but they conceal some very real dangerous designer drugs blamed for horrifying acts of violence. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." it may be the most crucial of the battleground states, and today barack obama and mitt romney are turning ohio into their personal battleground. the slug-fest takes the form of rival speeches. but one candidate started swinging before the bell. let's go to jim acosta. he's watching it all unfold. what's the latest, jim? >> wolf, they were almost duelling speeches, campaign events in the same state on the same day at almost the same time. but mitt romney perhaps fearing losing the battle of the cable news double box got the early jump on the president. he started early. and it was probably a good thing for mitt romney. his speech was only 18 minutes. the president's, nearly an hour. in the first round of what will be a knockdown-dragout fight to november, mitt romney threw the first punch beginning his speech ten minutes earlier than scheduled. >> but don't forget, he's been president for three and a half years. and talk is cheap. >> but the president wasn't far behind in a speech designed to frame his economic message, he landed some body blows of his own. >> i have not seen a single independent analysis that says my opponent's economic plan would actually reduce the deficit. not one. >> both men duked it out in the swing state of ohio where they are neck-and-neck in the polls. the president in cleveland and romney 200 miles down the road in cincinnati. >> the private sector's doing fine. the private sector's doing fine. >> echoing his new campaign ad, romney repeated his line of attack that the president is out of touch reminding voters of mr. obama's gap on the private sector. >> he's going to be saying today that he wants four more years. he may have forgotten he talked about a one-term proposition if he couldn't get the economy turned around in three years. but we're going to hold him to his word. >> i know what it's like to worry whether you're going to get fired. >> a new obama web video shows obama with his share of tone deaf moments as well referring to mr. romney, not governor romney, the president seemed to look past his opponent at times to blame republicans in congress for blocking his agenda. >> it's the biggest source of gridlock in washington today. and the only thing that can break the stalemate is you. >> the president could have the upper hand in ohio where the unemployment rate has plummeted in the last two years from 10.6% to 7.4%. and a new gal up poll showed americans still blame bush and not mr. obama for the economy. a metric not lost on the president. >> but let's be clear. not only are we digging out of a hole that is nine million jobs deep. >> but romney's argument is that the president has run out of time to get the country back on track, which is why republicans are pointing to what bill clinton said in 2010. if the nation is still stuck in a hole. >> don't go back in reverse. give us two more years. if it doesn't work, you have another election in just two years, you can vote us out then. but for goodness sakes, we digging, don't bring back the brigade. >> we're seeing the return of some aggressive campaign tactics in cleveland. the romney campaign bus was actually circling the president's speech there in cleveland. and the obama campaign says that they're going to fight fire with fire deploying what they're calling truth squads to tail romney's bus tour that's starting tomorrow in new hampshire and going across the midwest. when we asked a romney campaign advisor here in cincinnati about all of these aggressive tactics, wolf, that advisor said this race is not going to come down to mascot stealing, in his words. >> it certainly is a little more than four months to go. thank you, jim. let's dig deeper right now with our chief political analyst, gloria borger. some democrats had been urging to talk about the future in a different way thinking it would be more politically effective. what's going on here? >> well, today in listening to his long speech i think what the president was trying to do was kind of thread the needle because when he talks about the economy, it's not easy for him. if he talks about how what kind of a ditch the economy was in when he took office, he sounds like he's whining a little bit. and if he talks about how far he's brought the economy, it sounds like he thinks we're in really good shape. and people don't want to hear that because they don't feel like they're in good shape. they're not optimistic. so what he tried to do today was did a little of each of those, but then he tried to take a turn and talk about the future. and what he said was that if you vote for mitt romney, you're going back to the policies of the past that got us where we are. and as jim pointed out, he also made the point of essentially attacking republicans in congress because nobody likes congress. congress has what a 9% approval rating? and calling it a stalemate and saying part of the reason he hasn't been able to get his economic plan through is because of congress. and you're on pretty safe terrain when you attack congress. >> now, so the democrats -- some of these democrats want the president to be more specific. what about romney? >> the republicans are now saying, you know what, you have to be more specific too. mitt romney can talk about his 59-point economic plan. nobody knows what's in it. and some including wisconsin governor scott walker said you've got to give people to glom onto. aimple of the romney campaign is saying this is what we're g t ay on thistis wre going to do in the first 100 days, but that doesn't amount to an economic plan that people can really compare to an economic plan advance by barack obama. now, i'm told by some democrats, maybe the president will do that at the convention in his convention speech. maybe a little bit sooner. other democrats say why do we have to do it? he's already outlined his plan. he's already given his budgets to congress. i would presume that mitt romney would come up with some set of specific proposals some time this summer, wolf. this is a debate they have to engage on. >> i listen closely to the president's speech today. >> right. >> in cleveland, romney's speech in cincinnati. this line jumped out at me from the president's speech when he was talking about the attack ads against him. >> the other side will spend over a billion dollars on ads that tell you the economy is bad. that it's all my fault. that's what the scary voice in their heads will say. that's what mr. romney will say. >> all right. does he have a point there? >> yeah. there are going to be scary voices in the ads. he has a point there will be lots of negative ads about him saying he hasn't gotten the economy working as quickly as he should have and it hasn't progressed that far. but let me also say that president obama's campaign has so far spent about $50 million on ads, about half of those ads, wolf, are negative ads. so both campaigns are going to be doing it because you know what? they work. >> he said the other side will spend over $1 billion on ads. >> well, the tally is starting. >> a billion dollars just on ads. we know the hotelier from las vegas -- >> those are super pac ads. >> right. that's the other side. just given $10 million to restore our future. >> so you have what the campaign's going to spend and the super pac. >> and the other side is campaign and super pac. >> if you live in a battleground state, you're going to be seeing a lot of it. >> thanks very much. jack cafferty is here with the cafferty file. jack. >> it's all bush's fault. that's actually where most americans still put the blame for our economic problems even though it's been more than three years since george w. bush left office. a new gallup poll shows the former president deserves either a great deal or moderate amount of blame. 31% says he deserves not much or no blame at all. compare that to the man steering the ship the last two years, 52% say president obama deserves the blame, 48% say he's not to blame. the relative economic blame given to the two leaders is virtually the same as it was last september, as is usually the case, there's a partisan divide here. although republicans, this is interesting, republicans are more willing to blame bush than democrats are willing to blame obama. pardon me. as for independents, they are substantially more likely to blame former president bush than mr. obama. with the economy the top issue of the election this november, all of this is very good news for the president. even though americans have more negative than positive views about the economy and the direction it's going, people are more likely to blame the president's predecessor. it kind of makes you wonder at what point president obama will assume ownership of the nation's problems. apparently not yet. meanwhile, all of this comes on the heels of another poll that shows president bush is the least popular ex-living president. mitt romney may want to keep in in mind when he looks for a running mate. several of his potential v.p.s have close ties to mr. bush. here's the question, how long will we blame george w. bush for our problems? go to cnn.com/caffertyfile. post a comment on my blog. or go to my post on "the situation room" facebook page. wolf. >> jack, thank you. meanwhile, there's growing tension right now between the united states and russia over syria. is moscow supplying the weapons the syrian regime is using to slaughter its own citizens? and echoes of the iraq insurgency in syria. we get an exclusive look at opposition forces building devastating roadside bombs. and an unusual man hunt following a desperate hospital shooting. details for a search for a surgeon now considered armed and dangerous. the medicare debate continues in washington... ...more talk on social security... ...but washington isn't talking to the american people. 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[ gunfire ] in syria government forces have been pounding the opposition with heavy weapons. this video said to be from a damascus suburb or residents have appealed for united nations monitors. monitors finally reached a town in northwest syria reporting it to be deserted with the stench of death hanging in the air. another 60 people were reported killed across syria only today. the question of how syria is getting its weapons is certainly causing some friction. serious friction right now between the obama administration and the russian ou foreign affairs correspondent, jill dougherty, is taking a closer look at this friction. jill, what are you seeing? >> wolf, one of t big fights right now between russia and the united states is over lis. a russian official tells cnn that moscow hasn't sold helicopters to syria for years. that they're simply refurbishing them. but the state department is saying whether they're old or they're new, they still kill people. the obama administration insists that russia is providing military assistance to syria that's being used against civilians and it wants moscow to suspend all cooperation. but secretary of state hillary clinton said thursday despite the tough rhetoric between the two countries, the u.s. is still hoping to work with russia to stop the violence in syria. >> we don't see eye-to-eye on all of the issues, but our discussions continue. and president obama will see president putin during the g-20 in mexico. >> clinton accuses moscow of continuing to supply helicopters that the assad regime is using to fire on its own people. the soviet union gave syria weapons. russia sells them weapons. but the russian foreign minister insists russia is simply fulfilling signed and paid contracts relating to air defense. russia does not supply weapons used to suppress peaceful protesters neither to syria nor elsewhere. which is not the case with the u.s. who regularly send police weaponry to the region. that's a reference to the u.s. supplying countries like bahrain, which have in recent years violently dispelled democracy protests. >> when we had concerns about how a new set of weapons might be used, we put a pause on our relationship with bahrain. >> as for supplying arms to the syrian opposition. >> the united states has provided no military support to the syrian opposition. none. >> but the assad regime is using a range of heavy weapons against its own people including tanks and heavy artillery with aid some say from russia. according to a former u.s. ambassador to russia, the administration's strategy now seems to boil down to shaming moscow to ditch assad. >> there is a great deal of frustration in washington about our inability to make something constructive happen in syria. and at the moment the focus seems to be on why russia is not doing what we, the americans and the europeans, believe needs to be done. >> so it's real frustration, wolf. and human rights groups say it's not only russia that is providing weapons. they say that bella roos could be doing it too. and iran with weapons and money, the opposition as well is getting support from countries in the gulf. so it's a very deadly brew that's just getting worse. wolf. >> certainly is. all right, jill, thank you. and on top of all of this in recent months armed resistance to the syrian government has certainly increased. elements within the free syrian army as it's called, that's the opposition, have began building rude meant ri bombs for use against the military. cnn's obtained through activists video of one so-called brigade of the syrian army is building and using these crude but devastating devices. we've chosen to air it as part of the growing evidence that the opposition to the bashar al-assad regime is becoming more like an iraq-style insurgency pushing syria closer and closer to an all-out civil war. here's arwa da mon's report. >> reporter: a voice says this is a suicide bombing mission against assad soldiers. god is great the voice declares as a van comes into view. apparently approaching a checkpoint. the camera zooms in. outgunned by assad's forces, some rebels have turned to suicide bombs and roadside ieds, iraq-style grel la war fan. this man shows how the bombs are made. cylinders are packed with a lethal concoction of explosives, fertilizer and other chemicals bought locally. he says his men are moderate islamists fighting for democracy. we want a democratically elected president in a military separate from presidency, he says. captain ma houd says they' getting no outside help. we're relying mostly on minds an making bombs now, he explains. this is how the battle for syria is now being fought. protest has become insurgency. which in turn threatens to become all-out war. >> and arwa is joining us now from beirut. amazing video, arwa. the pictures reminded me of what we used to see, still see to a certain degree in both iraq and afghanistan, al qaeda-related suicide bombings, if you will. what are you hearing from your vantage point? who is responsible for the suicide attacks? >> well, clearly, wolf, as you saw in the video there, at least one attack that was targeting that check point was carried out by this brigade itself. it is however important to note that the conventional members of the free syrian army including this brigade say that they only target syrian government security forces. that they are not targeting civilians. but what we have also been seeing increasingly in damascus and aleppo are attacks being carried out using car bombs, suicide bombs. and what we're seeing overall is this very frightening to a certain degree shift in the battlefield in syria. most certainly is not conventional. and there are great concerns that if the situation continues as it does, these extremist fringe elements could gain more power. and of course that would well fsyria, nor for the region, wolf. >> arwa damon watching this unfold. arwa, thanks very much. ratings agencies are downgrading european nations as the crisis grows. that's coming up. why it all could impact you and how it could get worse. also ahead, why a famous heavy metal band is helping solve a murder mystery. and a dangerous storm with baseball-size hail all caught on tape. you've got to see this. ♪ oh! 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[ male announcer ] send money from one bank account to another, with citibank popmoney. easier banking. every step of the way. a deadly hospital shooting now an intense manhunt. lisa sylvester is monitoring that and other top stories in "the situation room." lisa, what's going on? >> this happened at the eerie county medical center in buffalo. a woman who worked there was shot and killed on the hospital campus yesterday. they put the entire facility on lockdown. this is the man police are looking for. trauma surgeon timothy jorden. police describe him as a person of interest. he's reportedly the victim's ex-boyfriend and he's considered armed and dangerous. and heavy metal band, metallica seeking help in the murder of one of the band's members. she was sexual assaulted and killed on the way home from a 2009 concert. front man, james headfield, has recorded a youtube video asking anyone with information about this crime to come forward. the band has also contributed to $150,000 reward fund. and check out this hailstorm in dallas earlier today. cnn reporter shot these amazing images of hail turning his swimming pool into what looks like a boiling cold ren. went to baseball sizes big enough to break windows in a number of the cars in his neighborhood. it's just pounding that swimming pool there, wolf. >> baseball-size hail. frank martin with the pictures, thank you very much. lisa, standby. we're getting late news of a major move over in europe. a move that's making big impact potentially on u.s. stocks. we'll have details right after the break. one of the best things about state farm is our accessibility. oh, yeah? 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>> wolf, you're absolutely right. it remains the focus on greece right now because greece has had the most trouble and seems to be the most unsettled still. the banks taking out huge amounts of money, but there's that question. it's such a small country, how can it have such an impact? let's take a look. almost 22% unemployment, drastic cuts in services and a shrinking national economy. greece is a mess right now. and that is a problem for the rest of the world because of this, the euro. it is the common currency for 27 countries and 500 million people. the eurozone is the biggest trading partner of the united states. and this is the biggest trading alliance on the planet. so any upheaval is a worry. >> as the european banks get into trouble, that has an effect on the whole world financial system including the u.s. >> but even economic experts like lombardi and der vis from the brookings institute ready admit, greece is tiny. >> well, greece is small. however, it's also an example. and it can be scary. what happens in greece, people feel maybe contagion, it may happen in other countries. >> so how would such a contagion work? imagine this trade relationship between the u.s. and the eu as a great big family. let's make america the dad and europe the mom. now, as long as all the kids portugal and italy and spain and greece and ireland play along nicely, we have no problems. but now imagine that greece grows up, goes off to college, buys a new car, a new wardrobe, a new briefcase. greece wants to compete in the great big world, but greece is piling up debt. now, to a degree mom and dad can put up with that, but at some point they have to say what if all the other kids start thinking they too can play fast and loose with their credit? now the whole family is in danger of bankruptcy. if that happens, investors won't invest, businesses can't grow, consumers can't buy and millions of jobs including many in america that rely on all that trade with europe could be destroyed. you absolutely believe that what happens to the euro can have a huge effect here? >> yes. >> if it is something extreme, no doubt that it will have spillover, significant repercussions on the u.s. economy. >> do you think the euro will survive this? >> i think the euro will survive. i'm not sure that every country that is now in the euro will stay in the euro. >> for now if the euro can survive the greek crisis and the potential contagion is contained, that may have to be enough. in a nutshell, wolf, that's why the euro really matters here. for everything we're trying to do in our government to stabilize our economy here, it can all be tipped over by things that happen over there. and not to make too much of this sort of parent and child relationship, all these countries are independent proud countries. they have their own role to play. and let's not overlook the fact the big mistakes made in the united states and by bigger european countries also have setup this problem to make us all so vulnerable. but in the end that's why greek finances and greece itself matters to us, wolf. and it's going to continue to matter for quite some time. >> good explanation, tom. thank you. let's get a little more now with cnn's erin burnett. erin, the dow jumped 155 points today in part because of big moves earlier in the day by england. what's going on here? >> so we're just finding out in the past few minutes, wolf market was jumping in anticipation, england is going to inject more money into the economy. they're going to do nothing to help the euro, but worried the uk could get hit by the crisis in europe. so they're injecting more money. and that's perceived as good news and comes with rumors in the market because we have the greek elections this weekend widely seen as a referendum that greece could basically be leaving the euro, that could be the domino effect that then effects spain and portugal and italy and others to leave the euro. that the g-20 meeting this weekend in mexico, at the end they could have some coordinated plan to try to deal with the fallout in the markets if greece is to essentially vote no on the euro. but all of these things, wolf, are still band-aids. and all this talk of central banks working together, a lot of it's still just talk. and it's still just, well, if we say we'll do something, maybe we won't actually have to do it. the problem here is severe, wolf. and, you know, i have to say i think the next country that we could be talking about, this is what's going to go to the heart of the entire euro is actually going to be france. >> france? >> france. look at france. you had nicholas sarkozy going more the way of austerity. remember, wolf, in 2010 when they were strikes all over france because sarkozy was going to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62? and that was seen as a violation of everything that was held sacred and expected that french people expected to have. then h hollande, he's going to t th ba. that's the way france is dealing with enormous pension and retirement and ageing population problems, ie, it isn't dealing with them. that's one of the reasons you're starting to see france's situation get worse and worse. bill gross,one of the biggest investors in the world investing in country debt told me the other day france is a real problem. right now spain cannot get money. it gng to have to get it from germany. it cannot get money. if this gets worse and worse, you could see that with france. >> erin will have much more of course 7:00 p.m. eastern. "erin burnett out front." meanwhile sources are telling me more about mitt romney's short list for vice presidential candidates. our discussion coming up in our strategy session. and coming up in our next hour, a rare look at what's really going on inside iran. i'll talk with the "new york times" columnist nicholas kristof. he took a remarkable 1,700 mile journey around iraq. t quotes onm with our smartphone app. you name it, we're here, anytime, anywhere, any way you want it. that's the way i need it. any way you want it. [ man ] all night? all night. every night? any way you want it. that's the way i need it. we just had ourselves a little journey moment there. yep. 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>> wolf, with the headlines from syria to yemen to iran about the possibility, the possibility, of military action, commandos across the middle east are training up like never before. deep in the deserts of the middle east, insurgents blow up a gas station. snipers hit their target. this is actually a training range in jordan. 1, 200 special forces troop from the u.s. and more than a dozen countries are practicing the most dangerous missions. one scenario, a high-tech jet liner sits on the airfield. this is some of the most realistic training that u.s. special operations forces are getting here in the middle east. an air bus 300 hijacked. they will come on board and rescue the hostages. more training assaulting terrorist safe houses. this is the kind of training that navy seal team got before they assaulted osama bin laden's compound. coming up a dark staircase not knowing what's waiting for them at the top. as the u.s. and its middle east allies consider whether to take possible action against the syrian regime and even against iran's nuclear program, they're commando forces are working together like never before. navy seal todd tinsly runs a team out of the persian gulf. the basics he says remain unchanged. >> point, shoot and communicate. >> there are new partners like iraq providing this overhead imagery. >> you get in, you do your job and get out without anybody knowing about it. and if you can do that with your partner force and they are able to do that, that is success. >> even after the wars in iraq and afghanistan, the future of u.s. special forces lies in their ability to do whatever it takes. admiral william mccraven heads all u.s. special operations. >> if this is where things really go bad, what we want to be able to do is engage with the host nation very early on, begin to, you know, build up their capability and allow them to deal with the problem so we don't get to the point where it goes boom. >> so, you know, you hear an awful lot about those drone attacks, right, wolf? the secret drone attacks over yemen, somalia, pakistan, these places. sure, there is a lot of emphasis on those unmanned attacks, those drones. but what we saw on the ground in the mide east trps from vas nations working together because they truly believe the next time they have to go and do some contingency the next time they bluntly go to war, they will go together but if not together, u.s. forces are prepared as always, they say, to go it alone. wolf. >> all right, barbara. thank you. bar bra just back from a visit in jordan. who will mitt romney choose as his running mate? sources are telling me at least three people are being very seriously considered right now. tim pawlenty, john thoon. nicole's book by the way, "it's classified" is now out in paperback. nicole, thanks for coming in. others are being vetted i'm sure as well. but what do you think of the three guys out there -- these three potential vice presidential running mates? >> i don't think you could assemble a list of three more serious, competent, qualified potential running mates for mitt romney. i think if you look at what mitt romney does really well, it's articulate a problem, lay out his strategy for fixing it. what he needs to do in this election is have someone by his side who is just as deliberate and wonky. and i think that what was i think made painfully obvious to everyone and especially me in 2008 that going for the thrill and going for the excitement in that selection is -- has its advantages, certainly sarah palin brought unmatched enthusiasm to john mccain's campaign. but when you look at what this ticket, if they win -- and i certainly think and hope that they do, what they're going to face when they are sworn in in january is one of the most complicated and entractable economic crises that is so truly global in nature. it's got historic hurdles and challenges. if this is the list the romney campaign is looking at, then he's in a good spot. >> i think they're also looking at others including krischris ki kristi and rub owe. and thoon seems to be moving up ahead of the pack a little bit. although portman and pawlenty are very much in this contest as well. someone who did this for john mccain helped pick sarah palin. give me the strengths and nonstrengths of these they're als. three serious, competent, accomplished men. >> does one of them though stand out in your mind? >> it's funny to me. when you talk about someone breaking out almost like a horse race, that feels like the opposite way that someone like mitt romney would make this selection. he seems to make selections in such a deliberate plotting way that i can't see that campaign sitting around and having certain potential candidates surge ahead of the others. i really see them looking at this in a very analytical way and making a very reasoned and logical selection. so i actually think that puts someone like rob portman, who may not be the most thrilling politician, but maybe the kindest and smartest republican in the country at this hour, i think that may put somebody like him in really good stint. i think chris kristchrikristie excitement that rudy giuliani used to create when i was doing presidential campaigns for governor bush in 2004. so i think that we have a deep -- i also think tim paw lenty's not to be overlooked. he's got this quiet midwestern wit and charm. and he's incredibly easy on the campaign trail. he's low maintenance. he knows all the answers already. he's worked in that great laboratory for republican policies, a state house, a blue state house. so he's got a lot of strengths that really stand out. and i think that, you know, what makes me a little sad is someone who writes about a fictional world in which women rule the country and rule the world is there aren't any women on that short list. so i would hope that somebody like nick ki hayly on that list or meg whitman or carly fiorina or strong women in the republican party. >> we know some of these individuals are in fact already being vetted very seriously right now. thanks, nicole. thanks for coming in. >> thanks, wolf. successor been in office now for more than three years, but americans are still blaming george w. bush for the bad economy. jack cafferty's got more on this question, is it time to move on? and innocent looking packages that conceal very dangerous designer drugs blamed for some horrifying acts of violence. jack's back with the cafferty file. jack. >> question this hour, wolf, how long will we blame george w. bush for our problems? david in virginia says until we get out from under the disastrous consequences of his presidency, bush is em blematic of a winner take all, i got mine, screw you attitudes that have destroyed the futures of so many people. it's going to be a while. bush will continue to be blamed as long as it's politically expedient to do so. doesn't matter if it's true or someone else comes along and makes the situation worse. daid in las vegas said, jack, if i had it my way i would blame him forever. financially there's a lot of blame to spread around starting with alan greenspan who said he thought the banks would police themselves. good luck with that. then and now. tom in pennsylvania, george bush gets the blame until hoover's ab solved. jen in california, blame bush for our problems about the same amount of time republicans blamed president carter. lauren in chicago, maybe you do, but i don't. the blame lies with bill clinton for easing import restrictions contrary to law that allowed walmart to begin sourcing every product it could to china. and barney frank for easing mortgage underwriting standards asserting everyone should have the right to a home without understanding that a mortgage was supposed to be paid back. these two democrats have created the greatest outflow of capital from a country the world has ever seen. until 2065, that's when the current people will be replaced by people taught in history class that george w. bush was a great man who saved america from a man in a cave who had access to box cutters. if you want to read more about this, go to the blog, cnn.com/caffertyfile or through our post on "the situation room" facebook page. >> jack, thanks very much. right at the top of the hour we're going to cairo. dramatic developments unfolding right now on the streets of the egyptian capital. i am from baltimore south carolina... bloomington, california... austin, texas... we are all here to represent the country we love this is for everyone back home it's go time. across america, we're all committed to team usa. dude you don't understand, this is my dad's car. look at the car! my dad's gonna kill me dude... 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[ car door closing ] [ male announcer ] time tot! check your air conditioning? come to meineke now and get a free ac system check. meineke. we have the coolest customers. pair noi ya, hallucinations and violent bloody attacks all being attributed to a dangerous combination of chemicals that can be bought at gas stations and convenience stores. mary snow is looking into this story for us. she's joining us now live. mary, what are you finding out? >> wolf, the synthetic stimulants are often called bath salts and sold in a powdery form in small packages. to give you a sense of their uptick, poison control centers in the u.s. reported of getting about 300 calls in 2010 linked to them. last year that number topped 6,000. it's a drug you can buy in cities across the u.s. and it's increasingly making headlines. dangerous chemical combinations often referred to as bath salts are being blamed for dozens of episodes of bizarre violent behavior. a new york mother suspected of being high on the chemicals was photographed running around naked before police reportedly used a stun gun to subdue her. she eventually died. she allegedly beat her 3-year-old son. and witnesses described her as being out of control. >> and she got a hold of one of her dogs. and she was rolling around on the ground her arms and legs wrapped around it and strangling the dog. >> it comes weeks after the gruesome murder in miami where a man ate the face of his victim. authorities say bath salts may have been involved. bath salts is a catch-all nickname given to a group of synthetic stimulants meant to mimic effects of illegal droug drugs. they're sold in convenience stores like this one in new hampshire where recent raids seized $100,000 worth. an undercover detective described a user he encountered. >> she was actually picking apart her skin saying that she felt when she was on it that she had bugs in her skin. she was severe hallucinogenics. she stated feeling out of body experience and extreme paranoia was one symptom she felt when she was on bath salts. >> and earlier this week in indiana, police raided six gas stations which were selling them. poison centers around the country have seen a rise in calls linked to bath salts. more than 40 states have banned bath salts and other chemicals that can be used to get high legally. but special agent jeffrey scott with the drug enforcement administration says it's not that simple. he says the dea last year banned three of the most commonly used chemicals found in these drugs. >> even as i'm speaking now formulations are changing. the chemicals themselves are changing. and we've seen it as something of a game of whack-a-mole. you ban or regulate schedule three chemicals and three more appear. and then five more. so that represents a challenge. >> and the d.e.a. says the real focus is on the people importing the chemicals and producing them. wolf. >> mary, thank you. in "the situation room" happening now, protest and anger as egypt's high court throws out the entire parliament and puts the country's historic election in serious doubts. some egyptians are calling what's going on in egypt right now a military coup. and president obama tries to re-energize with mitt romney practically breathing down his neck. we'll see how they did in their pitches to ohio voters today. and a mother shares a cell phone video of a baby that was killed by her husband. a region where well-off families want to get rid of baby girls because they're girls. we want to welcome our viewers from around the united states and the world. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." egypt's military rulers now say they have full legislative power after the country's high court ruled that the islamist led parliament must be dissolved. riot police stood guard as protesters took to the streets. some egyptians say this amounted to a military coup. celebrations of egypt's historic election now giving way to an exploding power struggle between members of the ousted mubarak regime and egypt's largest and most popular islamic party, the muslim brotherhood. secretary of state, hillary clinton, issued this warning to egypt's leaders. >> we expect to see a full transfer of power to a democratically elected civilian government. there can be no going back on the democratic transition called for by the egyptian people. >> cnn's senior international correspondent joining us now from cayo. ben, why is this court dissolving the entire egyptian parliament? >> essentially because according to the constitutional court there are irregularities in the election that brought it to power earlier this year. archaic mechanics of parliamentary rules in egypt. according to rules two-thirds are to go to political, one-third to independent individuals. as it turned out many of the so-called independent individuals were affiliated with political parties and therefore the constitutional court ruled against it. what this means of course is that now the supreme council of the armed forces has full legislative powers. parliament is completely dissolved and will have to be re-elected at some point in the future. this is a real body blow to the muslim brotherhood, which had almost 50% of the seats in the lower house of parliament and was looking ahead to the possibility of winning the presidency as well. now they've lost parliament and it does appear that sha feek, the last prime minister under hosni mubarak is posing a serious challenge to the candidate of the muslim brotherhood. wolf. >> a difficult decision from the u.s. perspective of course as secretary of state clinton said they want to see a full vibrant democracy in egypt, but they're deeply worried at the same time about the muslim brotherhood and the islamist parties as opposed to remnants of the mubarak regime and also the military for that matter who are seen as much more pro-u.s. and would certainly continue to have a good relationship if they were in control. but on the other hand they don't want to see violence exploding on the streets of cairo, tahrir square and others. the dilemma now what's going on in egypt. >> well, actually, i'm surprised that the reaction to this court decision, which was very angry outside the court among the hundred or 200 protesters, has really not had much impact upon the rest of the city. it's thursday night, the beginning of the weekend. there are lots of cars out on the street. normally when there's a feeling that problems are coming, traffic really sort of lightens up. but it does appear that many people either because of sheer exhaustion with the political upheaval we've seen over the last year and a half or support for the military in what is in effect a crushing of the muslim brotherhood, we're not seeing this sort of upheaval that you would have expected in the aftermath of this sort of decision. as far as the united states goes, they've been courting the muslim brotherhood. every visiting delegation from washington has made sure to include meetings with the muslim brotherhood. but obviously the united states feels much more comfortable with the military with which it has a decade's old relationship. so they can deal with both. but it's clear they prefer to deal with the military as opposed to the brotherhood. >> so many of those top egyptian generals did at least some training at military bases in the united states. so there is that connection to be sure. thanks very much, ben. we'll see what happens friday on the streets of cairo and alexandra and elsewhere in egypt. meanwhile, a rare look at what's going on inside iran. the "new york times" columnist, nicholas kristof, took a remarkable journey through the country and he learned a lot about the iranian people and the way they view their government as well as the way they view the united states. nick kristof is joining us from the "new york times" right now. nic, reay wrote a amazing columnoday i the "new york tes." u soosted some dramatic video of this 1,700-mile journey you took through iran. not everyreporter has a chance to do that. let me play this clip for our viewers. >> i spent a week talking to various people from uneducated farmers to self-confident women. iran is a country of contradictions, but there was a common thread. >> thank you so much. >> the people of iran like america people. >> i learned that the regime does have some support especially in rural areas. but i also met lots of people who are increasingly frustrated. >> if i had a chance to talk to mr. obama, i would say that he didn't support us. >> more of the video on the "new york times" website. what was his point, this individual, we didn't see him, he was disappointed about president obama. what was the point he was trying to make to you? >> i think he wanted some more obvious demonstration of support from the u.s. for dissidents. some of them feel as if they're being left out of the cold. they're suffering from economic sanctions and they aren't getting the kind of moral support that they wish they would have had in some cases. >> but that the president wasn't forcible enough in supporting what the efforts on the street back in 2009, is that what he's suggesting? >> yeah. i think so. i must say there was tremendous variation in opinion about that. but there was a feeling among some people. i think he was an example of that. it felt they were getting hit by economic sanctions, they were losing jobs, prices are rising. every time they fly on a plane they fear it may crash because of lack of severe parts. they don't feel there's compensation for that they're getting kind of a pat on the back. >> what also jumped out was the first sentence of your article when you said the folks you met about iran this may be the most pro-american nation in the middle east. the most pro-american nation in the middle east? explain. >> it's fascinating. we spent billions of dollars in egypt and people are so distrustful of us. we spent billions in pakistan and everybody hates us. and then in iran we impose economic sanctions and everywhere you go as an american people want to invite you into their homes, they want to serve you tea. one of the real impediments on this road trip through iran is as soon as people found out we were americans, they wanted to stop and invite us in their home and slowed us down a bit. >> you also said this is the second time you've been to iran. you were there in 2004. but folks seemed much more scared now than they were then, is that right? >> yeah. back then people were willing to go on camera. they were willing to use their names and be critical of the regime with some constraints. this time people were willing to talk quietly and criticize the regime. they were very unwilling to go on video to use their names. they are just a lot more scared than they used to be. >> were people nervous that the u.s. and/or israel might launch a military strike against iran's nuclear facilities? >> they are. but i must say that people often discount so much of what the government says that they -- i don't think they maybe were as fearful of that as they could be. but it did seem to me that the one thing that might well keep the ie toe las in power and keep them going would be a nationalist backlash if there were a strike on those nuclear sites. >> give us another little nugget about this 1,700-mile journey. what really jumped out at you as you crossed iran? and you said you believe you weren't tailed. you didn't have a minder -- an iranian government minder or an official watching you all the time. though you probably couldn't be sure for whatever reason. but what jumped out at you? >> one thing is the economic sanctions are really working in a sense they are creating tremendous economic distress in iran. factories are closing. prices are rising. there is mounting discontent. and to a surprising degree people are directing that discontent not at the west for imposing the sanctions but rather at their own government. i got to say, wolf, it feels a lot to me like a lot of other regimes that -- authoritarian regimes that you and i have covered in the period leading up to the overthrow. nobody can predict the timing of this, but it feels that same way. >> nick kristof of the "new york times," you lay out the potential of a regime there. i'm looking forward to your next several columns on this. thanks very much for coming in. >> my pleasure, wolf. president obama and mitt romney, they're actually agreeing on something. standby for their dueling economic speeches in the battleground state of ohio. plus, the dispute that's costing u.s. taxpayers $100 million a month. will the u.s. give pakistan an apology that it says it wants to allow war supplies to come into afghanistan? [ barks ] ♪ [ upbeat ] [ barks ] beneful playful life is made with energy-packed wholesome grains... and real beef and egg. to help you put more play in your day. but when i was diagnosed with prostate cancer... i needed a coach. our doctor was great, but with so many tough decisions i felt lost. unitedhealthcare offered us a specially trained rn who helped us weigh and understand all our options. for me cancer was as scary as a fastball is to some of these kids. but my coach had hit that pitch before. turning data into useful answers. we're 78,000 people looking out for 70 million americans. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. how did the nba become the hottest league on the planet? by building on the cisco intelligent network they're able to serve up live video, and instant replays, creating fans from berlin to beijing. what can we help you build? nice shot kid. the nba around the world built by the only company that could. cisco. playing sports is just my whole life. looking back if it wasn't for shriners hospital, things would just be really, really different. i lost my leg when i was a kid. there was a time when i felt like i wasn't going to be able to walk again... it was a pretty bad accident but shriners showed me who i could be again. they turned my whole life around. hunter's life is one of nearly a million changed by donations from people like you. send your love to the rescue. donate today. jack cafferty's here with the cafferty file. jack. >> get ready, wolf, to work well into the golden years. a new report suggesting governments have to raise the retirement age as life expectancy soar. the organization for economic cooperation and development, that's a think tank, says by 2050 the average person will live at least 20 years beyond retirement. right now in the united states the full retirement age is 66. a decade ago it was 65. in 2022 it's going to go up to 67. this is called a trend. problem is governments pay a portion of people's retirement in the form of things like social security. and the longer we live, the more it costs to fund our retirement. social security's already in deep trouble. the trust fund pays out more in benefits than it takes in from workers' payroll taxes. it's estimated there will be $165 billion shortfall this year. and the program will only be able to pay promised benefits in full through 2033. part of the problem is social security's an outdated system. it was created in the '30s. most people didn't live past 60. plus, the experts say that working longer isn't only about paying more into social security. they suggest people in their 60s today are healthier and can be a productive part of our society for a longer period of time. whether that's true or not, we better get ready to work longer or move to france. first thing their new socialist president did in france, lower the retirement age to 60, even though it will cost the french government billions of euros a year. another example of sound european fiscal policy. anyway, here's our question, how high should the retirement age be? go to cnn.com/caffertyfile. post a comment on my blog. or go to our post on "the situation room" facebook page. wolf. >> good question, jack. thank you. meanwhile, another setback in the jobs market. the government reports that filings for first-time unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose once again last week. that's not making president obama's attempt to re-energize his message any easier. today he and mitt romney gave dueling speeches in a state that could decide the presidential election. economy was certainly issue number one. here's our chief white house correspondent, jessica yellen. >> they're rivals, but they agree on one thing. >> if you want to give the policies of the last decade another try, then you should vote for mr. romney. >> if you think the president's right when he said the private sector is doing fine, well, then he's the guy to vote for. >> both men took to the battleground state of ohio with the president trying to reframe his economic message. >> of course the economy isn't where it needs to be. of course we have a lot more work to do. everybody knows that. the debate in this election is about how we grow faster and how we create more jobs and how we pay down our debt. that's the question facing the american voter. >> he said his opponent will roll back regulations on business, taxes on the wealthy and protections for consumers while he would invest in education, infrastructure and grow jobs that helped bolster the middle class. just 243 miles away his opponent drawing on his business cred took it to the president. >> talk to people you know that run a retail store or a small manufacturer and say, did president obama's policies help put people back to work? or did they make it less likely for you to hire people? i hear day in and day out they feel this administration sees them as their enemy. >> romney said he would increase energy production, repeal health care reform, balance the budget and crack down on china. but what neither candidate truly drives home. >> we are still in the grips of a very deep financial recession and are probably only going to grow out of it slowly no matter what we do. there's no silver bullet. >> kenneth rogolf is a leading economic voice who's long argued it will take years of many difficult choices to dig out of the deep hole we're in. but on the campaign trail we hear more of this. >> so as you look at the president's record, it is long on words and short on action. >> and the freshest lines from the president had him playing victim warning with a smirk that attack ads against him will say he's to blame. >> i think it's always the answer or because i didn't make a lot of money in the private sector and don't understand it or because i'm in over my head or because i think everything and everybody's doing just fine. that's what the scary voice in the ads will say. that may be their plan to win the election, but it's not a plan to create jobs. it's not a plan to grow the economy. >> now, wolf, the obama campaign says this is one in a series of speeches the president plans to "frame the choice" in this election. but an unexpected or inadvertent chance they're giving romney in his policies as a real choice to the president. >> campaign only now just beginning. thanks, jessica. thanks very much. a week after someone left racy e-mails he sent to a reporter, the white house's selection to be the pick for the next is growing opposition even from members of the own party. and an apology after its popular medieval series, "game of thrones" has a cameo. can you guess who it is? 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[ male announcer ] it's a network of possibilities -- helping you do what you do... even better. ♪ how math and science kind of makes the world work. in high school, i had a physics teacher by the name of mr. davies. he made physics more than theoretical, he made it real for me. we built a guitar, we did things with electronics and mother boards. at'sreest inng. so now, as an engineer, i have a ceethat speaks to that passion. thank you, mr. davies. growing bipartisan effort on capitol hill is putting a white house nominee in jeopardy. lisa's back monitoring that and some of the other top stories in "the situation room," what's the latest? >> hi, wolf. in question is the nomination of brett to be the next u.s. ambassador to iraq. joining republicans in raising concern about the president's pick. and now they may postpone a scheduled vote on his nomination. last week someone posted a series of racy e-mails between the then top advisor to president bush on iraq and a female reporter who later became his wife, she resigned from "the wall street journal." "game of thrones" used a gruesome head in the finale. fitted with a long wig and covered in mud, it was one of several decapitated heads the show used. hbo released a statement saying "we were deeply dismayed to see this and find it unacceptable, disrespectful and in very bad taste. and we are sorry this happened and will have it removed from any future dvd production." hbo of course is owned by time warner, the parent company of cnn. and with the final out from a long throw from third to first, san francisco giant pitcher matt cain joined an exclusive group last night throwing just 22nd perfect game in baseball history. he struck out 14 batters in a 10-0 win over the houston astros. it's the first in giants history and the second perfect game this year. he looks pretty pleased there. glad to see. >> he should be. congratulations to him and the team. thank you. we're about to take you to what could be the most dangerous place in the world for little girls. and pakistan's former ambassador to the united states is being called by some pakistanis a traitor to his own country. he's here. we'll talk about what's going on as well as the relationship between the u.s. and pakistan right now. 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pakistan once again demanding an official apology from the united states before it will reconsider reopening critical military supply routes into afghanistan. millions of dollars worth of u.s. military equipment has been stranded since pakistan closed the routes back in november in a protest of a nato drone strike that killed two dozen pakistani soldiers. the defense secretary, leon panetta, says that's adding $100 million a month to the cost of the afghan war. senior u.s. officials have expressed their regret nor the nato killings and the mistakes that were made. but pakistan wants a full-fledged high level apology. joining us now to discuss this and more is the former pakistani ambassador today united states, mr. ambassador, thanks very much for coming in. you have your own problems, but first on this issue, the u.s./pakistani relationship with countries with so much at stake, why is there this increasing anti-american attitude in pakistan? >> wolf, my view on this is very different from that of many people in my country, which is probably the reason why i face the troubles that i do. i think that pakistan's policy towards the united states should be based on a realistic assessment of what pakistan can or cannot get from the americans. and the american attitude towards pakistan should similarly be realistic. we've been building unfair and unjust expectations in the past. and i think what we are seeing today is the result of all of that. >> do they hate the united states because the u.s. embarrassed pakistan by sending those commandos in to kill bin laden in abbottabad? >> i'm sure that's one of the factors, but let's be very honest. the standing of the united states in pakistan has been low for many, many years. it was 10% in 2002. similarly in 1979 a cloud burned down the u.s. embassy in islamabad. so i think what we're looking at is an ideology of hate. and there is a battle in pakistan in which of course i'm a protagonist over what kind of future do you want for pakistan? >> a pakistani supreme court commissioner now released a report saying you effectively betrayed the pakistani government by giving a secret memo to the obama administration and potentially they could try you for treason. >> let's be honest, i did not need an interneed yar of dubious credentials to pass on a message with whom i had personal relations -- admiral mullen which is what the allegation is. >> right. >> this is a partisan finding that did not look at the facts but only wanted to make a political statement. here's the problem in pakistan. the problem is that those who do not want good relations with the united states, they do not give reasons for that. they try to blame everybody like myself who wants good relations. i advocate democratic future in where civilians control all aspects of policy openly and transparentally. >> do you have confidence in the government there now? you were close to him at one point. >> i have tremendous respect for the president because he faces many, many problems, but i worry about the future of pakistan. there are extremist elements in pakistan whose model for pakistan is iran where my model would be south korea or japan. >> is the nuclear arsenal in pakistan secure? >> pakistan's nuclear arsenal is as safe as can be. but what is important is that pakistan as a nation becomes safe. and it can only become safe if it embraces the 21st century and we beat back those who want pakistan to go back to the 12th century with bigotry as their main belief system. >> now, you can't go back to pakistan right now. you're afraid if you go back they'll kill you? >> i of course will not take the risk right now of putting myself in danger. as you know, many pakistani leaders have lived abroad and led causes in the country, being the case and point for many years she was abroad, fought the battle, went back, was killed by assassinated by terrorists. i intend to continue the struggle for reform in pakistan. and that reform, it's important, wolf, to understand what it's about. it's about changing the mindset. pakistan can't close itself from the rest of the world. we cannot become an isolated nation. we cannot just look at the past. and we have to embrace the 21st century like other nations without the bigotry that has now become a kind of second belief system in pakistan next to religious sentiments. >> and your wife, who is a friend, she used to work here at cnn with me, she was a member of the pakistani parliament. but now you've brought her back to washington out of concerns for her security as well? >> she's a member of the pakistani parliament even now. she was elected by the people because they work for the pakistan people's party. she will attend parliament whenever she's allowed. the supreme court suspended her membership right now. we are dealing with that legally as well. i'm challenging a lot of rulings in pakistan as well and will do so. i will put up a legal fight in pakistan and a political fight from wherever i am. the objective is to help pakistan attain the greatness for which its destined but cannot attain in the presence of the kind of bigotry that is manifested in the supreme court ruling that you arelk abouabout my case. >> one f question. you're now teaching at boston university once again, you're a professor. you can speak openly as you obviously do. >> wolf, i used to speak openly when i was ambassador. >> right. do you believe high officials in pakistan knew bin laden was hiding for years at that compound in abbottabad? >> wolf, i honestly do not know. and i will not speculate. all i can say is pakistan has to come clean. we have to find out who did know. somebody must have known, whether they were official or not official. and the fact of the matter is that there are powerful elements in pakistan that want to distract the conversation and simply do not want to face that fact. we have a judiciary that will not face these kind of issues but will create other issues that are not that significant for national life. we have media which will blame america for everything and not ask the tough questions. and of course we have people in our security establishment that do not want to answer these difficult questions that the world is asking, not just you. >> husain haqqani, thanks for coming in. >> thank you. millions live in fear of being deported, why are a growing number coming out right now? 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right now there are an estimated 11.5 million unauthorized immigrants in the united states. some of them are now revealing themselves on the cover of "time" magazine, our sister publication. let's talk about what's going on with "time's managing one of those the author of the cover story, jose antonio var gas was on cnn earlier today. let me play a clip of what he said. >> more and more people like us are comi out everyday. and not just people like us who are undocumented, people who support us, our teachers, our pastors, our neighbors, our friends. and i think this is a really unprecedented movement in the immigrant rights community that i think is kind of changing how politicians and even the supreme court looks at this issue. >> so what exactly is going on here, rick? >> well, wolf, i think in some ways it's a form of civil disobedience. for the most parthese american dreamers as they call themselves are young people who were brought here at a young age by their families. they went to high school here. they went to college here. they are working here. they're paying taxes here. some have even served in the military. and theyl the immigration laws are unfair and that in fact that they are not so much illegal, which is a word they use to describe themselves, but in fact they are americans in all but name. >> jose antonio vargas, the author, he grew up in the united states, went to college in the united states, worked at "the washington post," he's still a legal immigrant, how does he manage to do this all of these years? >> well, as he said in the story about a year ago, wolf, he actually came out, to use the phrase more and more people are using in a story he wrote for "new york times" magazine. he said since then he's not been contacted by the government or immigration service. in fact, for this story he himself called the immigration and custom service agency and said, hey, what about me? you know that i am undocumented. you know that i am not here legally. what are you going to do about it? and basically everyone he spoke to said we're not going to do anything about it. >> why is that? because a lot of people want to get tough on illegal immigrants. why is no one anxious to actually do anything about it? >> well, one of the things that he wrote in the story, wolf, which i think is interesting and people don't know, is that the obama administration has been much more vigilant about deporting undocumented immigrants than the bush administration was. in fact, in the last three years the obama administration has deported more people than george bush did in eight years. but people like jose, people who are educated, people who are working, areot the people who are being deported. in some sense, ironically i think he secured his permanent status here by coming out. i think that does motivate some of these people as well. >> the cover story of "time" magazine the newue entitled "we are americans, just not legally." good work. thanks very much, rick, as usual foroining us. >> thanks so much, wolf. standby, we're going to shine the spotlight on a very, very dangerous place for little girls. all at risk of being killed because they aren't boys. rovide better employee benefits while balancing the company's bottom line, their very first word was... 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[ engine revs ] the all-new cadillac xts has arrived, and it's bringing the future forward. for so many viewers out there, especially those who have daughters, this story is a very, very gut-wrenching, very difficult to watch. baby girls in india are being killed simply because their family wanted a boy. here's cnn's sara sidner. >> this 19-year-old stares at the screen on her tiny cell phone, the only place she can see her baby girl alive and well. the 3-year-old died in the hospital with cigarette burns, bites and a dislocated neck. police say her own father killed her. why? because she happened to be born a girl. after my delivery my husband had come to see me and the baby. after seeing the child he said, it's a girl? why did you give birth to a girl, she says. he wanted a boy, an heir, reshma was devastated when given this ultimatum. for the wedding we would require 100,000 ruppis, if you can get that amount from your mother, we'll keep her, if you can't, we'll kill her. police say her husband did it himself. as brutal and shocking as this case may be, getting rid of babies just because they're girls is nothing new here in india. and many times it's done long before the child is born. how? sex-selective abortions. india has a growing gap between the number of girls and the number of boys. the 2011 census shows only 914 girls. the gap was smaller ten years ago. unicef said india is the world's most dangerous with that, considering what you know about the subject? >> this is from the point of view of mortality for girls versus boys, yes. >> this doctor has been researching this for years. sex selective abortions are against the law in india, but he says it is still happening, and there are more sex selective abortions among the educated and well off than among the desperately poor and uneducated. >> boys are seen better. >> when you say that, what you're telling me, families look at girls as a liability, and boys as almost a retirement. >> absolutely true. >> in traditional indian families, men marry and bring the bride home to live and take care of his parents. girls marry and leave the home, providing no extra financial support, plus a girl's family can go broke trying to pay a dowry to get her married. that's also outlawed but as common as every. it has one of the worst ratios of boys to girls in the country and the government launched a campaign to change minds. even though they wear t-shirts with messages about keeping girls, we still found many more are young boys. girls are mostly aborted here, she says. the people want more boys. there's a shortage of girls. we met this one while she was caring for a neighbor's newborn baby girl, all the while, blowing cigarette smoke into the baby's face. she says the poorest people don't have the money to abort, so they're forced to keep girls. but those that can afford an ultrasound and aboring, get rid of female fetuses. so much money is required to get them married. where will the money comefrm, ? but for this woman and her parents, ababy, boy or girl, is a blessing. she had just come intohe world. she is like a flower bud, and he killed her. i lost my daughter. what can be worse than this? her husband is still awaiting flyer. she's still mourning the chance to raise her child, just because she was born a girl. we'll be right bac time for jack cafferty. >> how high should the retirement age be. randy wrote my favorite. 55 for people with real jobs like construction, firefighters, teachers, soldiers, cops, nurses, plumbers, people that build and maintain this country. 55. 95 for people wearing suits in cool buildings that shuffle papers, do credit default swaps, buy stocks, write books, and ask stupid questions like how high should the retirement age be. gary writes could be as high as 85. average life expectancy was 60 years when social security was established, now it is 80 years. retirement age should be a function of life expectancy. another, the sk of a nation can be measured how early its population can comfortably retire. the more successful, the larger the aggregate group. the retirement age should be lowered. ivan says it better stay down at 65 until i get there. andrew, 70 years old for almost everybody. 51 for president obama. jane in new hampshire writes doesn't matter. average perp can't afford to retire at any age. want to read more, got funny e-mails, go to the blogs. or through our post on the "the situation room" facebook page. when are you retiring, wolf? >> never. long time. what if you could buy a bed that makes itself? here is jeanne moos. >> reporter: after these centuries of making beds, someone is make ago bed that makes itself. >> would i get that? in a second. >> reporter: it is a smart bed. three seconds after it senses a human left the bed, it begins to make itself. up comes a side board, mechanical arm comes up to gather the cover. eventually, pillows are drawn up to make room. it all takes about 50 seconds. finally, the pillows plop down. >> it is the answer to a problem that doesn't exist. >> reporter: tell that to messy teenagers, one that took to youtube to mimic her mom. >> you're going to have to make this bed. this bed is not going to make itself. >> reporter: want to bet? a spanish entrepreneur made this prototype, and is looking for financial backing. who want want to snap their fingers like mary poppins, have beds make themselves. or like george jetson. get jettisoned out as the bed puts itself away. the smart bed would require you to buy special bottom sheets that velcro on, as well as special duvet and pillow cases that accommodate cords that enable the bed to go move. no price has been put on this since it is still a prototype. is this smart bed smart enough to handle a nocturnal apocalypse with sheets and pillows strewn about like bodies on a battlefield. >> if you sleep as messy as i do. >> what happens when they hit the floor? >> what happens? how the sheets get back in the bed. >> reporter: the bed it makes itself makes people skeptical. >> that's ridiculous. >> how are the covers pulled up. >> reporter: it makes sense. >> it does? >> reporter: one person posted yeah, i can see me getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, coming back to find my bed made. you can take it out of automatic sensor and go manual, so you push a button to make the bed. someone on youtube has already put the smart bed to music. it's downright majestic. but also a little creepy to arise from slumber and see your bedding slither. jeanne moos, cnn. >> i am afraid this thing is going to jump