right now. welcome, everybody, our starting point, todd akin says he will no go down without a fight. he is facing tremendous pressure from republican leaders to quit his senate race against democratic incumbent claire mccaskill. he says he s staying in. akin s support has all but disappeared as a result of these comments about rape and abortion. if it s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try that shut that whole thing down. let s assume that maybe that didn t work or somebody. i think there should be some punishment but it ought to be in the rapist and not attacking the child. congressman akin is fighting to salvage his senate campaign. the website politico obtains this new ad this morning from the republicans. the fact is rape could lead from pregnancy. the truth is, rape has many victims. the mistake i made was in the words i said, not in the heart i hold. well, congressman akin has under 11 hours to get his name off the ballot if he decides to change
with a green jacket. augusta national finally letting women into the club for the percent time in its 80-year history. woef a live report from the home of the masters for you. that is a long time coming. good morning, welcome to early start. i m john berman. i m zoraida sambolin. up first the pressure is mount ring for todd akin to drop out of the race. akin is refusing to go. before yesterday, much of the country didn t know who he was. but republicans were counting on him to defeat incumbent claire mccaskill and help them regain control of the senate. but this morning, his remarks have both parties united in their condemnation. the views expressed were offensive. rape is rape. his comments about rape were deeply offensive. and i can t defend what he said. i can t defend him. cnn political editor paul steinhauser live in our washington bureau. this is a long list of people, house speaker john boehner, senate leader, mitch mcconnell urged him to withdraw. the editor
florida. overnight yet another strong storm. we re live in the florida keys today tuesday, august 21st, we re live in the florida keys today tuesday, august 21st, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to today on tuesday morning. i m savannah guthrie. i m matt lauer. congressman akin lost support. if he withdraws the gop would choose the replacement. it would make it easier for missouri republicans. but there s no sign of that in this new ad he apologizes for using the wrong words in the wrong way when he said the female body has ways of taking care of things with a legitimate rape. also a high school valedictorian denied her diploma for a single word she used in her graduation speech. it s a four-letter word but perhaps one that might surprise you. the school wants a written apology, the 18-year-old is refusing. this is one of the topics we ll discuss with today s professionals. also ahead. sounds like something out of science
history. woef a live report from the home of the masters for you. that is a long time coming. good morning, welcome to early start. i m john berman. i m zoraida sambolin. up first the pressure is mount ring for todd akin to drop out of the race. akin is refusing to go. before yesterday, much of the country didn t know who he was. but republicans were counting on him to defeat incumbent claire mccaskill and help them regain control of the senate. but this morning, his remarks have both parties united in their condemnation. the views expressed were offensive. rape is pe. his comments about rape were deeply offensive. and i can t defend what he said. i can t defend him. cnn political editor paul steinhauser live in our washington bureau. this is a long list of people, house speaker john boehner, senate leader, mitch mcconnell urged him to withdraw. the editorial committee will not support his campaign. he s losing money here. what is the likelihood that akin will stay
wrong today, tuesday, august what she says she did right and wrong today, tuesday, august 21st, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television welcome to today, 7 a.m. on the west coast this tuesday morning, good morning, everyone, i m savannah guthrie. i m matt lauer. sad news about diana nyad, made it halfway for the swim between cuba and florida. the dangers were mounting you and physical conditions were deteriorating. she had to call it off. hard to see her get out of the water. when you look at her the first images that happened after the swim, you can see what happened, her lips and face so swollen because of the cold salt water, we will get a live report from key west and we will talk live to a member of her team who is with her right now, straight ahead. also a high school valedictorian denied her diploma for a single word she used in her graduation speech. it s a four-letter word but perhaps one that might surprise you. now the school wants a written apolo