bluster, big talk, and beating the drums of war with iraq. and rush limbaugh inc., a contract worth hundreds of millions as more advertisers jump the ship, as he put his own empire at risk? i'm wolf blitzer at the cnn election center. you're in "the situation room." it's called super tuesday for a reason. even in this year's slimmed down version 1/3 gop contests in ten states today. more than all the primaries and -- three of then last week, certainly romney could leave some of the -- but the most important prize today is ohio. our latest cnn poll shows romney is neck and neck with rick santorum who needs a big day of his own. let's go straight to jim acosta. he's on the scene for us in ohio. what's the latest there, jim? >> reporter: wolf, ohio mike the marquee state in the super tuesday states up for grabs, but you wouldn't know it. none of the candidates were out in the state looking for votes, but rick santorum will be in steubenville, ohio later tonight with the hope that mitt romney's past will finally catch up with him. >> i'm sorry my super tuesday travel schedule prevents me from being with you in person. >> and the -- mitt romney appeared via satellite before a conference staysed bied pro-israeli lobby aipac, slamming the president's record. >> hope is not a foreign policy. >> reporter: not to be outdowned rick went in person. >> if they do notary down the facilities, we will tear them down ourselves. >> reporter: while the candidates were off the trail, the ads did some trash talking for them. >> mitt romney -- >> reporter: and no surprise, in the air war over the super tuesday battleground of hawaii, romney has a clear advance. >> would you have voted to let convicted violatant felons regain the right to vote? >> reporter: according to estimates from ad tracker pro-santorum and pro-gingrich pac ads have been 100% negative, same goes to a pro-obama super pac attacking romney, but romney has other advantages. santorum and gingrich don't appear on the ballot. and some are missing in ohio. newt gingrich has given up in ohio, instead he stopped at the rocket center in alabama, a sign the pro-moon base newt gingrich isn't ready to -- >> i have opponents who are in a normal period are adequate, but they don't have anything like the scale of change i just described. >> reporter: where romney really lucked out is santorum is only now pointing out the former massachusetts governor has in the past voiced support for a mandate to buy health insurance. romney indicated as much in this interview in 2009. >> reporter: do you think this masterson plan could be a model? >> i think there's a number of features in the somes misplans that could information washington. the fact we have portable insurance and we were able to get people insured without a government option is on model i think they can learn from. >> reporter: she said he did not want a one size fits all plan for the country. that is a claim that santorum and gingrich could challenge if he do well tonight. if romney wins big, it's a debate that may just have to wait for the fall. >> we'll see how it unfold. it could be a long night in ohio. >> with the news conference over at the white house, he lashed out ought republican candidates for all their tough talk on iran. listen to this. >> now, what's said on the campaign trail, you know, those folks don't have a lot of responsibilities. they're not commander in chief, and when i see the casualness with which some of these folks talk about war, i'm reminded of the costs involved in war. >> the president went to to dare his rivals to support war, if that's what they wish. we're discuss it in a few minutes with ari fleischer and donna brazile. first let's turn to candy crowley. she's in boston right now, mitt romney's home turn. what is the romney camp looking for tonight? >> reporter: listen, you ask them that. you know what they say? they want more votes than the other guys. that's down to the baseline. more than that, this is now a campaign that understands that wins a state means winning the headlines, but winning the delegat delegates, obviously they would love to win those states. light now they're really focused on where they can pick up these delegates. and they're looking, as we all are, at ohio. they feel momentum is on their side. certainly there's similarities between mitt romney's position in ohio the position a weekal. source while their bottom-line answer is we want more votes than the other guy, they can't ignore a state win, but as tactitions they're -- >> are we expecting any major changes in strategy after tonight? >> two states they think are very important, illinois and missouri. they say, look, we've had background -- message absolutely not. we have seen in the past ten days, past week or so mitt romney getting back to and sticking with i'm the guy with the everyone, and i therefore maked -- they don't want to get sidelined with a lot of these so much issues they stuck with that jobs message all the way through, and that's where they're going to day as they move on to states beyond. >> are there concerns about the damage being done by this very, very brutal kind of primary? >> reporter: listen, they don't even acknowledge it to a certain extent, about you this el say our answer is we're the only candidates in this republican primary with the where with jaw you will to go the distance, meaning they have the money and the machinery, and the backing to go all the way to the convention with this. they do feel once this dies down, they point out, look, it's early march here, the election is in november. so much can happen between now and then. they feel like they have time to make up with the independent votes, so many who have fallen away from romney. they think they can come back, playable not as requestically, but certainly bring them back by november once this is a primary season -- >> candy is with mitt romney in massachusetts. thanks very much. super tuesday stretches to just about every corner of the country, but the epicenter is ohio. let's discuss what's going on with our analyst gloria borger and david gergen. i want you to listen to both these front-runners earlier today. listen. >> i hope that i get the support of people here in ohio tomorrow. i believe if i do, i believe i can get the nomination. >> so much is always at stake. and i would make the argument while it may not be make or break, it's going to be a huge, huge deal, we are out here competing in the state of ohio. >> are we overemphasizing, david, how important ohio is today? >> not at all. this can't be the climactic night, and ohio is at the center of that. we have a situation with santorum and romney, if romney loses tonight, he can go on, he has a very strong path to the nomination. if santorum loses tonight, it's hard to be. this could very well be fatal. >> even if santorum were to win the popular vote in ohio, romney might win the 2ke8 gas in ohio. >> because santorum has failed to qualify in a few areas, and that it would cost him a whole bunch of delegates. you know, that speaks to the organization -- >> or lack thereof. >> of the santorum campaign. the question of how do you move forward? i think hawaii is key. no. >> reporter: candidate has ever won without winning ohio. it would be good if you wanted to win the primary. some people say it's 4, 5, 6 to 1. in fact el, if he didn't beat santorum there, it will be a real blow to his campaign. i think the question also, though, is whether mitt romney can do well in the south. he didn't win a southern state last time he tried to win the presidency. this time the opportunity is in tennessee. the early voting does not look like it's going thinks way. if he can do well in tennessee, he can say, you know what? i'm a national candidates. >> and count florida as -- >> i'm sorry, i don't. >> i believe it's in the sun. >> northern florida is a southern saint. >> deep south. how about that? >> what does it say about santorum's campaign? he couldn't get on the ballot, even though it's been reported that it was relatively simple. he didn't get on the ballot in virginia, where you need thousands of signatures, but in ohio it's a severely simple process, and he didn't get on the ballot in some of these districts. >> it doesn't speak to your managerial skills, does it? but he's been operating on a shoestring. no one ever thought he would be here at this stage. >> this is the first time out, one of the reason he benefits. he knows how to do these things. >> how do you sxhekt him to stand up to barack obama? >> and don't forget, the rho many any team is even worried about their own team standing up, because barack obama has gone the distance once before, has a huge research team out there in chicago waiting to pounce on mitt romney should mitt romney become the nominee. >> i think it's interesting, even as we go into this, obama is opening this second front. he's really been nimble, today in the press conference, you'll does you it later, i thought that was an interesting political move. i thought it was interesting. >> it helps when you're president, by the way. do have the bully pulpit. >> if you love politics, as we do, this will be a great place to be. speaking out about a growing scandal. >> i don't know what's in rush limbaugh's heart, so i'm not going to comment on the sincerity of his apology. >> the exodus by advertisers is growing, though. will rush limbaugh himself feel any of the financial fallout? 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[ brian ] there's a bright future here, and there's a chance to get on the ground floor of something big, something that will bring us back. not only this company, but this country. ♪ jack cafferty is here with "the cafferty file." >> there's an old saying that goes it's better to be lucky than good. it turns out that saying could even apply to presidential politics. take president obama. a few weeks ago it seemed that reelection could be a real uphill struggle for the president. a weakened economy, extended high unemployment. failure to deliver, the polls all indicated the public wasn't nearly as enarmorred with the president as they once we are. then the republicans began their primaries. they have turned out to be a gift that keeps on giving. mitt romney was expecting a coronation, instead he spent months in a mud night. even if romney wins the gnome nailing, and he probably will, he'll enter the general election bloodied. at the same time the tide has begun to turn for the president. in a political piece, roger simon writing that a presidential candidates needs luck more than anything else. simon says mr. obama has gotten very lucky. boy, has he. rush limbaugh went on the radio, called a georgetown law student a slut and prostitute for her position on birth control. about two dense advertisers, including aol are spud hair commercial. two radio stations have taken him off the air. my guess is there will be more to follow. the billest gift to president obama, limb because's comments and the pathetic response by the candidates could end up drawing women away from the republican party. it's still the economy, stupid. here's the question. when it comes to being elected president, is it better to be lucky than good? go to cnn.com/caffertyfile, post a comment on my blog, or go to our post on "the situation room's" facebook page. i'll be hitting that nohdoz later tonight. >> we're going long. >> i want you to stay on until alaska's returns are in. >> i know, that's going to be a while. stand by. >> okay. let's dig deeper on the whole rush limbaugh controversy. two radio stations have dropped his talk show. they join a growing list of advertisers fleeing after he lashed out at that woman advocating health care coverage for contraception. today the president was asked about the controversy. >> you know, i'm not going to comment on what sponsors decide to do. i'm not going to comment on either the economics or the politics of it. i don't know what's in rush limbaugh's heart, so i'm not going to comment on the sincerity of his apology. what i can comment on is the fact that all decent folks can agree that the remarks that were made don't have any place in the public discourse. the reason i called ms. fluke is because i thought malia and sasha, and one of the things i want them to do, as they get older, so to engage in issues they care about, even ones i may not agree with them on, i want them to be able to speak their mind in a civil and thoughtful w way, and i don't want them attacked or called horrible names because they're being good citizens. cnn's lisa sylvester is looking into the financial implications of the scandal for limbaugh. lisa, what are you finding out? >> wolf, on rush limbaugh's show, he didn't bring up the controversy, and clearchannel's premiere radio which send indicates the show, continuing to stand by him. they won't say the that impact, but limbaugh continues to lose a number of corporate sponsors. the exodus continues. limbaugh has apologized for derogatory comments he made about georgetown law student sandra fluke. >> it means you're a slut, right? it means you're a prostitute. >> liberal groups westbound campaigning for companies to boycott his show,e. >> if you're going to go on radio, talk to a national audience, you have to have some responsibility for your own words. it doesn't mean we police you like some kind of nannies, but at the same time, don't call women sluts. >> reporter: his conservative opinions, occasional rants, and insights have made him a wealthy man. it's syndicated to nearly 600 radio stations. he signs a contract in 2008 for $400 million. limbaugh has a sprawling estate in florida, when he married for the fourth time, elton john performed at his wedding. the question -- will this pullback in advertising hurt rush limbaugh financially? >> long term i think it will sting. certainly they have committed to stand by him for the near term. how much longer that will last, nobody knows. advertisers are falling away. that's where the rubber meets the room. it's not xw whether you can continue saying what you say, it's about whether or not the advertisers will continue to pay your station their money to get their products on the air. >> reporter: but many conservatives while not condoning the comments question whether there's a double standard at play. bill maher, who last week gave $1 million to a super pac supporting president obama, has said nasty things about sarah palin, calling her the "c" word and other names without repercussio repercussions. >> she says they will not get away with this oh, speaking of [ bleep ], did you -- media critic and host of cnn's "reliable sources" howard kurtz says conserves tiffs do have a point. >> there's a bit of a double standard. when ed shultz used the same word, there was a bit of a controversy, but not like this. so i think that because -- part because limbaugh looms as a large, but also because he's a conservative with enemies on the left, this seems to have been blown up more. >> ed shultz did call laura ingraham personally to apologize. sandra fluke did put herself in the public arena by testifying at congressionally hearing. on one hasn't she can be considered a public figure, but she doesn't a household name. she's never run for office like sarah palin or michele bachmann, which is one reason limbaugh's attack might have been seen more as a little more than the mudslinging. >> do we know if he called this student to personally apologize directly to her? >> as of yesterday, he did not call her, and, you know, this is what she said on "the view." actually she wasn't even welcoming a call from him. certainly she's not a fan of rush limbaugh and isn't waiting by the phone to waiting for the phone to ring. so far it hasn't happened, wolf. >> lisa, good report. thanks very much. president obama takes a dig at the republicans who want to replace him in the white house, accusing them of casual talk about war with iran. plus the president's message to mitt romney on this super tuesday. donna brazile and ari fleischer are both standing by live to talk about all of that in our "strategy session." >> what would you like to say to mr. romney? >> good luck tonight. 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[ foreman ] so i can trust 'em. unlike randy. dollar for dollar, nobody protects you like allstate. delicious gourmet gravy. and she agrees. with fancy feast gravy lovers, your cat can enjoy the delicious, satisfying taste of gourmet gravy every day. fancy feast. the best ingredient is love. let's getting right to our strategy session. donna brazile and former bush white house press secretary ari fleischer. at the news conference, he didn't mention any candidates by name, but clearly had romney, gingrich and santorum in mind when he said this about iran. >> what's said on the campaign trail, you know, those folks don't have a lot of responsibilities. they're not commander in chief. when i sigh the casualness with which some of these folks talk about war, i'm reminded of the costs involved in war. i'm reminded of the decision i have to make in terms of sending our young men and women into battle. the impact that appears on their lives, the impact it has on our national security, the impact it has on our economy. this is not a game, and there's nosh casual about it. you know, when i see some of these folks who have a lot of bluster, and a lot of big talk, but when you actually ask them specifically what they would do it turns out they repeat the things we have been doing over the last three years. it indicates to me that's more about politics than actually trying to solve a difficult problem. he make a point, doesn't he? >> partially, wolf, but he missed the bigger point. he made a difference between him and his opponents that there's so much on his mind. i think him and the nation would have been better on, there are differences, we'll settle them in this fall, but there's a reason people feel so strongly, because iran is doing something wrong and turned his sights to iran. we are united as americans that you will not get a nuclear weapon. why did he turn his sights on the republican field instead of ahmadinejad. >> that's a fair point, done ooh. >> first of all, the republicans have just spent the last, as you well know, 6, 7, 8 months trying to discredit everything this president has done. yes, there's an election this fall. we've known that is the last four year, but over the last 48 hours, president obama has it clear there is not about containing iran, but preventing iran from having a nuclear weapon basically saying, you just want to have bluster, you want to talk casually about this, fine, give us yours ideas. i thought he was perfect today. >> called the many, i think the most feckless than jimmy carter. >> he can talk tough in "the atlantic" or when it comes to aipac, then the next day starts talking soft again. i'm the only one that knows how to tough talk, that's what barack obama was trying -- >> i was at aipac, and i heard this is not just a president who is talking talk, but delivered on israel, delivered on military issues, delivered on training for israel military, and he's delivered on iran in terms of tough sanctions. no, it's not just talk tough on touch talk on president obama's behalf. this is a president who is committed as every president to israel's security. israel is our ally, and the president has made that quite clear. >> he's -- >> what else should he be doing? stop talking the talk. >> what the president missed was two major things. hillary clinton said don't sit down and directly negotiate with ahmadinejad. he wasted a year and let iran -- and of course ahmadinejad wouldn't talk to him, and then the president sat silent when the iranian people took to the streets. ronald reagan would have taken the side of the people. that could have led to a persian spring that predated the arab spring. >> once again, all this talk is bluster. do you really believe the united states intervening in the intern conversation would have given ahmadinejad reasons to stop his program? no, it would have solidified -- >> it would have given people hope. >> i totally disagree. donna, i want you to weigh in. the president had an opportunity to directly and mosh robustly go after romney. he was asked this question. i'll play the clip. >> today is super tuesday, so i wonder if you might weigh in on some of your potential republican opponents. mitt romney has criticized you on iran and said hope is not a foreign policy. he also that you are america's most feckless president since president carter. what would you like to say to mr. romney? >> good luck tonight. >> no, really. >> really. >> he didn't want to talk politics at all. smart or not so smart? he had an opening if he wanted to go after romney. >> republicans are doing enough damage. they're doing enough damage, not only in their primary -- >> you mean to themselves? >> they've shown to the american people that when it comes to foreign policy, when it comes to domestic policy, all they care about is destroying president obama, discrediting the president, and basically they haven't come up with anything that we can talk about, because all they talk about is president obama failed to do this and that. i thought it was right to make jokes, but who cares? >> he handled it well, but that goes to my point he wants it both ways. >> what do you think of the timing of this news conference on this super tuesday. >> people who know him, and i don't, people who know him say he's very thin-skinned. i think it shows that he needs to be so in the middle of it. but that's his right. he's the president. >> is he thin-skinned, donna? >> again, this is what the republicans do very well. they deliver these cheap shots because they don't have solutions. no, he's a tough -- we'll have more. >> you know, as an american, i don't want there to be any difference between ari and i when it comes to protecting israel and protecting the united states, and i think that's the message the president of the united states is trying to deliver. guys, thanks very much. we're standing by for the first exit polls of the day on super tuesday. our first clues about what's in the minds of voters on this important election today. also some surprising remarks from the sister of the house speaker john boehner about the republican race for the white house. she tells us how she may wind up deciding who to vote for. ♪ oh. let's go. from the crack, off the backboard. 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[ laughs ] ♪ the stakes are especially high for newt gingrich on this super tuesday. he hasn't had a primary or caucus win since south carolina, and he's banking just about everything on a very strong showing in his home state of georgia. cnn's joe johns is over at newt gingrich's headquarters in atlanta. what's the latest? rumsfeld wolf, newt gingrich is predicting he'll win by four, five times the margin that mitt romney won michigan. he's fought back to relevance at least twice in this campaign, but the question is what he's got to do to remain a credible candidate after super tuesday. the voting status not voting in georgia, which he used to represent in congress, even though getting 50% on the vote here would mean winner take away in a state with the most. the reason? gingrich doesn't live here anymore. he isn't voting in virginia, either. he failed to get his name on the ballot there, but as voting got under way, gingrich, who's taken on the role of elder statesman in the race, was issuing a warning to his party that mitt romney, the guy with the money and organization in the primaries right now might not have the same advantage in november should he get the nomination. >> anybody that thinks they can outraise obama, it ain't going to happen. he will be relentlessly negative. >> reporter: despite stumping for votes almost excludeslysh but still seemingly in striking difference, he managed to carve out a few moments in the is a schedule, talking tough on iran and slamming the ointoa administration as he has before. >> in a gingrich administration, we would not keep talking while the iranians keep building. we would indicate clearly their failure to stop their program is in fact crossing a red line. the red line is not the morning. the red line is not the morning or intelligence community tells us they have failed once again. >> reporter: gingrich has showed no signs of planning to leave the race. 9 we have been getting hints he will be secret service protection pretty soon. >> he's counting on a big win? georgia tonight. even on a major voting day like super tuesday, some republican voters are having a hard time getting excited about their party's presidenters, cnn's congressional correspondent dana bash spoke to one ohio resident with a very famous last name, boehner. >> reporter: this critical corner of southwest ohio also happens to be boehner county. this is where shows speaker boehner is from. we're in fact the bar his family used to own. he worked here. his family started it about 70 years ago and thinks his sister. you also happen to be a republican voters in this critical primary. you're not that enthused with the candidates, are you? >> no, not at all. >> reporter: how come? >> there's too much bashing. they need to say something positive about what they're going to do. >> that doesn't sound like a lot of enthusiasm. >> a lot of people feel the same way. >> reporter: any of you decided who you will vote for? >> not yet. >> no. >> no one cattles my attention. >> reporter: we did find some enthusiasm here. volunteers gathered for get out the vote. >> i think with the obama administration we're seeing our freedom stripped away and rick santorum is the best person for fight for families. >> i'm a rick santorum volunteer. >> reporter: they're not entirely sure if they're santorum voters. >> right. >> yes! >> they didn't want to be on tv, so we don't have it on camera, but you just got two santorum voters. >> yes, ma'am. >> we're trying to reach out to voters in all 88 counties. we have named county chairs in every single county. >> i'm calling from mitt romney's campaign. >> we're up and running every night. we have a very strong organization here. we've spent a number of weeks and months reaching out to supporters why romney is the stronger candidates, and why he supports tax cuts, pro-growth policies to. >> reporter: we're in butler county, ohio, rock-solid republican country action and it's where rick santorum has to win and wind big likely to win the state of ohio. we have the chairman of the party. you have come out for rim santorum. >> i have personally, and use know how it's going to turn out. >> mitt romney has a better operation. >> no question about it. i have to be candid. he has a better operation. >> back at the boehner family bar. >> santorum. >> santorum. >> romney. >> reporter: but -- >> no matter who has an "r" behind their name, i'm going to vote for him. >> reporter: that's an important dynamic we have found in southwest ohio, republican voters, that is, even those who are less than enthusiastic about the republican field are highly enthusiastic in their intense opposition to barack obama. wolf? 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[ baby crying ] ♪ what started as a whisper ♪ every day, millions of people choose to do the right thing. ♪ slowly turned to a scream ♪ there's an insurance company that does that, too. liberty mutual insurance. responsibility. what's your policy? ♪ amen, omen jack joins us again with "the cafferty file." >> philosophical inquiry here. when it comes to being elected president of the united states, is it better to be lucky or good? >> david in georgia writing -- unfortunately the best candidate can be sump with a bit of bad luck and the worst can be saved with a bit of good luck. we should all by so lucky as al gore. when it comes to being elected, is that you're rich. nothing matters to the rich people that get you there except you better be one of them. >> one would think it's better to be good. from israel to the united kingdom, they saul same the same thing -- your elections affect us too. we just can't vote. cheerleading for hem, as we saw in 2008, giving him comfort. joe in florida says, jack, at this point we know what lucky gets us, and good may not be enough. i just hope someone good gets lucky. carl, in the current race they'll have to be lucky, because none of them are any good. in november president obama will win because he's good, and we're lucky -- and jessie writes -- if you're a republican it's better to be crazy than good, at least you have a chance of being nominated. if i want to read more of this drifl, you can go to my blog. or through our post on "the situation room's" facebook page. funny stuff, wolf. >> we always want to. thanks very much. we're only minutes away from the first exit polls, clues to what may be happening tonight as the results come in. plus immediate the newest lottery multimillionaire claiming the third largest powerball jackpot ever. look at our route map... and what do you see? clean lines connecting city to city. the map shows you where we go... but not how we get there. because in this business... there are no straight lines. only the twists and turns of an unpredictable industry. the passengers change... the gates change. government regulations change... oil peaks and plummets. and let's not even get started on the weather. the fact is: no two flights are ever the same. no matter how many times we've accomplished them in the past. the eighty-thousand employees at delta... must predict the unpredictable. anticipate the unexpected. and never let the rules... overrule common sense. this is how we tame the unwieldiness of air travel. pull it taut... and wrap it around the globe... until it's not just lines you see... it's the world. i like yoplait. it is yoplait. but you said it was greek. mmhmm. so is it greek or is it yoplait? exactly. okay... 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[ male announcer ] it's a network of possibilities -- helping you do what you do... even better. ♪ [ male announcer ] engine light on? come to meineke now for a free code scan read and you'll say...my money. my choice. my meineke. lisa sylvester has the top stories in "the situation room" right now. lisa, what's going on? >> new video on north korea on television shows a military unit carrying out live fire drills near a disputed border with the south. the video shows troops moving tanks and artilleries into position. and the u.s. military is unveiling the fastest four-legged robot ever developed, it can gallop up to 18 miles an hour. notice you can see how the flexing of the back with each step. so far it's only been lab tested, but look at that thing go. and an 81-year-old rhode island woman forget a recent trip to pick up rainbow sherbet. that's because she also came home with a winning lottery ticket. today louise white, who kept the ticket in her bible claimed nor lan $330 million, the third biggest jackpot in powerball history. congratulations to her and her family, wolf. >> good for her. lucky bible indeed. thank you. president obama has a scathing dose of super tuesday rhetoric, warning them, this isn't a game and wishing them luck. he seems to think they need. the worsening crisis in syria igniting huge political fireworks as key lawmakers demand to know what the united states plans to do to stop the slaughter. top members of the notorious hacking group busted worldwide in a string of major cybercrimes affecting more than 1 million victims. we want to welcome our viewers in the united states and around the world. breaking news, political headlines and jeanne moos all straight ahead. i'm wolf blitzer at the cnn election headquarters. you're in "the situation room." it's a side of president obama we don't always get to see. the gloves were off over at a white house news conference today where he hit his rivals hard again and again on foreign policy, slamming what he calls, quote, their bluster and big talk on the campaign trail. our chief white house correspondent jessica yellin was at that news kvrns. she's joining us with details. jessica, how did it go? >> business holding his first press conference in three months, he worked himself prominently into super tuesday coverage. he tried to make news on the domestic front by announcing right off the top new housing aid, but reporters here took the conversation in a very different direction. it was a press conference heavy on foreign policy. the president pressed to explain his push for israeli patients with iran over its nuclear programs. >> sanctioning are starting to have significant effect inside of iran. that's not just my assessment. that's i think a uniform assessment. so this notion that somehow we have a choice to make in the next week or two weeks or a month, or two months is not borne out by the facts. >> reporter: he slammed republican candidates for what he called their loose talk of war. >> what's said on the campaign trail, you know, those folks don't have a lot of responsibilities. they're not commander in chief. now, the one thing that we have not done is we haven't launched a war. if some of these folks think that it's time to launch a war, they should say so, and should explain to the american people exactly why they would do that that and what the consequences would be. everything else is just talk. >> he dismiss congressional calls for the u.s. to stop the slaughter with force. >> for us to take military action unilaterally as someone suggested, or to think that somehow there is some simple solution, i think is a mistake. >> reporter: he laughed off the suggestion he wants gas prices to stay high. >> is there anybody here who thinks that makes a lot of sense? >> reporter: he wouldn't weigh in on the contraception controversy, but with suburban women voters a key swing vote, he said -- >> i believe that democrats have a better story to tell to women about how we're going to solidify the middle class and grow this economy. i'm not somebody who believe that is women already single-issue voighters. >> reporter: as for his message to mitt romney who called him the most feckless president since jimmy carter, hi offered this -- >> good luck tonight. >> reporter: no, really. >> really. >> reporter: he -- i want to -- housing market should be allowed to bottom out. it should be noted that the president has reform programs, and yet there are nearly as many as there were when he took office. his housing reforms, wolf, barely making a dent. >> you saw on the screen mitt romney is voting on the -- much more on that part of the story coming up as well. he's getting ready to speak to reporters in massachusetts. we'll have live coverage. also, you heard president obama blasting his republican rivals' talk. here as what the candidates actually said about iran's nuclear threat today. >> >> i'll be ready to engage in diplomacy, but just as ready to engage our military might. israel will know that america stands at its sides in all conditions and all consequence. >> we need to set forth a clear ultimatum to the iranian government. we need to say to the iranian government the time is now. you will stop your nuclear production now. >> the red line is not the morning a bomb goes off. the red line is not the morning our intelligence community tells us they have failed once again. the red line is now, because the iranians now are deepening their fortification, deepening their underground laboratories, deepening their commitment to nuclear weapons while we talk. >> the oercht candidate 2349 race, ron paul, doesn't support u.s. intervention in other cunning, he doesn't great with hits opponents, certainly doesn't agree with the president's policies, either. the israeli prime minister netanyahu was on capitol hill today, where a fierce debate is brewing about how the united states should respond to the iran crisis. let's bring in our congressional correspondent indicate bolduan. she's following that part of the story. how did it go up on capitol hill, kate? >> hey there, wolf, there were bipartisan meetings on both ends of the capital today, but despite those photo opportunities meant to show congress is united in the support of israel, the top democrat and top republican in the senate today showed sharp disagreement on the issue of iran and specifically what the u.s. should do next. senate republican leader mitch mcconnell is now pushing for a congressional vote on authorizing the use of military force against iran. listen here to him today. >> says time to consider a resolution authorizing the use of force, a resolution is not a mandate to use force, but clearly would indicate to the iranians, that we are willing to go beyond sanctions that many of us are skeptical or likely to get the final result. not that the sanctions are not a good idea, not that they're not useful, but the reason for the sanctions is for iran not to step that next level and develop a nuclear weapon and the capacity to deliver it. >> now, mcconned's top aides tell mess that vote would come in intelligence shows that iran has begin to enrich uranium or if intelligence has shown that they've made the decision. i asked right after speaking with mitch mcconnell, i asked democratic senator harry reid about the vote authorizele military force. he made clear he's not on board. listen. >> i'm not going to be part on rushing forward on a declaration of war. these things have to be done very, very cautiously. we have problems around this world that are so significant. we have north korea, iran, the situation in syria, problems now in egypt. so let's stole throwing the word "war" around so casually. >> both sides are clearly trying to emphasis that i solid dar and support of israel. politics are never far away. this debate allows republicans an attitude to separate themselves, draw a contrast, and areas during an election season. for democrats, this allows democrats to try to paint republicans as unnecessarily beating the drums of war. wolf? >> indicate bolduan up on the hill. thank you. top u.s. military leaders were also on capitol hill, pressed about how dangerous iran is, just how far the threat extends around the world. our pentagon correspondent chris lawrence and barbara starr are both standing by live. let's begin with chris. >> even though iran only spends about 1% of what the u.s. spends on is military, american commanders say it has the kind of fast boats and long-range rockets that could completely destabilize that region. what's the most significant threat to the entire middle east? u.s. military commander say iran. >> they're fighting basically a shadow war every day. >> general james matta says iran is the only nation trying to spark violence in the region, weapons into sudan to establish a base on the red sea, trying to influence the post-arab spring government in egypt, dispatching ships full of -- and sending technology, cash and weapons to help syria crush its rebellion. >> my biggest concern is iran. that is the nation with four different threats. >> reporter: the most critical is the nuclear programs, but the pentagon says it can launch covert attacks around the are world. >> they have the long-range rockets and ballistic missiles they can use and hold other nations at risk from the mediterranean down into the gulf coast. >> reporter: the pentagon is hinting it will need more money to fight these threats, from sea-based missile defense systems to assets that can block iran's fast attack boats and more countermeasures to clear minds. american fighter jets are some of the assets already on the table. >> military action is the last alternative, when all else fails, but make no mistake. when all else fails, we will act. chris, stand by for a moment. at the very same hearing, senators also grilled commanders on why the united states isn't intervening militarily as far as the situation in syria is concerned. let's bring in barbara starr. barbara? had. >> well, wolf, you're right. it was the same commanders talking about syria. for the first time in detail talking precisely about why it would be so tough for the u.s. to attack. the top u.s. military commander for middle east operations says the fall of bashar al assad is inevitable. >> not if but when he is going to go. >> reporter: but for civilians, it may be about to get worse. >> he's gaining physical momentum, sir, on the battlefield. i think he's creating more enemies. i think he's creating more reason, more international pressure against him. but on the tactical battlefield, he is clearly achieving what he wants to achieve. >> reporter: the first public discussion why senator john mccain's call for air strikes may be too tough to do. >> the russians have provided very advanced integrated air defense capabilities, missiles, rada radars, that sort of thing that would make imposition of any no-fly zone challenging, if we were to go that direction. >> reporter: but mccain was clearly out of patience, eye specially with the arguments that syrian opposition groups may include al qaeda fighters. >> frankly one grows a little weary of this, we don't know who they are, and they're probably al qaeda. general -- you think we can find out who they are? >> i think it's always prudent to find your allies. >> i suggest we find out who these people are. i guarantee you will find out it's not al qaeda, that it's not al qaeda. it's people who have the same yearnings universally. that's freedom, democracy, and our god-given rights. >> barbara, you also have reported before that iran is helping syria, we know that, but there's more information you're collecting right now. what else are you learns? >> wolf, general matt is in tha piece was very clear. he said if they lose syria, it would be the biggest strategic loss for iran in 20 years. that's an indication of how hard tehran may fight in this whole situation. >> chris, the defense soak tear leon panetta, he went before the pro-israel lobbying organization to reiteration the u.s. mill their commitment. how did that go? >> wolf, the u.s. is giving israel about -- you have u.s. personnel on the ground there in israel, operating a radar system that contributes to israel's missile defense. today secretary panetta promised israel they will get whatever they need to maintain air superiority in that region. the one thing he did not mention were the bumper buster bombs that could be used to go after deeply fortified iranian nuclear facilities. >> you mean whether or not the u.s. would give those bombs to israel to use in case they make that decision? >> that's right. so far the u.s. has not given those to any other country, period. >> chris lawrence and barbara starr, thanks very much. it's the biggest day yesterday in the republican primary. we're waiting for the first cnn exit polls. john king is just coming back. we're only minutes away. the first glimpse into this major contest. ten states at stake, including ohio. stand by. president obama discussion his daughters during a question about the escalating rush limbaugh controversy. our political panel will weigh in on his answer. and we're getting the first video of the alleged gunman in that ohio school shooting. what he has to say for the first time. that's coming up as well. a mother's legs almost completely severed in an effort to save her children from those deadly tornadoes. >> they're screaming, mommy, i can't live without you, i don't want to die, please don't let me die. 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[whoosh, clang] you need lifelock, the only identity theft protection company that now monitors bank accounts for takeover fraud. lifelock: relentlessly protecting your identity. call 1-800-lifelock or go to lifelock.com today. the first exit poll numbers are just starting to come in. let's bring in john king. you've had a chance to digest some of these. >> ten states in play tonight, it gets complicated. we know ohio is one of the biggest battlegrounds. so let's look at what we know. there are still people going to vote, but when did people decide? that often has an impact. look at this. only 10% of the voters in the ohio republican presidential decided today. 17% in the last few days, so a little over a quarter. 30% say the last few weeks. if you add up to let's look at some other numbers. it was a santorum/romney race. do you think the positions are too conservative? 24% said that, not conservative enough, 17%. about half said he's just about right on the issues, rick santorum. but look at this, just about the exact same numb her. 37%, more than a third of the republican voting said not conservative enough for them. wolf, let me show you this one lastly, here's the electoral in ohio today. nearly two thirds described themselves as conservatives. do we have a tight race? we have a tight race. 39% went for senator santorum. 39% went for governor romney. that suggests we have a very hot race, a very tight race in the battleground of ohio. that suggests i'll buy the coffee -- we'll be here a while. >> we could be here for hours and hours. >> this among the conservative voters, we'll be counting them late. >> thank you, john. john of course will be back. he's crunching the numbers. a huge day in the race. paul begala and alex castellanos are here, the secret internet hacker group dogging the fbi for years, and now they're not anonymous any longer. you'll find out who officials say are behind some of the most notorious internet crimes. you always have homework, okay? i don't have homework today. it's what's right here is what is most important to me. it's beautiful. ♪ ♪ the progresso chicken noodle you made is so good. it's got tender white meat chicken. the way i always made it for you. one more thing.... those pj's you like, i bought you five new pairs. love you. did you see the hockey game last night? [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. all right. let's get back to john king. once again crunching numbers. tennessee this time, early exit poll information. >> we just told you ohio. perhaps the other defining ground. polls show romney slightly behind, wolf, so we need to be careful. we asked republicans as they went to vote, which of the candidates -- not who are you going to vote for, but which candidate will most likely be the strongest against obama. 44%, more than any other candidates, say mitt romney is the strongest. now, this is not how they voted in a republican primary, it's who they think would be the strongest candidate in the fall against obama. what's the most important issue? this has tracked in almost every state. this is a great test. states in new england, in the south, so far every state, of course, no pride, right in this area, around the budget deficit among conservatives. the budget deficit the most important issue. this is very interesting. are you a white born-again evangelical christian. this is a high percentage. normally that's a strength for senator santorum. 7 in 10 voters in the tennessee republican presidential primary, so if you're the santorum campaign, you're -- and what about the tea party movement? 63%, not confide two thirds, but close. 24% of the republicans are neutral. so you have here tennessee is not the biggest state, but a diverse state. you want to watch and see, how does santorum do in the rural party? can mitt romney, who decided late to make a push? how does he do in the more affluent suburban areas. ohio we node will be tight as well. >> i know you'll by crunching these numbers. mitt romney just voted in his home state. and now he's speaking to reporters. >> reporter: show your favorability dropping. does that concern you going forward? what do you make of it? >> just the nature of a campaign. obviously you'll have attacks that come from various people in a campaign process, and some of those attacks, until they're understood andagesed have an impact, but these are long campaigns. they say that a day is like a lifetime in politics. we have plenty of time to talk about the real issues, and some of the attacks and back and forth diminish over time. >> right here. >> hi, john. >> hi, governor. mrs. romney. john kerry went on the senate floor and denounced your op-et statement as empty rhetoric. what's your response to that? >> my view on iran is pretty strayed forward. this president has made some extraordinary errors. he did not put in place crippling sanctions. he's doddlawdled for three year. he had nothing to say when the people went to the streets, and in regards to military action, he seems more concerned about israel taking military action than iran becoming nuclear. i think it's important for us to make clear that a nuclear iran is not acceptable to the united states, not acceptable to the world, and believe that is something i should continue to speak about, and i hope the president picks up the same refrain. i'll be back. yeah. [ inaudible ] >> i don't have any plans with regard to my campaign's finances at this stage other than to keep on raising the money necessary to go forward. [ inaudible. >> criticized who? i'm sorry. >> my campaign is about jocks, the economy and scaling back. i'm not going to weigh in on that particular controversy. okay. we're going to sign a book and then -- >> so he's answering a few question. right at the tom, his exchange with reporters, he was asked to comment about the president's remarks earlier in the day. let me play that clip for you now. >> do you think that was an endorsement? i hope so, but i don't think so. i appreciate the good wishes, and wish him the best. >> taking the high road over there as well. let's discussing what we heard and more. >> he said, is he endorsing me? >> i thought it showed some humor, charming, gracious. you can see it in his face, this is tough on governor romney. he looks like a ken doll, just gorgeous. but it's wearing on him. what i'm happy to see, as an analyst, not a democrat, is it doesn't seem to be affecting his personality. it looks like they're not getting under his skin -- >> do you think he has it wrapped up? >> i think he's almost got it wrapped up. last week mitt romney could not afford to lose michigan. tonight i don't think rick santorum can afford to lose ohio. if he does, i think that's the beginning of the end and conservatives will begin to consolidate. >> there's big states, i think new york state, california -- >> every time we bury the body, the hand comes back from the grave. they keep coming back. republicans are beginning to see the wear and tear. >> do you agree with that assessment. the wear and tear? it's driven romney down to 28, the lowest for any major front-runner in modern history. he'll come back if he's the nominee. this is a 50/50 race, the damage pulling him far right, particularly -- the two swing votes are latinos and single women. those are two issues where he used to be a moderate to a liber liberal. >> that's very effective spin, but i don't think it happens to be entirely accurate. if romney had been pulled to the right. if romney were the candidate, he would have the nomination wrapped up. it hasn't happened that way. >> he's got some work to do. >> he's got some work to do. >> both santorum and gingrich, they want the other guy to drop out. the question is who drops out first, santorum or gingrich? >> the speaker, of course, in georgia, his home state. most people think he's likely to win his home state. >> he'll get all the delegates and this is the -- >> and my friend, a very wiseman last week said the precinct in las vegas, where sheldon adelson who has been -- so this all right now works for mitt romney, a. the rest of the field divides the conservative vote. >> i thought the president was effective today, why he made that phone call. let me play this little clip. >> the reason i called ms. fluke is because i thought about malia and sasha, and one of the things i want them to do as they get older is to engage in issues they care about, even ones i may not agree with them on. i want them to speaking their mind in a civil and thoughtful way. >> that's a pretty good answer. >> pretty good answer. let's give him credit. i don't think he's having good at being president, but he's very good at wanting to be president and campaigning. he took advantage of a great political moment, did it in a nice, elegant want, helped himself, but a couple weeks ago republicans were saying that democrats were waging war on religion, and this week the democrats hit the ball back over the net. half of the republicans actually are women. and the other half thing very highly of them. so there is no such thing. plant parenthood, that is bucket comes from title x. >> romney wants to zero out all federal funding -- that's extraordinary. >> that's not what he said. he said i totally and completely oppose any effort to ban contraception. >> title x financials contraception it was wring by the republicans. >> this is a radical position. >> we have a lot of time tonight. guys, thanks very much. please be sure to stay with cnn tonight for complete coverage of all the results for our viewers in north america. we begin in less than half an hour with a special edition of john king, usa. followed with live coverage with me, erin burnett. john king, anderson cooper, candy crowley, the best. and the suspect in the horrible school shooting in ohio, you'll hear him for the first time. the secret internet hacker group that's been hiding from the fbi for years. now they're not anonymous any longer. you're going to find out who officials say is behind some of the notorious internet crimes. 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[ male announcer ] for our families... our neighbors... and our communities... america's beverage companies have created a wide range of new choices. developing smaller portion sizes and more low- & no-calorie beverages... adding clear calorie labels so you know exactly what you're choosing... and in schools, replacing full-calorie soft drinks with lower-calorie options. with more choices and fewer calories, america's beverage companies are delivering. the 17-year-old boy accused of killing three fellow students inside a high school cafeteria calmly walked into court today. he sat just a short distance from the families of his victims. he came face-to-face with, for the first time. cnn's martin savidge is joins us from chardon, ohio. you were in the klum today, we finally heard from t.j. lane. what did he say? >> reporter: well, this was the initial hearing, essentially what would have happened is he would have had the reading of the charges. the defense said that's not necessary, the judge launched into explaining the nature of the charges and potential consequences. that set up a very interesting sort of q&a between the judge and t.j. lane. listen to this. >> you have a right to receive a copy of the complaint, and as acknowledged by the attorney, you are aware of the six charges brought against you? >> yes, i am. >> you have a right to have a trial on those charges. at that trial you have a right to require that the state of ohio prove each element of each charge at trial beyond a reasonable doubt if the state can do so. you understand? >> yes, i do, your honor. >> you can't help but notice how small this young man is, how quiet he is, and how in stark contrast that is to the horrible nature of the crimes of which he has been charged. >> have we heard from the families? >> reporter: they certainly were watching his motions, listening to his words. not in the courtroom were he mother and father. she had one of those red and black ribboning, symbolic of sympathy and feelings toward the tragedy -- we should also point out there was a funeral today, and that was for demetrius hewlin, he donated his organs. eight people's lives were impacted. as one person aptly put it, as put it, he may have been killed, but his heart still beats. remember, we're standing by to begin our nonstop coverage of super tuesday fairly seen. more exit poll numbers, stand by for that. fuls a hard-breaking story, a soldier who survived, died at home, trying to same his family. you're going to find out what happened. chaos in a courtroom with a grieving family trying to take the law into their own hands. stay with us. you're in "the situation room." 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[ female announcer ] ask the doctor about your loved one trying the exelon patch. visit exelonpatch.com to learn more. there's a major takedown on the war against computer crime. authorities in the united states and europe just rounded up some alleged hackers suspected in a recent string of high profile cyber attacks. brian todd has the details. brian? >> reporter: wolf, these alleged hackers have carried out some of the highest profile breaches around the world for the past couple of years. experts are now worried that taking them out will own spawn more cyber attacks. they allegedly breached government web sites, major financial services, entertainment conglomerates and law enforcement networks. six e light hackers from an offshoot of the activist group anonymous have been arrested in the u.s., britain and and ireland, charged with hacking and other crimes which authorities say affected more than 1 million victims. i spoke to someone from the cyber firm invincia. >> the fbi and partners were able to identify the individuals behind these attacks. getting at the attacker is very difficult. >> reporter: one of those charged, hector monsegor, known as sabu, pleaded guilty back in august. a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation tells cnnsabu agreed to cooperate with the government as part of his plea, that he helped build a case against other suspects. law enforcement officials say sabu and his associates are behind notorious hacks, against visa, master card and pay pal to hit back for their refusal to process donations to wikileaks. retaliation, officials say, was a trademark tactic with sabu and others at lulz boat. >> it hacked into pbs's web site, posted a fake story about tupac shakur and biggie smalls being alive and well in new zealand. both rappers were killed in the 1990s. officials say one of those charged was involved in hacking into e-mails giving them information about an important conference call recently between the fbi and new scotland yard, a call where a probe into hackers was discussed. the suspect allegedly recorded that call. some hackers apparent real names are bleeped out. their aliases are not. >> we've set back the further arrests of kayla and t flow, that being [ expletive ] and [ expletive ] until we know what's happening. >> i asked gauch about the social media onslaught. >> a lot of bragging tweets out there today. cut off one head, we grow back two. they haven't tapped into much of this network, right? >> that's right. anonymous is a movement. >> gauch believes these arrests will be a rallying cry for other so-called hacktivists to retaliate for these charges and to send out their signature message reminding governments and companies that their cyber security is very porous. wolf? >> brian todd reporting for us. thanks very much. rush limbaugh is just responding to the president of the united states. we got the tape. stand by for that. we're getting ready for super tuesday coverage. it begins at the top of the hour. we had to create it. introducing the 2013 lexus gs, with leading-edge safety technology, like available blind spot monitor... 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"everybody knows what's in my heart. everybody who listen toss this program and every one of these critics who's jumping on this for the political advantage they think it gives them knows what's in my heart. everybody knows what i do here. everybody knows how i do it. and everybody knows what kind of person i am." meantime, limbaugh's critics aren't pulling any punches. here's cnn's jeanne moos. >> reporter: remember the days when the the s word was a comedy punch line? >> jane, you ignorant slut. >> reporter: the way rush limbaugh used it has made him a punch line. >> human cold shower rush limbaugh. >> poster boy for contraception. rush limbaugh. >> four wives he's had. no children. dude, you are birth control. >> reporter: cartoonists put him in a viagra bottle, represented him as a pig, and did the limbo, the rush limbo, how low can you go? at the detroit free press, cartoonist mike thompson is running a cartoon caption contest. entries so far include "open mouth insert career." "who says i'm an inflexible bigot." and "my foot is such an slut." geez, i feel uncomfortable even calling a foot that word. >> i was called an slut because i was doing news in the middle east. rush limbaugh, shut your cake hole, please. >> he's a fat, gutless loser. >> remember he only apologize today keep his advertisers, proving rush will do anything with his mouth for cash. >> reporter: some conservatives say the left is out to hush rush, to silence him. >> what political party is rush limbaugh a part of? >> he's whore. >> reporter: yikes all this name calling. as for the name of the law student insulted by rush, sandra fluke, rush calls her -- >> susan fluke. susan fluke or susan flake. >> reporter: coincidentally a bronze bust of rush is scheduled to be enshrined soon in the hall of famous missourians at the state capitol alongside governors and mark twain and walter cronkite. can you imagine walter reporting on this? >> he thinks you're an slut, right? >> he's a punk. >> he's actually a very good person. and i'm sure he will be just fine. >> reporter: and while rush is facing the music, someone was actually listening to the music playing ever so slow during rush's rant.