caught on tape. i m wolf blitzer. you re in the situation room. the politics of unemployment swirling today as president obama and the republicans try to spin the latest jobless numbers to their political advantage. while the president is highlighting new signs of economic strength, the republicans are spotlighting the unemployment level that remains unchanged despite solid job growth. cnn white house correspondent dan lothian has more in prince georges county in virginia. dan? reporter: wolf, the president came here today because he says rolls royce jet engines are helping to boost the economy. 140 new jobs expected here, another hundred at a plant in indiana. but it was also a chance for him to cheer the latest job numbers which he says proves the u.s. economy is on the right track. even though not everyone agrees. the u.s. employment picture is far from sunny. but the better than expected february job numbers seems to have pushed a few more dark clouds out of the way.
let s get started. usually it s her. she s the one who says this over and over, jobs, jobs, jobs. you know what, jobs is the big story today. big report, remember the last one we told you that was real good, we have another one out for you. as good? anything negative? we ll get the low down on it all? is it going to boost or bite president obama. also we re talking iran and israel s stance on iran. the prime minister talking about a timetable on an attack on iran giving a series of interviews laying out how many days, weeks, months, who knows for sanctions to take hold. the pressure and the heat on that situation. attention pennsylvania. take a look at this. a little plane coming in and it is not a good story, folks. the landing gear, look, it s not down. wow. how did it end? you ll see this but you ll hear more about it in just a moment. wow. bobbi kristina speaking to oprah. that s right, whitney s only daughter. the first time she s opening up about her mom.
on a strong showing in tuesday s mississippi and alabama primaries, and he s still going after mitt romney, this time in reference to gas prices. the president seems to suggest to you just like dr. chu. dr. chu is the secretary of anti-energy. to be honest, he said that before he became secretary that he wanted americans to pay european levels of $9 or $10 a gallon. so last week give him credit for being honest. last week he testified in the house, and somebody from mississippi actually, said to him, gas prices are really hurting people. what are you going to do to lower gas prices? and to be fair to dr. chu, he honestly said, nothing. now, newt gingrich rather has plenty of company in mississippi. mitt romney is there as well holding a rally later today in pascagoula. rick santorum is next door, rounding up support with three stops across alabama. first time claims for unemployment benefits ticked upwards last week. labor department says that 362,000 people filed for
voters forget worry about headlines. sglooch will the north s new leader honor that agreement? i ll ask bill richardson. he as here. i m wolf blitzer you re in the situation room. the battle lines are drawn in the deep south. upcoming primaries in alabama and mississippi next tuesday may be the last chance for mitt romney s rivals to halt his momentum. rick santorum would love to go one on one with him, but night gingrich may have a different story. joe johns is watching all of this for us. reporter: wolf, rick santorum just finishing up an event, and he s expected to head to mobile, alabama later tonight. this is a situation where he has already proven he can win in the south by winning tennessee. the fact of the matter is newt gingrich is such a strong presence here. reporter: in this speech santorum is suggesting there s a third man in the race besides mitt romney, but doesn t go much further than that. if you go out and deliver a conservative victory for us on t
get there. i m wolf blitzer, you re in the situation room. mitt romney certainly had big wins on super tuesday. the gop frond runter won six states and padded his lead in delegates, but ohio was very, very close. rick santorum captured three states, while newt gingrich also had a win. romney has not put his rivals out of business, as republicans grow concerned about a drawnout race, the candidates are calling on one another to quit. here s jim acosta. reporter: wolf, with team santorum telling newt gingrich to drop out and team romney telling everybody to drop out, it s starting to feel lie deja vu all over again. falling short of expectations on super tuesday and facing what could now be a mad scramble for delegates to win the nomination, mitt romney is urging the gop to stay calm. you know, when we have a nominee, we will come together, because because barack obama has organized a conservative community. let s put it that way. holding a command been lead, they r