Good evening. We are here on capitol hill in washington, prior to the president s state of the Union Address tonight, but the news at this hour is on the other coast. Its centered on a cabin in the San Bernadino mountains in california, where police have exchanged gunfire with someone believed to be Christopher Dorner, the excop, the military veteranturnedsniper who has quite literally terrorized so much of Southern California for so many days. Its where we want to begin the broadcast tonight, a changeable situation still under way. Nbcs Miguel Almaguer in los angeles starts us off. Good evening. Reporter brian, good evening it all started this afternoon. The Sheriffs Department says they received phone call of a reported car and someone who matched Christopher Dorners scrip eggs. A short time later, in the woods, they found that car and their suspect. Tonight, multiple Law Enforcement sources tell nbc news it is Christopher Dorner. Shots fired three hours east of los angeles. We have the suspect hold up in a cabin. Reporter in the mountains of big bear, the manhunt for fugitive Christopher Dorner comes to an end. We hope we can take this guy into custody and we hope that he doesnt hurt anybody else. Reporter inside a cabin, the sheriff says the former Police Officer and accused cop killer barricades himself inside a home. Stand by. You got three more coming your way. Reporter almost immediately, an exchange of gunfire. He has got a rifle. Reporter with the s. W. A. T. Team on scene, two officers are wounded and are airlifted to a local hospital. Enough is enough. Its time to turn yourself in. Its time to stop the bloodshed. Its time to let this event and let this incident be over. Reporter police say dorners murder spree began nine days ago. The bodies of monica quan and Keith Lawrence were discovered in a parking lot, a revenge killing, say detectives. Quan is the daughter of a former police captain. Suspect vehicle is still outstanding, the black nissan titan. Reporter last thursday, with the manhunt for dorner under way, police say he opened fire on two lapd Police Officers. One was grazed in the head. Officer shot multiple times. Reporter a short time later, detectives say dorner opened fire on two riverside Police Officers, 34yearold mike crain was killed. With no sign of dorner in the city, officers in big bear discovered his burnt out truck with a cache of weapons inside. Police department. Reporter for the last six days, officers have cleared cabins and combed through the forest. Today, they finally found their man. There were reports earlier today that there may have been a hostage situation inside one of those cabins. The lapd tonight says that report is unconfirmed. There was also a report that one of those two officers who was injured was gravely wounded. Tonight, that, too, is unconfirmed. Brian . Miguel almaguer starting our reporting in los angeles tonight. Miguel, thanks. Now, lets go to the scene. Our friend, chuck henry, has been angering much of the coverage for local station knbc all afternoon long. He is with us from big bear via the telephone. Chuck, whats it like there . Brian, you would be interested to know, this can, much like the kind you would find at any ski resort it is split level, is less than two football fields. In fact, i would estimate a football field and a half, from where the police had set up their command post at ski resort. Right now, they are evacuating the people on the ski resort. There are a lot of anxious parents trying to get their kids who came up here to snowboard today and they cant get to them h San Bernadino sheriffs cordened off this area. Sheriffs are in the home right now, going through it. As i say it would look like a typical ski resort, like a chalet would you find at most any resort. We just received late word that down on highway 39, one of three ways in and out of big bear, that there was a second shooting involving officers and we understand that one, possibly two officers, have been hit. Brian . Chuck henry reporting from big bear tonight. Obviously, a changeable situation that could go into the night. Chuck, thanks. With us from our new york studios is william brant, former chief of the Los Angeles Police department. And chief, im curious, first off, how do you think this ends . Certainly, Law Enforcement is hoping he will surrender without any further loss of life or injured officers or injured suspect. At the same time, i understand the reports are that he is actively engaging in gunfire with the officers surrounding the cabin where he is located. So, let us hope for the best, that it ends with his surrender. At the same time, he is somewhat in control of that situation. Youre, of course, now inn dellably linked with this guy because of the photo of the two of you, though you have said in repeated interviews that you have your photo taken with hundreds of officers for vare yours events when you ran lapd over the course of the years. Looking at this i guess ive learned that a motivated, determined and trained person, one individual, can really terrorize an entire region. What have you learned from this when its all over . Well, actually, several years ago, we had two individuals who had no training totally terrorize the washington east coast region, the sniper incident there. This case, we have an individual, highly trained Police Officer, nobody trains better than the lapd, and lust the cross training with the military. It is frightening from the standpoint that this is a domestic terrorist and we always have the fear of International Terrorism and these type of lone wolf activities. This one has been certainly historic in the sense, unprecedented in its scale and its nature. This has been a disturbing case for you to watch, as it has everyone else. Chief bill brant, thank you very much for coming on the air with us tonight from new york. All of this of course, going on, here we are in washington on capitol hill, as the president is getting ready to deliver the state of the Union Address tonight. Our political director, chief White House Correspondent chuck todd, across town at the white house with a preview. Chuck, good evening. Reporter good evening, brian. As you know, historically, secondterm and secondterm president s, their domestic goals have a shelf life of about 18 months. The white house is well aware of this and they want to use this state of the Union Tonight to not just talk about those goals but to try to convince congress to do big things and to do them now. Mr. President , what is the theme . We will find out tonight. Reporter the president tight lipped today but the lions share of tonights state of the Union Address will focus on the economy and job creation, echoing themes from the campaign. This is a real, achievable plan that will lead to new jobs and more opportunity and rebuild this economy on a stronger foundation. Reporter and while he will unveil new proposals, aides say he intends to stay with this familiar message that won him a second term. This president has had a consistent economic theory about how we improve our economy, at buys growing the middle class and strengthing the middle class. Reporter the president s call for more spending, coupled with Debt Reduction that includes more taxes, continues to be a nonstarter with republicans, as Speaker John Boehner told todays matt lauer. I think the president is caught out of ideas when it comes to how to fix the economy because everything he seems to he wants to do is more tax hikes and stimulus venue. Reporter there will be more Foreign Policy in tonights speech, including an announcement that 34,000 u. S. Soldiers will be coming home from afghanistan in the next year. While reducing gun violence will only be a small part of the president s speech, its a big part of tonights atmospherics. Watching from the balcony will be several families from the tragic Newtown School shooting, the parents of head ya pendlet. And Gabrielle Giffords in this new ad. Take it from me, Congress Must act. Lets get this done. Reporter senator marco rubio was chosen to deliver the republican response in both english and spanish. Sitting in the audience will be the president s cabinet a lot of the new choices will not be there like the defense the person up for defense secretary, chuck hagel, but chuck hagel is a step closer tonight, brian. He got through a Key Committee and there might be a full vote on his confirmation by as early as thursday. Chuck todd, wheel is more of you later tonight. Thanks. And lets bring in the rest of our team, joined by three former nbc news White House Correspondents here in the studio, david gregory, Andrea Mitchell and savannah guthrie, not an attempt to make anybody feel old, david, we will start with you. What are you looking for tonight . This is ultimately about the economy. Economic restoration is really what the president those focus on in a second term. He has got opportunity here on guns. You will see a big show of that tonight, on immigration. He can work with republicans but there is bedrock opposition. I spent time with the House Speaker today. These two sides are so far apart on taxes and spending. They dont see a way really to get together. I think its going to be tough speech from that point of view and i think republicans are only gonna dig in. Savannah, atmospherics going into tonight. Every year is different. This year more different from the others. Theres all this emotional weight because of the attend dis, coordinated effort to have victims of gun violence there in the hall, at a moment went president is trying to push this these gun initiatives. And the cal len start enemy for him on that because the farther we get away from Something Like newtown, the harder it is for him to accomplish his objectives. I think he is trying to seize the moment on many different levels. The political calendar, for sure, hints of compromise on things like guns and immigration, but also, this is a president who is enjoying somewhat of a second honeymoon in terms of the Approval Ratings and also looks at the Republican Party as deeply fractured, weak and vulnerable and he wasnt to seize on that. And now to our chief Foreign Affairs correspondent, last night, a bulletin went out, andrea, that a 4. 9 to 5. 1 artifici artificial earthquake had been detected in north korea. Quickly, we knew it was a nuclear test. That is on the radar for the president. It on the radar front and sent for him, because, first of all, it was much bigger than previous tests, it was the first under this new, young, korean leader, kim jung unand potentially, they claim you at least, set off by a miniaturized device which could indicate they have made big progress on getting a small weapon on top of a mills. They just did a rocket test in december. And the problem, the threat would be are they advancing to the point where they could potentially reach the continental United States with perhaps a lucky shot . All right, Andrea Mitchell, thanks. And we are going to somehow find room for chuck todd tonight, but we will scrunch together. We will see all of you later on. And stay with us here on nbc, of course. Full coverage of the state of the Union Address beginning 9 eastern here on this nbc station. To another front, we are learning more tonight about the weeks and months that have led up to the popes surprise resignation. A closely held secret that was apparently planned quite some time. We are also getting new details about how this transition will work involving, after all, the abdication of a living former pope something the church hasnt experienced since the middle ages. Nbcs Anne Thompson has made her way to the vatican tonight. Anne, good evening. Reporter good evening, brian. First, some news about the popes health. We learned today that three months ago, the pope underwent surgery to replace a battery in his pacemaker. The vatican Officials Say that pacemaker was inserted into the popes heart before he became the pontiff. I asked a vatican spokesperson if that surgery had anything to do with the popes decision to step down. He said no, that decision was made almost a year ago after the pope returned from his visit to cuba and mexico. Now, since the shock of the decision has worn off, people here at the vatican are beginning to see the clues they missed to mondays stunning announcement. For example, why is all this construction work going on at a monastery here at the vatican and who is going to live there . The answer is that is where Pope Benedict is going to make his retirement home. Tomorrow, the pope will hold his weekly audience and then later in the day, he will preside over Ash Wednesday mass, marking the beginning of lent. That mass was supposed to be held in a small church in rome. Its been move here to st. Peters basilica to accommodate the thousands who are expected to attend what could well be the popes last public mass. Brian . All those pieces and clues now apparent. It will be an interesting 16 days ahead. Anne thompson in vatican city, thanks. Still ahead as we continue on a busy tuesday night, the cruise ship nightmare in the gulf of mexico. An increasingly ugly scene on board. Five working toilets, 3,000 people. Thats just the start of it. Dia. When i first felt the diabetic nerve pain, of course, i had no idea what it was. I felt like my feet were going to sleep. It progressed from there to burning like i was walking on hot coals to like a thousand bees that were just stinging my feet. I have a great relationship with my doctor. He found lyrica for me. [ female announcer ] its known that diabetes damages nerves. Lyrica is fda approved to treat diabetic nerve pain. Lyrica is not for everyone. It may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. Tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. Or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, changes in eye sight including blurry vision, gulf of mexico. Muscle pain with fever, tired feeling, or skin sores from diabetes. Common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs, and feet. Dont drink alcohol while taking lyrica. Dont drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. Those whove had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. Having less pain. Its a wonderful feeling. [ female announcer ] ask your doctor about lyrica today. Its specific treatment for diabetic nerve pain. To hear more of phylliss story, visit lyrica. Com. [ male announcer ] the rhythm of life. [ whistle blowing ] where do you hear that beat . Campbells healthy request soup lets you hear it. In your heart. [ basketball bouncing ] heart healthy. Great taste. Mmm. [ male announcer ] sounds good. Its amazing what soup can do. [see lioutdoors, or in. Ight. Od. Transitions® lenses automatically filter just the right amount of light. So you see everything the way its meant to be seen. Maybe even a little better. Visit your eyecare professional today to ask about our newest lenses, transitions vantage and transitions xtractive lenses. Experience life well lit. Ask which transitions adaptive lens is best for you. We are back now with some of the Horror Stories we are hearing, the stories emerging about some of the 4200 passengers and crew on board the Carnival Cruise ship triumph. It all started went ship caught fire, lost power sunday night, setting off an awful chain of events on board, including sweltering temperatures and a shortage of food, bathroom facilities, all while being slowly towed into port in mobile, alabama. Our report tonight from nbcs janet shamlian. Reporter its a long, slow ride, as tug boats drag the disabled Carnival Cruise ship triumph to mow beach and with five working toilets for some 3,000 passengers, its a pretty miserable ride. Donna gutsman is on board. The worst part is the bathrooms theres no water. You cant really flush. So, everyones going in little blast Hillsborough County baggies and putting it outside their rooms. Reporter passengers say the stench is inescapable theres no air conditioning on board. Many with interior cabins have dragged mattresses to various parts of the ship to find fresh air. Shelia and jerry cox were able to phone their daughter, lindsey. They are sleeping on the deck on lounge chairs and the boat is just rocking back and forth because theres no stabilization. Reporter food service is limited. Onion sandwiches were reportedly on the menu today and the wait for something to eat can last up to three hours. Marissa morels mother is celebrating her birthday on the ship. People were starting to get very frustrated is what she was saying. You know, its a very panicky situation. Reporter triumph has been dead in the water and drifting north since an engine room fire sunday. Plans to tow it to mexico were scrapped when the ship drifted too far north. Now being towed to alabama at just six knots it will be Late Wednesday or even thursday before passengers are finally able to get off. When they do, theres still the trip home or back to the port in texas. Carnival stays is sorry for the inconvenience, offering pans year full refund and a future cruise. Janet shamlian, nbc news, mobile. On wall street today in new york, mixed finish overall with the dow up 47 points. Nasdaq down 5 and the s p 500 up 2. But the dow managed to close at its highest level in five years. Its just 1 away from its alltime high setback in october of 07. We are back in a moment with what doctors are now saying about pregnant women and reducing the risk of autism. [ male announcer ] this is bob, a regular guy with an irregular heartbeat. The usual, bob . Not today. [ male announcer ] bob has afib Atrial Fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem, a condition that puts him at greater risk for a stroke. [ gps ] turn left. I dont think so. [ male announcer ] for years, bob took warfarin, and made a monthly trip to the clinic to get his blood tested. But not anymore. Bobs doctor recommended a different option onceaday xarelto®. 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[ coughs ] [ baby crying ] [ male announcer ] robitussin® liquid formula soothes your throat on contact and the active ingredient relieves your cough. Robitussin®. Dont suffer the coughequences™. There is a highinterest story in health news tonight t has to do with folic acid, specifically, a new study found that women who take folic acid supplements around the time they become pregnant may be 40 less likely to have children with autism. The crucial period for the folic acid consumption is apparently a month prior to conception and the first two months of pregnancy, a critical period for brain development. Our company is in the news tonight. Comcast, the majority owners of Nbc Universal have announced they are buying out ges remaining share of 49 of the company. In addition buying outright the ge real estate at our iconic 30 rock Head Quarters building in midtown manhattan t is a big deal financially, 18. 1 billion in all. It will end 27 years of either full or partial ge ownership of nbc. And we received sad news late today that we have lost a member of our family. Longtime viewers of nbc nightly news will instantly recognize tom aspell, a veteran Foreign Correspondent for nbc news. Tom died yesterday after a twoyearlong battle with lung cancer. Starting as a cameraman back in 1971, later as a correspondent, tom covered it all, bosnia, chechnya, baghdad. He covered the fall of saigon, the fall of saddam, even the fall of the shah. When he wasnt displaying an intense brand of cool under fire, he loved his home on cyprus, loved being out on the water on his sailboat. He was a native new zealander, at home anywhere in the world really. And in that sense, a classic Foreign Correspondent. He leaves behind his wife and two sons. Tom aspell, a 28year nbc veteran, was 62 years old. When we come back, the touching love letters of a hardcharging future president showing a softer side we havent seen till now. 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Com finally tonight, from washington, the johnson president ial library in austin will tomorrow release the early love letters between a young lyndon and a young lady bird. He proposed soon after meeting her. And while we know him as a man used to getting his way, we may now get to know him as a great romantic as well. In the runup to valentines day the museum gave nightly news the first access to these letters. We, in turn, asked the johnson grandchildren to read both part aloud. Here are Katherine Robb and Lyndon Nugent. Could i read and reread a letter from you which contained just one central idea. I want to hear you say over and over again that i love you. If all you know of lbj is what you see on the History Channel or read in books, it would not occur to you that he was really a very loving, sensitive person who had fallen in love and was wooing the woman he wanted to marry. For a long time, i have a blade fire and havent even been scorched, but every man sooner or later meets his waterloo. I have to say, when i was reading through them i just found myself smiling a lot. And i was laughing a few times, because, again, it was just sort of the you know, they were very heartfelt emotions. October 6, 1934. I wish you were here this minute because i feel silly and gay and i want to ruffle up your hair and kiss you and say silly things. And thats one that makes me smile. Its kind of tough to remember that they werent always the people that the country came to know them as being, they were just two regular people trying to figure out what life was all about. I dont think he had perfected that johnson treatment yet and so i think he was really trying to figure out, have you pushed too hard . Tell me soon, dear, just how you know you do feel. I dont want to go on this way. Do you . Will you tell me . Hes impatient. He wants he doesnt understand why the second date wasnt an appropriate time to propose. Shes sort of the cam in the storm saying lets just slow down a little bit. Must you have all or nothing . I love you more than anyone but we must wait until we know each other better, until there isnt any doubt. Quite frankly, its very enjoyable to think about the how that happened back then. Its less likely we will have this for future generations that will have these beautiful long letters where people are really sort of expressing themselves. Give me lots of letters next week. Im going to need them. Nix some i love nut lines and not between them. Adios until tomorrow, lyndon. Our thanks to Lyndon Nugent and Katherine Robb, grandchildren of president and mrs. Johnson, married for 39 years. Thats it for us. We will be back on the air for the state of