboriginal rights group. local media reports she was visibly shaken and stumbled during that encounter. more grouping images, people fleeing in panic as the roof of an ice rimpg collapsed. a very close call, but fortunately no one was hurt, among those who narrowly escaped, nhl former forward for of -- and native of slovakia. and barney frank plans to manage his longtime partner in their home state of massachusetts. he's keeping mum about the whole thing. the 16-term congressman isn't seeking reelection, but if the wedding takes place before he leaves the house, it would be the first same-sex of a sitting member of congress. wolf? lisa, thanks very very much. some republicans wanted to see another bush in this, the 2012 presidential contest. we're talking about the former florida governor jeb bush. he has a warning for the front-runners in tonight's debate here in jacksonville. our own john king spoke with him. also chilling video made by aself confessed shooter who first pointed his camera as a u.s. marine corps museum and other military targets near the nation's capitol. what makes the sleep number store different? the sleep number bed. the magic of this bed is that you're sleeping on something that conforms to your individual shape. you can adjust it to whatever your needs are. so whatever you feel like, the sleep number bed's going to provide it for you. and now, the company that redefined sleep is redefining memory foam. save $400 on our all-new memory foam bed. and at our white sale, stock up and save on our exclusive bedding collection. only at the sleep number store, where queen mattresses start at just $699. he's a perennial republican favorite, still very popular here. we're talking about former florida governor jeb bush. he disappointed many people in his party by not running for president this year. he's watching the race very closely, even has advice for newt gingrich tonight. he spoke with our own john king. >> let's start with tonight's big debate. pretty much a dead heat. let's start with the two candidates at the top. for yourself and for the conservatives you talk to across the state, what is the number one challenge for special gingrich tonight? >> i think it's to not go over the top in his attacks, to maintain the great connectivity he has with voters talking about the future. i think there's a point past which republicans and independent voters get turned off by this fierce primary spilling over into personal attacks. i just hope that both governor romney and speaker gingrich can stay away from that. >> john king is here with us. i know you'll later have your show, but what else did he say? a lot of republicans are still dreaming even at this late moment that he could jump in. >> he says he doesn't think even if president obama wins he would run next teem, but he said never say never. you heard him say to turn it down, tone it down. and i'm not expecting it tonight. i also asked about governor romney, and he said governor romney should show more of his heart. gingrich is connected, the governor sometimes thinks too hot, and romney sometimes is too cold. he he says the republican party is at risk of becoming irrelevant here in florida and nationally if it doesn't rebuild relations with the latino community. his brother got 41%, and jeb bush says the republican party will die if it becomes in his words, a party of old white guys. >> it was a very thoughtful article. had el had four specific recommendations. he would like to see what is called the comprehensive immigration reform, and a lot of republicans don't want to necessarily see what john mccain, ted kennedy, his brother the president bush, they tried to do it and didn't get very far. >> and he understands the politics of the moment. if you keep talking about border security and deportations, and he says you need to have a more welcoming message on economics, on immigration. he says the language even on the subject he agrees with, the language is to off-putting, that it driving people away. he says if you simply look at the demographics across the state and the country, it's a problem, and it would get only worse 5, 10, 15 years down the road. he says the more time they spend here, the more they'll get it, but we'll see. >> and his desire for some of the cooling of the rhetoric, it's easy to say that from the outside, about you if you're a candidate -- >> and jeb bush has been in many a campaign here in the state of florida. he understands that -- he's sort of torn at the moment, because he does understand the moment, a very contested primary, a very close race. and he says the sparks actually helped generate interest. he says, sure republicans might like the red meat, but his worries is that maybe independents will turn away. you'll have the great honor of moderating it. we'll be back, because florida, as always, will be huge. >> a nice campus we have here. >> and friendly people. it's a beautiful campus. >> 16,000 students. >> an enthusiastic group, right? you know about the swoop? >> yes. he's going to warm up the crowd later. >> and "the cafferty file" is up. also a bankruptcy and another possible stimulus embarrassment. stand by for that. coming up in our next hour, chilling video of shootings linked to the military. prosecutors said the gunman himself taped it. back to jack for "the cafferty file." >> the question this hour -- is it good or bad that newt gingrich makes establishment republicans nervous? and he does, you know. they can best be characterized as a bunch of obs nan grumpy old men. they want their ware. newt scares them and he should. he won in south carolina on the strength of hi debate performance and on the notion he tells the voters what he believes. it's all bad, and i'm not sure which one make me more nerve out. none in my pin is call for much celebration. terry in virginia. could newt possibly be a bigger disaster than w? i hope he gives the gop heartburn and many sleepless nights. joe writes -- i'm a conservative and leave it that gingrich is scaring establishment republicans. we need somebody to stir things up and put forth bold ideas to challenge those who have been in washington too long. that includes most of congress. jim in denver -- jack, i don't care, i vote democrat, but it is funny to see him causing such havoc. and def-con 5? those missiles have left the silos. you'll be able to use the mushroom cloud to pop your popcorn. it's the 666th debate. republican rapture and its benefit for real americans, isn't it? if you want more, to go my blog. wolf? 1234r50 we're just learning another so-called green company has filed for bankruptcy. lisa sylvester is working the story for us you. >> this is a story we reported on last october. we were looking at companies that have received large amounts of government money and were running into problems from competition overseas, and enter one has filed for bankruptcy protection. it received $118 million in stimulus money, this is taxpayer money, pardon of a broader push to move the country to a gold of 1 million electric cars by 2014. vice president joe biden visited the company last year when he touted this as the new industry that was going to bring back jobs. take a listen. >> we're not just going to have to create new jobs, which you've seen evidence of right here. we have to create whole new industries for the 21st century. >> this story might sound a bit like solyndra, the solar panel company that received hall a billion loan guarantee from the government only to file for bankruptcy. the obama administration has said again and again, some clean tech companies will succeed and some like solyndra will failed, and the obama administration is pointing out that in the case of interone, it there were many key republicans they also sent letters to the administration on its behalf, wolf. i think it's fair to say, lisa, they probably expect more failures in the coming months. is that right? >> it is. there is a certainly reality here that there's global competition when it comes to things like solar panels or these electric batteries. that's one of the things we're going to have to keep a real close eye on, but the administration said if i have to move to the new technology and new growth, you have to expect some failures built in there, but they also will say there's a lot of success story as well, wolf. >> will issa, thanks very much. to our viewers, you're in "the situation room." happening now, a vicious shooting spree targeting the pentagon and other military buildings as seen through the eyes of the actual shooter. you're about to see chilling video alsos the son of prominent obama secretary banned, prevented from leaving egypt, now he's speaking with cnn about his condition and what's being done to get him out. president obama's set the state of the union ahead, why it may not be so funny to cry over spilt milk. breaking news and replile ka i'm wolf blitzer at the university of north florida in jacksonville. you're in "the situation room." we're here on the campus of the university of north florida in jacksonville. where just three hours from now i'll be monitoring the last presidential debate before florida voters make their choice in a fiery battle for the white house primary coming up on tuesday. we'll get to a lot on that. but first, think -- getting the shocking video, a shooter report himself in action as he terrorized the washington, d.c. area, firing a number of shots at a number of buildings, including the pentagon. >> reporter: procedurors say his mod illustrate was to create fear. to prove their appoint, they released a dramatic video. october 29th, 2010, as he drives, he points his camera toward the marine corps museums in northern virginia and speaking. >> that's a military building. >> reporter: minutes later he points he gun at the museum. [ gunfire ] >> reporter: then he cries out. later his face is clearly visible. then another pass at the mea assume. this time the shots were not as visible. this video was released by prosecutors, a key piece of evidence against the former reservist who has pleaded guilty. it's kegged to the shootings tess marine corps museum, the pentagon and two recruiting stations in northern virginia in the fall of 2010. no within was injured in the attacks, but -- >> during this video he explains his motives to create fear and terror and to close the marine museum. >> reporter: i looked at the video with veteran criminal defense attorney jeremy jokovitch. >> let's assume he's alone in the car, that would be a slam dunk, but i think in terms of the guilty plea, i would not jump in and first ask for a psychiatric evaluation. >> reporter: prosecutors say there's no evidence that he was with anybody else, and his defense attorney las asked for a psychiatric evaluation, but sell he's sane. before the shootings, a military official says he had failed a combat fitness test. prosecutors say these a case of home-grown extremism. when arrested at arlington last june, they found bullet casings arabic statements and ammonium in his backpack. >> the plan was to decent crate the graves of the recent vetera veterans. >> prosecutors and his attorney agree to a 25-year sentence. >> did he adopt some kind of stance towards waging jihad against the united states? >> no. >> as he walked away, his father said he's a goodson and good person. when asked if he has anger management issues, his father said he wasn't sure, and they would have to wait for an evaluation. let's go to the state department right now where there's grows concern and outrage over the fate of a prominent secretary's son, who has been barred from leaving egym that have the united states deeply, deeply disturbed. let's bring in jill dougherty. she's over at the state department and spoke with the transportation secretary ray lahood's son just alternates while ago. what's going on? >> this really is the last chapter, only the last chapter in this ongoing crackdown. >> sam lahood tells cnn he tried to get out last saturday for a short trip to see a friend, but was turned back by egyptian authorities. we reached him by phone at his apartment in cairo. sam, do you feel air where you are at this point? >> i feel safe physically. you know, obviously the fact that the investigative judge chose to prevent some of us from traveling is something that our lawyer tells us indicates this investigation has taken on more serious nature. and the next step from here would either be arrest or go to trial. >> reporter: the 37-year-old is egypt director for the influential nongovernmental organization the international republican institute. he was one of five iri that the on the no-fly list. his offices, along with of other ngos were raided last month. his father, transportation secretary ray lahood, tells cnn he's in constant contact with his son. >> there are a lot of people working on that, so we'll he sow had works out. >> john mccain blasted egypt for what he called an outrageous move. i fear for the safety of all the employees at they ngos, americans, egyptians and others, he said, especially those who have been barred from leaving the country. sam lahood's boss says this is the first time in 30 years iri has been through anything like this. >> the accusations as best we know them at this moment are you are not registered, and we have been trying to get registered for 5 1/2 years. and number two, you do not have the kind of bank. >> caller: i would have if you were registered. and again, we've been trying to get that status for 5 1/2 years. president obama meanwhile, raised the issue of ngos with egypt's military ruler. secretary clinton has talked with the foreign minister, but it's a delicate balance. stick up for the americans without interfering in egypt's judicial system. >> we are urging the government of egypt to lift these restrictions immediately and allow folks to come home as soon as possible, and we are hopeful this issue will be resolved in nearest days. >> there's a lot of anger obviously building, because after all egypt is the largest single resip yen in the entire world. pulling the plug on that aid could actually hurt, damage egypt when it already is fragile economically and politically. wolf? >> you know, jill, correct me if i'm wrong, i think value did in term of military, especially military systems have a little more that egypt does, but how encampaignered is the billions that the united states does provide egypt every year if this continues. >> it's a dilemma, because obviously the people who are angry would like to punish egypt, and yet, if you do that, everyone here at the state department and who really knows egypt says it's in a very bad economic shape. politically there's a lot of chaos, so you don't really want to toss it over the edge. it's the one country, a very major country after the arab spring that really does have to 1ukd. so it's a dilemma. >> certainly is. we'll see what happens. let's hope for the best. thanks very much. the stakes are enormous right now. the two kidnapped and i said workers freed, are now in a u.s. base in italy. the father of jessica buchanan says he's hoping to reunite with her today, but wouldn't say where. u.s. special operations force including the team that killed osama bin laden made the rescue this week. the two hostages were seized by somali pirates three months ago. while the republican presidential candidates are getting ready for the battle here in florida, their arch rival, the president of the united states, president obama has just touched down in colorado. 9 fourth key state on a three-day tour to po templeally help him get reelected. jessica yellin is traveling with the president. jessica, a focus today on manufacturing. he's getting ready obviously for his reelection campaign. what happened today? >> reporter: today, wolf, he's pressing an agenda focused on energy. he has talked about expanding u.s. extraction of natural gas, looking at new alternative energy sources, and also offshore oil drilling. here's what the president said earlier. >> today i'm announcing that my administration will soon open up around 38 million acres in the gulf of mexico for additional exploration and development which could result in a lot more production of domestic energy. >> reporter: now, wolf, obviously this has a lot of implications for the campaign, because folks, voters are worried about gas prices. there is also the attacks he will no doubt get from republicans over his decision not to approve that keystone pipeline, so he has to try to show that he's looking at other ways to bring more gas and oil exploration here in the u.s., but as soon as he makes that move, he opens himself up to criticism by environmentalists, and people on the left for any type of natural gas exploration or oil drilling, so he's in a bit of a box no matter what he does. >> sort of comes with the territory. i don't know if you heard lisa sylvester's report just a while ago about one of these green energy companies that received stimulus money, but has not gone bankrupt. is the white house reacting to this? >> reporter: the department has energy put out a statement saying it's a shame that the parent company nr 1 has filed for bankruptcy, but they point out the project the department of energy funded is still up and functioning, and that those operations will not lose any employment at the site. so their point is the project they funded is still doing fine. the apparently company is undergoing restructuring. so we'll have to see how that plays out that in the end. my producer ted metzger has learned that the president will likely say just because some of these companies ends up file -- have trouble, that doesn't mean that sometimes we should still try as a nation to invest in new energy sources. >> jessica yellin traveling with the president, thank you. a fuming newt gingrich tears into mitt romney's campaign. >> and we're not -- the message we should give mitt romney is, you know? we aren't that stupid and i aren't that clever. up next you'll find out what triggered this fiery new attack. it may be -- it may pay to be president of the united states, but pays even more after you leave the white house. ahead, past president turning into multimillionaires. ♪ a refrigerator has never been hacked. an online virus has never attacked a corkboard. ♪ give your customers the added feeling of security a printed statement or receipt provides... ...with mail. it's good for your business. ♪ and even better for your customers. ♪ for safe and secure ways to stay connected, visit usps.com/mail hello, progresso. it fits! fantastic! ring, ring. progresso. they fit! awesome. thank you. 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[ female announcer ] tell your story at progressosoup.com for the chance to win an ultimate makeover in hollywood. jack cafferty is here with "the cafferty file." >> as the republican candidates get ready for another face-off in florida, tonight's cnn debate, there's a growing focus on what happened offstage during these things. a piece in "new york times" this morning asked if the news media has been creating too raucous an atmosphere by encouraging audience toss react. there's no question these debates are much more lively when the audience participate, but audience members partisan to one candidate or the other can distort the impression. newt gingrich made a big stink earlier this week after nbc's florida debate when the moderator asked them to hold applause until the commercial break. he threatened not to participate in future debates if the audience cannot participate. he said that the rules stepped on free speech, but then feeds off the rowdy audiences. some even suggest that gingrich was off his game monday night because the crowd wasn't allowed to react to his zingers. newt wouldn't have to worry about that tonight. the audience will be allowed to react as long as they're respectful. should gingrich go on to win the nomination, he'll have to settle against debates against president obama without the audience reaction. according to the rules set by the commission on presidential race, those audiences must remain silent. but he's a long way from that. here's the question. go to cnn.com/caffertyfile, post a comment, or go to "the situation room's" facebook page. wolf, you're moderating that thing. would you rather wo, with an audience that reacts or work with the audience being quiet? >> well, i think the audience will be a big audience inside this auditorium here. we'll be, as all of the audiences have been in the other two debates i did in tampa and washington, d.c. very respectful of they candidates. remember, one of these men might the next president of the united states, so if they applaud, that fine, i don't have any problem with that, but i just want to make sure they're respectful and treat all these individuals, these four candidates with the dignity and respect that they deserve. i have no doubt that will be the situation tonight here in jacksonville, but you know what? we'll wait and see what happens. that's part of going into live television, a debate like this. my sense is it's going to be just fine. >> looking forward to it. >> did i answer your question? >> you can't run for office, wolf. >> you might be looking forward to it. i'm looking forward to it. i've been working on the debate for a while. the fiery tension no doubt will be front and center later tonight here in jakenville, launching attacks against his rival just a few hours ago. let's bring in cnn's joe johns. he's traveling around florida. what's going on here, joe? >> reporter: newt ging rip getting very tough today, in a state that's been hit very hard by foreclosures, he's trying to link mitt romney to goldman sachs, and the mortgage crisis, and he says he's been thinking about doing this for weeks. at a tea party rally, he came out swinging at romney's contrast sam shane. >> we aren't that stupid and you aren't that clever. >> all the while admitting that the advertising had hurt the gingrich campaign. >> you're watching ads paid for with the main taken for from the people in florida recycled back into ads, trying to stop you from having a choice. that's what this is about. >> it's an apparent reference to employees with goldman sachs who gave $369,000 in political contributions to romney, far and amp more than to any other republican presidential candidate this cycle. also the romney tax returns show many of the assets were shown by goldman sachs, buff kept in a blind trust. the name of gold man is tied to the subprime mortgage mess. the romney campaign, which is now anticipating gingrich's salvos against the candidate has gone so far to send high-profile romney surrogates into events, including jason chafe is. i asked him about goldman sachs. >> i think he's fired up, because things aren't going well. mitt romney had money in a blind trust, on for goods in' sake. that sounded more like an obama speech than a republican candidate for president. >> reporter: do you care if republicans say you sound like a democrat when you give speeches like you did today? >> do i care if the romney apparatus says whatever it says? no. i think the washington establishment will fight me every step of the nomination. >> reporter: meanwhile, the gingrich campaign heart forced to play defense in proclaiming the mantel of ronald reagan. >> in 1995, at the gold water institute, nancy reagan said that ronald reagan's torch had been passed to me as speaker of the house and i was carrying out the values he believed in. >> reporter: on another note, he had to concede he was wrong last week when he claimed his team offered several witnesses to abc news to refute statement by his ex-wife marianne in an enter view aired last week. the on witnesses were gingrich's two daughters from his first marriage who was both interviewed by the network. it's beginning to look like an yachtout assault with web ads, angry words, and and gingrich seems to be stirring up a running future with the republican establishment, apparently in the hopes he'll be able to lure some of those re l rebellious tea party types into his camp. >> thanks very much. all right. this just coming into "the situation room." new information potential embarrassing information involving mitt romney's campaign. what is going on, jim acosta? >> reporter: the romney campaign is confirming that it is reviewing discrepancies that exist between the tax returns that were disclosed earlier this week and the financial disclosure forms filed last august. as we know from the reporting earlier this week, the tax returns included a swiss bank account. apparently that was not previously disclosed in mitt romney et cetera financial disclosure forms, which are required to run as president of the united states, and so they are now in the process of clearing up those discrepancies. got a statement from andrea sals, spokesman for the campaign, and it reads, by releasing over 600 pages, mitt romney is clearing coming down on the side of disclosure. any document with this level of complexity, she goes on to say, in detail is bound to have a few trivial issues, and we are in the process of putting together some minor technical amends to that form. as you and i were discussing a few moments ago, anytime you're having to clear up issues with your swiss bank account might be an image problem for your campaign. >> not necessarily something you want to talk about on the campaign. that swiss bank account, that was part of a blind trust that his economic advisers had that he supposedly had no involvement in? >> that is basically one of the issues with the romney campaign that they're having to grapple with. it may go to the reason why they did not want these tax returns coming out as soon as they did. they were sort of forced into producing those tax returns, but did so under the mounting pressure. i will say that mitt romney has repeatedly said, the tax returns aren't that important, look to the financial disclosure forms. they have much more information in them. as it turns out, they didn't have all the information. >> so they'll do a correction of that? >> that's what they say. the republican candidates aren't just hitting each other, but certainly slamming the president of the united states. coming up, the democrats are getting ready for fire back. debbyie wasserman schultz is standing by to join us. and a city council member from arizona won't be on the ballot, because a judge had trouble talking to her. stay with us, you're in "the situation room." i am al chemist. i don't want to make gold, but i believe it is the study of nature to the finest most minus essence, and be able to reorganize it, recombine it, transform it. one of the misunderstandings about metalwork is that the ways to use traditional metals, they actually are the cutting edge of technology. one of the best things about state farm is our accessibility. oh, yeah? 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[ man ] saw 'em in '83 in fresno. place was crawling with chicks. i got to go. ♪ any way you want it ♪ that's the way you need it ♪ any way you want it ♪ we're here on the campus of the university of north florida in jacksonville, less than three hours from now i'll be moderating the last debate before florida's critical primary on tuesday. you can certainly by assured they will be swinging at president obama. let's discuss what's going on. the congresswoman debbie wasserman schultz is joining us. you're from south florida. this is a little different -- >> my niece went to the university of north florida. go ospreys! >> let's talk about what the candidates are saying about the man you want to see reelected. mitt romney reacting to the president's state of the union address. i know you were there tuesday. listen to this. >> he said he was the candidate of change, but you still have 25 million people out of work, still almost 10% unemployment here in florida, still home values down and continuing to go down, you still have a record number of foreclosures in florida. huge percentage of all of the foreclosures in the united states right here in florida. he's appealing to fox who are upset, nervous and concerned. >> talking about forclosures and not the foreclosure hit bottom and have investors come in and school up the properties. he's proposed absolutely nothing in his entire economic plan to do anything, and president obama has been in there swinging, fighting for the middle class, has proposed state of the union to make sure we could actually push the banks to work out those mortgages and help people stay in the homes. mitt romney continues to have a lot of nerve saying one thing and living by another. >> he said it's mild compared to what newt gingrich said today here in florida on the campaign trail. >> if you're for paychecks you're with us. if you're for food stamps you're with barack obama. if you are for american exceptionalism urus, if you're for european socialism, you're with bo imboim. if you are in fact in favor of a strong america in a dangerous world you're with us. if you're for a weak america that tries to appease its ene enemi enemies, you're with obama. >> a weak america? that's what the president wants? one that appeases a u.s. enemies? you heard what he said. >> wow, well, what newt gingrich continues to say is just one more example of just how extreme the republicans field is. president obama has taken us an economy thanks to the failed republican policies. now after three years 22 straight months of private sector job growth. he's focused on making sure we can get our economy turned around, that's built to last while folks like newt gingrich have insisted we should return to the days when tax policy helped only millionaires and billionaires and to heck with people -- >> he said appeasing america's enemies. that's the word that dr in the days leading up to world war ii. >> just ask osama bin laden whether or not they think p.m. many is appeasing america's enemies. he has gone after terrorists with a vengeance and killed or brought to justice more terrorists in his term than in all of president bush's time in office. >> whoever the rep nominee is, there will be three presidential debates in the fall. listen to what gingrich said today. listen to this. >> i don't believe that it is very likely that governor romney could last in a debate with barack obama, and i think we ought to be honest about this. we need a solid conservative who can stand there and look straight in the eye of the president and say, mr. president, you are wrong and your policies have failed. >> who's the better debater dr you're the chair of the dnc, the democratic party, who are you more fearful of in a debate? would it be mitt romney or newt gingrich? >> i'm confident that president obama, no matter which of the candidates he's up against is going to be able to lay ute his vision and draw the dramatic contrast that exists between anyone they nominate. his vision to make sure we can continue to move this country in a direction that ensures that everyone, wolf, in america has an opportunity to be successful. not just millionaires and billionair billionaires, that everyone las an opportunity to see an economy that's built to last, unlike the republicans who want to drag us back to the place where we were at the precipice of economic disaster, unlike mitt romney, who we come to find has totally opage financial reporting, didn't even report a swiss bank account and other offshore accounts. >> he's fixing it. >> well, good for him. i would never have assumed it was okay to leave a swiss bank account off nigh disclosure. >> a blind trust. >> what is he trying to hide? there is a reason that was left off. there's a reason he won't release the returns from when he was ceo of bain capital. he's building his entire candidacy around his record as kreismt off of bain, we deserve to see his tax returns, because he needs to come clean about his record. what we need to see what his fiscal choices were. >> we're only a couple hours away from the debate. what do you want -- what will you be looking for? >> well, i think we'll see more extremism, more adhering to the values and strictures of the tea party. they've been busy trying to out-right wing each other. it would be nice if we would hear what they would do to for the middle class. it would be nice if they didn't try to appeal to the base instincts of the right wing, and it would be nice, as someone who represents a significant hispanic population that they would not try to really give such awful rhetoric when it comes to the immigrant community. >> the network in miami, some members will be able to ask questions. >> good, i'm glad to see that. hold their feet to the fire. >> thanks very much. >> thanks. debbie wasserman schultz is the chair of the dnc, the united states congresswoman from florida. thanks very much. >> absolutely. we have a lot more news coming up including panic in rio de janeiro, flees the scenes of a deadly disaster. and pat says some episodes were tougher than others. ♪ ( whirring and crackling sounds ) man: assembly lines that fix themselves. the most innovative companies are doing things they never could before, by building on the cisco intelligent network. this was the gulf's best tourism season in years. all because so many people came to louisiana... they came to see us in florida... make that alabama... make that mississippi. the best part of the gulf is wherever you choose... and now is a great time to discover it. this year millions of people did. we set all kinds of records. next year we're out to do even better. so come on down to louisiana... florida... alabama... mississippi. we can't wait to see you. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home. can you enjoy vegetables with sauce and still reach your weight loss goals? you can with green giant frozen vegetables. over twenty delicious varieties have sixty calories or less per serving and are now weight watchers-endorsed. try green giant frozen vegetables with sauce. all right. this just coming into "the situation room." the united states senate has now followed the lead of the house of representatives and passed legislation introduced by congresswoman gabby giffords, and debbie wasserman schultz, remind our viewers it passed the house of representatives unanimous consent in the senate, meaning it went right through, the president will sign it into law. what will this do? >> this makes sure we can increase or interdiction on border secure. gabby has fought for border security for her entire career, versus a southern arizona district with a border with mexico, one of the biggest priorities for folks who live along the border, and she was able to pass it out of the house yesterday. now the senate has passed it and sent it to the president. it's a big boost to help make sure we stop folks who shouldn't be coming into the country at this border. >> quite an emotional event yet. she is now leaving washington, no longer going to the house of representatives. >> right. >> she's actually retired? >> her letter of resignation was effective at the end of yesterday. she's returning to houston today. she's made tremendous progress. i'm so proud of her. i notice her constituents -- i'm heard from so many of them from yesterday. their hearts are heavy, but they're full of hope that she's going to come back with a full recovery and represent them again one day. >> i think i speak for all our viewers, we wish her a complete recovery. >> we all do. i will give her everyone's best. >> and let he no that the senate has passed it. >> i will. woo-hoo. it's awesome. lisa sylvester is monitoring other top stories. what's going on? >> the new video shows people fleeing from the collapse of three billings. 16 people are missing, three are confirmed dead. rescuers are frantically digging through the rubble. it's not clear what caused the collapse of the 20-story building and two buildings beside it. officials are investigating the possibility of a gas leak. and she's banned from the ballot because she doesn't speak english well enough. that means that al hand ra cabrera cannot run for council in ace arizona. arizona law states that candidates must speak english well enough to carry out the duties of their office. pat sajak apparently wanted a drink. the longtime host in an interview said they would head out for margaritas for break. they would have two to six drinks and return so intoxicated he had trouble recognizing the alphabet. of course, he says those are it is things he did when he was a long younger, wolf. isms without, thanks very much. comedians say he should stick to hi days job. >> with a rule like that, i guess it was worth crying over spilt milk. >> that joke may have fallen a bit flat in congress, but environmentalists found it even less funny. they say scenes like this are very serious. and who ordered the yummy cereal? 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[ woman ] lower cholesterol. [ man 2 ] yummy. i got that wrong didn't i? [ male announcer ] want great taste and whole grain oats that can help lower cholesterol? honey nut cheerios. that can help lower cholesterol? i've tried it. but nothing helped me beat my back pain. then i tried salonpas. it's powerful relief that works at the site of pain and lasts up to 12 hours. salonpas. the former senator bob dole said this -- gingrich had a new idea every minute and most of them were all -- were off the wall. he loved picking a fight with clinton because he knew this would get the attention of the press. it helped to topple gingrich in 1998. wow, strong words from the former republican presidential nominee. let's discuss with candy crowley, the chief political correspondent and anchor of "state of the union" and rick stengel. how much of an impact is this going to really have, do you think? >> he's a party elder, a member of the establishment. i don't think one voice in something like this, obviously he's a romney supporter, but there were a lot of voices beginning to come out. the romney campaign is pushing people, but what he has to do at this point is disqualify newt gingrich. this is the beginning of the disqualification of newt gingrich, is bob dole's voice. we ahead a number of conservatives come out or let it be known. >> it seems to be a real campaign, rick, to try to prevent newt gingrich from getting the nomination. one point that bob dole made, not a lot of the colleagues. >> i think what he remembers is a lot of the anti-deal ads done by bill clinton featured newt gingrich, because newt was so unpopular, but the question is that we don't know the role of surrogates, we have no idea if that would be successful, so it may back fire. you think it might, candidate? >> you see they're all against me, you know why? they're afraid i'm going to make change, so absolutely, this is something he's been very good at. we'll see how they do tonight. rick has a great "time" magazine cover story. the power of shyness, all about introverts, do they make better presidents? go ahead action the power of shyness, good story, good cover. jack cafferty is up next, and then the president's joke falling a bit flat. an accident doesn't have to slow you down... with better car replacement, available only from liberty mutual insurance, if your car is totaled, we give you the money to buy a car that's one model-year newer... with 15,000 fewer miles on it. there's no other auto insurance product like it. better car replacement, available only from liberty mutual. it's a better policy that gets you a better car. call... or visit one of our local offices today, and we'll provide the coverage you need at the right price. liberty mutual auto insurance, responsibility -- what's your policy? sara. get right back to jack for the carve tile file. >> the question this hour is, should debate audiences at these republican primary debates be allowed to react to what the candidates say? ann writes from south carolina, "audience reaction allows those of us watching on television at home to sense how the candidates' comments are being received, which can be helpful. it's like reading letters to the editor or comments on this blog." allows us the opportunity to learn from other people's opinions as long as we eventually use the information to form our own opinions. also, let's face it. the cnn debate in south carolina was a lot more fun to watch than nbc's debate. tim writes "i don't have a problem with applause but when they start screaming and booing like it's a football game, i think that's over the top." cari writes" having this many debates reduces it to a sideshow considering the crop of candidates maybe freak show is closer to the mark. the first step of legitimizing debates would be to reduce the number. the second would be discourage audience reactions by doing things the way they have it's turned the presidential race into a reality show. all they need now is simon cowell, rename the whole thing "america's got political talent" instead of a record deal you win four years as president. randi writes "yes, with rotten tomatoes." doug writes "the debates are not about the crowds. there shouldn't even be a studio audience present." and dennis in florida writes "this question seems insane. why have an audience if it can't react? why do you think they have live audiences for sit comes? so that real people can laugh at the clowns. is a political debate any different?" if you want to read more about this go to my blog cnn.com/cafferty file or through the situation room on facebook page and the crowd will be allowed to react at tonight's cnn debate in florida moderated by the wolf man. wolf? >> thank you very much, jack. only a couple of hours away. they will be respectful, though, i am sure. a state-of-the-union address brought out some groans and sparked some debate. stand by. [ male announcer ] how can power consumption in china, impact wool exports from new zealand, textile production in spain, and the use of medical technology in the u.s.? at t. rowe price, we understand the connections of a complex, global economy. it's just one reason over 75% of our mutual funds beat their 10-year lipper average. t. rowe price. invest with confidence. request a prospectus or summary prospectus with investment information, risks, fees and expenses to read and consider carefully before investing. witwill be giving awayation, passafree copiesexpenses of the alcoholism & addiction cure. to get yours, go to ssagesmalibubook.com. one of president obama's state-of-the-union laugh lines didn't exactly generate a whole lot of laughs. let's bring back cnn's lisa sylvester to explain what's going on. >> reporter: president obama made that joke at the state of the union. and it did. it kind of fell flat. one reason why it might be that many people probably weren't familiar with the issue the president was talking about. it's a fight between environmentalists who want to keep a tough regulation in place and an industry that wanted to be exempted from what it called a burdensome rule. some moments in a presidential state-of-the-union address are a hit. some moments a miss. >> we got rid of one rule from 40 years ago that could have forced some dairy farmers to spend $10,000 a year proving that they could contain a spill. because milk was somehow classified as an oil. with a rule like that, i guess it was worth crying over spilled milk. . >> reporter: cameras caught representative jason chavitz summing it up with a missed rim shot. but the president's spilled milk joke didn't just prompt some groans, it also is spurring some grief among environmentalists. as the online magazine "gawker" first pointed out, spilled milk can be a serious issue. westin, massachusetts in 2007, it was a milky mess on the highway. san jose, california in 2000, a milk truck overturned spewing 6,000 gallons of milk. if spilled milk gets in the lakes, streams and rivers it can turn into an environmental headache. >> if there's a discharge of mill nook a waterway, the bacteria that live there are going to try to eat the milk. an during that process of breaking the milk down it's going to take all of the oxygen out of the waterway. the fish can't survive. >> reporter: under a regulation called the spill prevention control and countermeasure, milk spills were treated the same as oil spills. that's because milk contains a percentage of animal fat which is a non-petroleum oil as spelled out by the federal government. but tough rules applied even to ice cream and cheeses. the international dairy foods association lobbied hard to get the regulation lifted. and they were successful. the epa last year exempted dairy from the oil spill rule. in a statement, the epa said it "placed unjustifiable burden on dairy farmers." president obama has now tasked his administration with taking a fresh look at other regulations. >> i've ordered every federal agency to eliminate rules that don't make sense. we've already announced over 500 reforms in just a fraction of them will save business and citizens more than $10 billion over the next five years. >> reporter: dry