>> the republican race for the white house is all tied up in mississippi and alabama, most primary polls close in four hours. those contests could go anywhere. . what's happens in lafayette, jim? >> the primaries are, all three candidates have a serious shot at taking the checkered flack, all at least at risk for a maybe blowout. with the deep vow. >> reporter: confident that primaries in mississippi and alabama could put him in the gop's driver's seat -- >> under the obama economy, it's been harder these are crushing a lot of people. >> romney has good wins to, and victories by newt ging rich could be just as damaging. >> reporter: he's making the case that the race won't be settled in the south. >> it can be different for anyone to get to the number of delegates with the majority of the convention. >> they laughed that off in an e-mail to reporters, saying that they have bush did you somehow magically win at the convention. this is pure fantasy or vanity, or both. >> i do not believe the other two candidates can beat obama. i believe this race is the most important in the lifetime, and i will not leave the field. going on a popular show. >> there's a certain advantage i think right now. >> where does temperature end up? >> santorum 21, newt 9, ron paul 4, and romney 2. >> as for that talk of a brokered convention, an adviser told me it's hard to priskt what might happen. a brokered convention is sort of like big foot, no one has ever seen one before. wolf? >> we'll be in close touch through the night. dana bash is joining us from birmingham, alabama. dana, tell me where you are exactly, what you'll be looking for tonight. >> as you said, we're in birmingham, this is jefferson county, alabama, where we'll be all evening long. is a from all over the county, about 177 presentence. they'll bring is into this vault, and come with me, we're going to go inside. i'll tell you exactly what we'll be looking at later. first of all, when they come in, they'll go to this window, where they'll be dropping off they microchips. in the be mitt romney to see if he could get his vote counseled up, it could be -- as jim was just talking about, it's kind of a dead heat between him and newt gingrich. ultimately what we're going to see here is we'll be watching through this window. they're actually going to be reading, on these computers, reading the vote results as they come in. we'll be right here with them, with these election officials to try to get you the numbers, to try to get a sense of how well mitt romney or newt gingrich, because again, talked to all the campaigns, party officials in this state, they say this is definitely one of the key ones to watch. >> i know we'll get an edge, because you're there. here's another question. how unusual, dana, is it for alabama to be such an important state in a republican primary? >> i was talking to some election officials, asking about, you know, trying to get a sense historically how important jefferson county has been for the republican primary, and they didn't really have a good answer. it hasn't gotten this far. for example, the last contested republican race, of course was four years ago. it was just john mccain and mike huckabee in this state. it was pretty close, but didn't have that much of an impact. they're not used to having this kind of attention. i should also say, in other states, it is an open primary. that means that you don't really have a sense of the party rental station strays, because people don't have to say i'm a republican or democrat, they just have to choose which primary they're going to vote for. >> all those political ads in president obama and -- all right. thanks very much. dana, bring in gloria borger. how important are these races, two in the deep south tonight. >> very important, but important in different ways. first of all, for mitt romney, as we know he's had a lot of difficulty in the south. 2008 did not win a primary there. if you want to prove you're conservative and it attract the most conservative in your parties, it would really help him to win mississippi or alabama. newt gingrich, you know, newt gingrich, his star back they are viewed by republicans as a start. >> well "new york times"/cbs poll today is so interesting. they asked about candidate qualities. you see here who can beat barack obama. only 25% for romney, 47% for santorum, so this is the kwanry of the republican party. the person they believe can beat barack obama is not the person they think represents their values. so that's why you see so many republicans being kind of am bivalent about this race, because they're divided. >> they certainly are. as far as president obama is concerned, we know romney has not done all that great with so-called look iing they seemedo have the same exact problem. look it. barack obama, blue collar voters, down 16 points since february, only 34%, but over $100,000, he's up one point. these are the voters that mitt romney does well with. these are the voters that mitt romney has problems with. if you're going to win in the battleground midwest, and you're going to try to appeal to the very important voters there, you've got to start appealing to these voters. so far, neither of these candidates has a lock on that. that's a problem for both of them, quite frankly. >> the pain at the pump is hurting the folks out there. that's probably reflected in a significant drop in his approval. >> and the economy in general. if the economy is getting better and wall street mayfield it, these are the people who don't feel it. >> not yet. jessica yellin will have more on this part of the story. also stand by for my interview with mitt romney. he's going to join us live in our next hour. i'll interview him here in "the situation room." more on what's at stake for newt gingrich tonight. jack cafferty has "the cafferty file." plus condemnation from president obama, as new details are emerging right now about the civilian massacre in afghanistan. 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[ male announcer ] ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. sgleefr jack cafferty is here with "the cafferty file." jack? >> today's southern primaries in michelle obama and alabama might be newt gingrich's in mississippi and alabama might be newt gingrich's last assistant. he he should have an advantage in the south, but the polls say he doesn't. they show him virtually tied in both alabama and mississippi. pennsylvania trisha murphy writes republicans who won in the south alone were doomed. candidates included barry goldwater and mike huckabee. she describes a southern strategy as a recipe for disaster. howard kurtz also writing in "the daily beast" suggests the media drumbeat for gingrich's exit is growing louder, because we want the race to go on longer. senator lindsey graham says the race is already about over. it's romney's to lose. cnn estimates that romney has 459 delegates, compared to 203 for santorum, just a paltry 118 for newt gingrich. back to newt. he says even if he doesn't have a good day today, he'll stick around. maybe not. if gingrich loses in one or both of these states, money might be harder to come by. without money, he goes nowhere. so here's the question. do mississippi and alabama represent newt gingrich's last stand in go to cnn.com/caffertyfile, post a comment on my blog or go to our post on "the situation room's" facebook page. allegedly carried out by u.s. army sergeant. the president deplored the killings today in some of his strongest language yet. >> over the weekend, as many of you know, there was a tragic incident in which a number of afghan civilians were killed. what i've maid to president karzai when i spoke to him is the united states takes this as seriously as if it was our own citizens and our own children who were murdered. we're heartbroken over the loss of innocent life. the killing is outrageous and unacceptable. it is not who we are as a country and does not represent our military. new information just coming into "the situation room" about the alleged shooter. let's go to our pentagon correspondent barbara starr. what are you learning? >> wolf, at this hour, cnn has learned that instead alcohol may have been a factor in this incident. two senior u.s. officials are confirming to cnn they are looking into the possible that alcohol was involved. one u.s. official telling us that when investigators searched the base, they found alcohol in the area where this man had been living. the staff sergeant, the suspect, another official also confirming they are looking at alcohol as a factor. toxicology tests on the staff sergeant suspect have not come back yet. so we cannot say with certainty that they have been able to tie alcohol to this incident, but there are things that are leading them to believe that alcohol may have been involved, including finding alcohol on the base. alcohol is available in afghanistan, but this is an islamic country, and this will be something very difficult to explain to the people of afghanistan. second thing we have learned at this hours, there is imagery. at these small bases, as you know, for perimeter security, they have very high-powered cameras mounted around the base at an altitude above ground. this is called persistent surveillance, so they can monitor the area and see what's coming and going 24 hours a day. those cameras picked up images of the staff sergeant both leaving the base and coming back to the base, but we are adamantly told the cameras could not see as far as the village, the nearby village where he conducted this alleged crime. there is no imagery of that being conducted, but they do have imagery of him walking out alone and coming back into the base alone. wolf? >> i take it, barbara, they still haven't released the identity, the name -- i spoke to general allen yesterday, and he said they were waiting to do that, but what's the rationale for delaying releasing his name? >> reporter: under the military justice system, wolf, names of suspects are generally not release released until the charges against them are formally made. when those charges are made, the charges are made public and the names are generally made public. there's a lot of concern in the military right now, though, that the name will leak out, and of course there is a good deal of concern about his family. as we said yesterday, his wife and children have been moved inside the base at lewis mcchord at washington state. a lot of concern that everything is done to keep them safe. >> we hope they will be safe. we'll have more developments in this unfolding story coming up, including taliban threats again american troops, threats of beheading, chopping off their heads in retaliation in revenge for what happened. we have more information in our next hour. opposition activists in syria say at least 36 people died in violence today. lisa sylvester is monitoring that, some of the other top stories. lisa, there's new danger to people trying to get out of syria. what's going on? >> that's right, wolf. the u.n. says about 30,000 syrians have fled this kind of onslaught. now the refugees face another threat. human rights watch sis syrian forces are placing landmines near the country's borders. the group says the opposition has cleared mines of russian origin. president bashar al assad continues to blame violence on armed terrorist groups. president obama today announced the united states is taking on china over rare minerals. it's joining europe and japan in a trade case over china's growing export restrictions. known as rare earth, they are key to the production of many high-tech devices like flat-screen tvs. the u.s. says china is hoarding the minerals. and maybe add author to what 12kr50ibd whitie bulger. court documents show he may have written two memoirs. one manuscript was seized in 1995, and juan was found where he was arrested last june. he has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him, including 19 murder counts. fires on board military ships keg difficult to detect and control, but the u.s. navy is hoping this guy can help. the naval research laboratory is working with researchers from virginia tech and the university of pennsylvania to create a human-like robot based on this one. it will be able to throw fire extinguishing grenades, maneuver up and down ladders and stay balanced at sea. testing should start next year. there you see the fire fighting robot. >> the technology continues. thank you. the republican primary is also continuing. it's felt almost like a scorched earth campaign in some states. just ahead we'll ask two strategists how much harm this is doing. state vipts are all about dipsy and protocol, but a visiting ally will get this. go. from the crack, off the backboard. 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[ announcer ] put more play in your day. beneful. play. it's good for you. eric, obviously you're very influential among these republicans and conservatives, but you're not thrilled by any of four, are you? >> i'm not thrilled by any of them. i talked to a reporter today, one of the local reporters over at "the clarion ledger," he said they're not hitting the sweet spot, and i think we're seeing that nationally. >> so you think romney has made some inroads? >> i think he has. if mitt romney were torque either alabama or mississippi, that would be a big story. i think the movement is headed toward him, the momentum, i think he'll be the nominee. santorum, gingrich and paul can maybe make him drag it out. >> clearly the establishment want romney. they're ready for this to be over with, but you're not an establishment republican? >> no, i would love to find someone else to come in, realistically. >> do you think that could happen? >> i think unless something happens through -- i think in alabama, we see -- i think conservatives are saying it's time to get to the main eye vent. >> what if gingrich loses in both says? >> i think he needs to get out. i don't think he will. >> why wouldn't he? >> because he seems to be a man on a mission. so many people have counted him out for so many long. someone said like bruce willis in "the sixth zen" hesense," he doesn't know he's dead. >> maybe the money for his campaign will dry up and you could use that super pac money for day-to-day operations. he doesn't want to emerge from this experience with personal debt. >> if his money dries up, and after the last races, he needs the money, he's not getting it. ironically newt seems to want to stop mitt romney, but he may be keeping rick santorum from being ability to beat romney, which he says romney will be weak, but for some reason he thinks he's helping santorum. >> let's say he drops out, loses both states, alabama and mississippi tonight. santorum is in it. next tuesday is illinois. what happens? >> i'm not sure santorum will be able to make up ground, but i think it helps when he moves into louisiana, kentucky, west virginia. >> santorum says romney and his super pac are outspending him, what, 10 to 1? is that true? >> it is. and in ohio 6 to 1. we've seen if you can get romney to about a 3:1 spending ratio, you can beat him. gingrich and santorum have a legitimate point. he won't be able to outspend the president in the general. >> based on my conversation with insiders, they're getting increasingly confident it's theirs, they can taste it, and they're already starting to think about running mates. >> i think that's legitimate. if we get to june, and this hasn't wrapped up, with you romney is inching ahead, there will be huge moment actual to get santorum and gingrich out. you'll see evangelicals starting to pull back, saying we want to beat barack obama, do we really want to damage the nominee at the same time, i'm stag are, though, that romney has been running for five years and can't close the deal. >> what about santorum staying in and trying to hurt romney. maybe romney will lose, but this will establish santorum as the front-runner for 2016, assuming barack obama's reelected? >> i fear that, because i don't think santorum is really a strong candidate. this year i think we're fighting over three weak candidates. the republicans typically go with the guy who didn't win last time. that troubles me for 2016, because you will have a man who would not very often in political officer since 2006. this comparison, 1976, ronald reagan loses narrow lynn, then incumbent gerald ford, ford goes on to lose to jimmy carter in 1980, ronald reagan runs again and wins. santorum seeing himself as reagan. >> well, i would say that's a bit delusional, because people rallying around ronald reagan, people this year are rallying around rick santorum, because he's not mitt romney. >> give me your prediction of what happens in alabama and mississippi tonight. >> i think it's too close to call, but i wouldn't be surprised if romney can eke out a win. >> i'm the opposite. i suspect romney has a better chance of winning in mississippi. all of the established leaders, republicans, statewide elected and mississippi republicans are going with romney, right? >> that's true, but south carolina is a good example with nikki haley, and folks that went with romney? >> you don't think they endorsements mean a lot? i don't. the only reasonable bob mcdonald meant a lot is because the other guys were not on the ballot in virginia. >> if gingrich drops out, who gets -- >> i think -- gingrich really is about not backing mitt romney at this point. >> where does ron paul fit in? >> he doesn't. he spend four years organizing. here in georgia there were some hugely interrupted county conventions this past week went with ron paul supporters trying to take control, but largely his plan to use caucuses and some of the primaries to get ahead hasn't panned out. >> i saw ron paul this morning on cnbc, "squawk box" but was asked about this conspiratorial theory that he's aligning himself with romney against santorum. he said that was baloney, but he did say he has a good personal relationship with mitt romney. he likes him. they ha >> i think ron paul doesn't like newt gingrich or santorum. he does like romney. it's just who he likes and doesn't. interesting dpli enough i think ron paul could have made a pitch against romney. he didn't. >> he got 40% in virginia. >> which was a huge protest vote. he didn't campaign in -- there were only two candidates, mitt romney and ron paul. they went for ron paul. that should trouble romney. >> how's he going to fight against an incumbent? >> across the field i think republicans are a fielding a very weak field. i have reps backing mitt romney saying, think about 2016. that's not reassuring the the one comfort is gas prices. as long as gas prices keep going up, the economy gets hurt and obama gets blamed. >> you've sign his numbers from 50% down to 41%, and i suspect gas is an issue. you'll be with us, erick? >> yes. mitt romney joins us live. i have some good questions for him. the first lady michelle obama will head to london for the olympic games. she'll lead the u.s. delegation on july 27th. she follows in the footprints of former first ladies who represented the united states at the olympics, including laura bush in 2006 and hillary clinton in 1994. both at the winter games. "the washington times" is taking a standard for celebrity giss it correspondents dinner to a new level. oogie, the dog, the dog and his trainers will join the party. april 28th. for complete coverage, be sure to read the ticker. president obama introduces the british prime minister to march madness, but more than basketball is going on in ohio. also, off the runway at one of the world's busiest airports, and feeling abandoned by the world, some syrians made a telling plea. four walls and a roof is a structure. what's inside is a home. home protector plus from liberty mutual insurance, where the cost to both repair your house and replace what's inside are covered. so your life can settle right back into place. to learn more, visit libertymutual.com today. i like yoplait. it is yoplait. but you said it was greek. mmhmm. so is it greek or is it yoplait? exactly. okay... [ female announcer ] yoplait. it is so greek. president obama and the british prime minister david cameron are on their way to dayton, ohio, right now. they're going to see one of the first-round games in the ncaa men's tournament. our dan lothian is outside the arena. this may not look like a political trip necessarily, but you know anytime the president nowadays visits ohio, there are political overtones. >> reporter: you're so right. an aide telling me that this is a chance for the president to show the prime minister a slice of american life. but as you point out this is a key battleground state very critical to the president's reelection bid. he won here in 2008, but not by a huge margin. many people believe here it will be much more difficult for the president, because like other parts of the country, people are very concerned about the economy. i spoke with ted strickland, he is an obama supporter. he says because of the obama infrastructure, the ground structure, he believes the president can win, but he points out tonight's visit is about more than just basketball. >> i think this is a good political move to the president as well. quite frankly, the president needs to be out among the people, and there's no better time and no better way to do that, in my judgment, as this tournament gets under way and as we fight for our favorite teams. >> reporter: the president already taking some hits from the president party, in fact the rnc putting out a statement while it's good to highlight college hoops, a lot of americans struggling to find jobs and put gas in their cars would probably want him to spend more time focused on those issues, an op-said highlighting that the president it seems thinking about the final for you more than -- the white house does say there's lighter fare events, but he spend times juggling a lot of different issues, like foreign policy or turning the economy around. >> he has a lot on his agenda. have they already had a chance to talk about some of the major issues like the situation in afghanistan? >> reporter: they will get a chance to do that tomorrow. they'll be talking, as you pointed out afghanistan where british forces are serving alongside u.s. forces, they'll talk about syria, iran, they'll talk about, i'm told by white house officials the wave of democracy across the middle east, and also discuss the upcomi upcoming g-8, and two questions from the u.s. side and two questions from the british reporters traveling with the prime ministerisms not a whole lot of questions, unfortunately. thanks very much for that. terrifying moments on an airliner in atlanta. we're going to explain how this plane ended up, look ar look at this, ended up on its side. some lawmakers find a unique way to make a point by hitting some men where it hurts. machin, to make it more beautiful, and more durable. you'd use edge-to-edge gorilla glass for a stunning display in a more compact form. and you'd choose an intel® core i7™ processor for maximum processing power. everything that you could ever want in a laptop. introducing the dell xps 13 ultrabook™ everything. and more. ♪ in your breakfast cereal, what is? now, in every box of general mills big g cereal, there's more whole grain than any other ingredient. that's why it's listed first. get more whole grain than any other ingredient... just look for the white check. but we couldn't simply repeat history. we had to create it. introducing the 2013 lexus gs, with leading-edge safety technology, like available blind spot monitor... 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[ engine revving ] the all-new 2013 lexus gs. there's no going back. a plane goes off the runway at the atlanta airport. lisa sylvester is monitoring that, and other top stories. lisa, what happened? >> wolf, first off, no passengers were aboard this delta plane when it veered off a taxiway and ended up on an embankment, a delta spokesman zest two maintenance workers were testing the systems when the braking system failed. the incident did not impact traffic at that always busy airport. syrians under siege from the government of president bashar al assad aren't just posting videos of attacks, sometimes they are resorting to sarcasm. this posted on youtube shows an s.o.s. painted on the ground, a cry for help directed at the citizens of mars. the post says syrians are reaching out to outer space as civilians remain under attack and the world watches and does nothing. a big day on the markets. for the first time the dow ended the day above 13,000 on the same day the nasdaq closed above 3,000. just minutes ago the fed announced a result of so-called stress tests. four of 19 banks failed the test aimed at how they would hold up in a new economic crisis. thank you, lisa. erin burnett is watching the numbers for us the numbers are pretty significant in the deep southisms they certainly are. a quick follow-up with the banks, wolf, the stress test had to do some pretty tough tests this time. assuming that europe would actually implode, housing prices would go down another 21%, unemployment up 13%, so the big banks in the country passed. some failed, but most passed. that's why you're seeing the rally. >> ending above 13,000, it was very good, under 7,000 when president obama took officer. >> it is, a big increase, a lot of it has been doing to the financials, the banks coming through 15 of 19 passing, so that's an important headline, and big banks like j.p. morgan doing much better than expected. 5d spending, wolf, i guess we've gotten used to amazing numbers. these are the national numbers so far. this is for the candidates, what they have spent on broadcast ads only. if you're watching nbc in your hometown and see an ad, it counts. if you're watching fox news, it doesn't count. >> that's -- >> this is really big even though it's just broadcast. so par, when you add up santorum, gingrich and ron paul together, mitt romney has spent twice. >> is this including the super pacs? >> this includes the super pac spending. >> since the beginning. >> since the beginning of the year. about 2.4 times. >> so when you look at how much romney has spend compared to the others, way more than the others combined. >> it is amazing, about 2.4 times. in some recent states he actually outspent. >> that's leading up to 8:00 p.m., when the polls close. you'll have a special. >> a special night tonight. >> so special. >> it is. >> we look forward to it. >> all right. a key test for the republican hopefuls. do mississippi and alabama represent the last stand? and mitt romney is downplaying expectations, but does he think he will win? he's live here in "the situation room." that's coming up in our next hour. some female state lawmakers want to legislate viagra if women's sexual health stays in the spot light. >> women should have the right to choose. whether it's contraception or abortion, it is between them, their god, and their doctors. they should not need a permission slip from government. our science teacher helped us build it. ♪ now i'm a geologist at chevron, and i get to help science teachers. it has four servo motors and a wireless microcontroller. over the last three years we've put nearly 100 million dollars into american education. that's thousands of kids learning to love science. ♪ isn't that cool? 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[ male announcer ] maxwell house french roast. always good to the last drop. jack? >> wolf, the question this hour is do mississippi and alabama represent newt gingrich's last stand? john in pennsylvania -- newt's ego wouldn't let him quit. he has 30 years of history bouncing from one thing to another, all focused on the theme of i'm so wonderful, the whole world needs to know about me. it ain't the bighorn, but yes, you bet. this is where the newt goes down, colors flying. he and santorum will split the conservative vote, leaving each of them with half a win and romney with the bragging margin. do the math, newt. >> jenny writing, no, his billionaire benefactor holds the key. if he wants gingrich to stay in the race, tonight's results won't matter. this is not citizens united's world. we just live in it. gary in san jose writing, no, jack, this will not be newt's last stand, because the establishment wants mitt to rim, and newt is the perfect santorum spoiler. bill in colorado -- no, i think even two close seconds will fan the embers of mr. gingrich's vanity enough to keep him in the race. i hope he does stay in. anytime he or mr. santorum opens their mouths, the national committee has to order more obama for president stickers to keep up with demand. nancy in tennessee writes, newt boarded the train late. if he loses either mississippi or alabama, the conductor will not be speaking to the speaker when he yell all aboard. the train ride will be over for newt. if you want to real more about this, go to my blog, cnn.com/caffertyfile, or through our post on "the situation room's" facebook page. the controversy over contraception perhaps goes equal opportunity. >> for far too long female legislators/abdicated their responsibility to tell men what they need to do with their bodies. details of proposed regulations on men and viagra. mitt romney joins us live. we're going to talk about tonight's primaries, the afghanistan massacre and more. that's in our next hour. 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[ male announcer ] engine light on? come to meineke now for a free code scan read and you'll say...my money. my choice. my meineke. here's a look at this hour's hot shots. in turkey a young boy looks through a camp. in india, railway porters rally for better wages, housing and pension plans. in beijing, hostesses greet delegates. and check it out, a rugby player feeds a rhino during the visit to the zoo. hot shots, pictures from around the world. there's new back lash over the controversy. one lawmaker wants to turn the table and put new regulations on men. cnn's lisa sylvester has the details. lisa, what is this all about? >> wolf, this has been as issue on the state and national level. a focus on contraception and abortion. one ohio lawmakers says if you're looking for new legislation focusing on women's reproductive health, let's look at the men and whether they should have access to viagra. viagra, cialis and levitra have taken -- but if nina turner gets her way, a man's access to these medications would be restricted. they would not get a prescription without a signed afterward by their sex partners, have to sit down first to determine if the and be screened for underlying health issues. >> it is patently unfair in this country that we simply only focus in on a woman's reproductive health. we have to show men we care about them, too. for far too long female legislators have abdicated their responsibility. >> there's more than a hint of sear came in turner's voice, but she insists her bill is a serious piece of legislation. turner is one of at least five state lawmakers who have recently introduced bills affecting men 'reproductive health. it's in direct response to a significant uptick, governing a woman's access. in 2011, there were 1,100 provisions introduced in the 50 states, up from 950 in to 10, according to the institute which tracks the data. >> to protect the life of the unborn baby. >> one such bill has been offered in ohio by lynn watchman. his bill would ban an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually about six weeks into a pregnancy. >> up to 90% or so of the babies currently aborted would be saved due to this legislation. so the very short and quick goal is to protect the unborn babies here in ohio. >> watchman is a member of the ohio right to life society. >> even if cases of rape and incest, and only if she's on her deathbed -- >> but turner sounds off on his bill and others like it. >> women should have the right to choose. whether it's contraception or abortion, it is between them, their god, and their doctors, and they should not need a permission slip from the government. >> reporter: getting her viagra bill passed is a long shot, but terner says that's not the goal, it's having the debate. turner is a democrat, her party is in the minority in ohio's house and senate. she has found a coresponsiblor, and they're hoping for hearings on these bills a little later in this year, wolf. lisa, thank you. also he fights to prove he's the true southern gentleman. just ahead, my interview with a front-runner, mitt romney. and the tide could be turning on the black market. why are so many thieves suddenly stealing laundry detergent? we want to welcome our viewers in the united states and around the world. breaking news, political headlines and jeanne moos all straight ahead. i i'm wolf blitzer at the cnn election center, you're in "the situation room." first to afghanistan, where the taliban are threatening to behead americans anywhere in the country. it's a steep price to pay for the lives of 16 afghan civilians allegedly taken by a u.s. soldier. let's get straight to our sara sidner, she's in kabul. sara, you have talked with the taliban representatives, what are they saying about this threat of beheading american troops? >> reporter: well, i woke up this morning, wolf, to an e-mail from the taliban. they said in that e-mail they couldn't do anything else but take revenge for the killings by a u.s. soldier who is accused of killing 16 people, including 9 women and 3 children. it went on to say that they would go after particularly any american anywhere here in afghanistan. so a very strong threat from the taliban. they didn't just mention u.s. forces or nato allies. they said any american anywhere in the country. i want to give you an idea of what happened today. violence has erupted. and the taliban is being blamed for it. >> sara, let's talk about that violence. it was in the same village where the massacre took place. is that right? >> reporter: that is correct. and there is some video that has come out from the village. there were two villages where this massacre took place. this is one of them. basically there was a group of high-level afghan officials, including two brothers of president hamid karzai. now, if you listen here, you can hear the sounds of gunfire. i'll be quiet so you can hear that now. you hear people talking, crouching behind a large mud wall. there are villagers begging the soldier -- there you're hearing the sounds of gunshots. you have these villagers begging the afghan soldiers there to give them arms so they can defend themselves and their families, the taliban taking responsibility for this. this is an area that's already suffered, because it is one of the villages where the massacre took place, and many people were killed. the group that was there from the afghan government was investigating this massacre. now, hundreds of miles away in jalal bad, we saw hundreds of pile in jillal bad, but there was no damage or anything like that, just protests going on that blocked the road for sometime. it's raising new questions our pentagon chris lawrence is following this part of the story. there's a growing concern that public statements may be used by a defense attorney to claim this suspect cannot get a fair trial. >> this was no mere apology. president obama bluntly described it as murder. >> what i've made to president karzai, when i spoke to him, is the united states takes this as seriously as if it was our own sill zen and our own children who are murdered. >> so i wouldn't go beyond that, i think that he was not going beyond that. the -- but it is a fact that these afghan civilians, innocent civilians were killed. >> reporter: army investigators are collecting shell casings from the scene, and interviewing. traveling overseas, defense secretary leon panetta himself said the death penalty is a possibility. >> obviously we were ache deeply shocked and satened by the event that oconcerned there. >> but a look at somewhat similar cases reveals how rare capital punishment is. former soldier steve grier got life in prison for raping a teenager and murdering his family. the commander of a team that toad body parts as trophies could be released in less than ten years. the soldier in custody was injured during his last deployment in iraq. >> and has traumatic brain injury. he was returned back to duty. that's one of the things the pentagon is looking into. >> reporter: the bodies of the victims were buried quickly according to islamic tradition, and it's highly unlikely they would be exhumed, but an official tells cnn that because the victims were shot at close range in their homes, many of these high-powered bullets passed through the bodies and embedded themselves in the wall. he thinks that ballistics will not be a problem. right now the suspect is being held in kandahar, though these legal proceedings are likely to last well beyond his tour of duty, so it's likely at some point he'll be brought back home to the united statesisms what a story, chris lawrence, thanks very much. no information yet about a possible motive in this investigation, is there, chris? >> reporter: my college, barbara starr reported on your program not too long ago, about a half hour ago, there is now some evidence and some suspicion that alcohol was found in this area. the tox contingent reports aren't back yet, still have to way on that, but that could be some factor. to a mupure motive, not yet, wo. >> thank you, chris lawford. more on this story also coming up later. let's check in with jack cafferty. how much is enough? the united states has been in afghanistan for more than ten years. president obama insists we will remain in afghanistan until the end of 2014. why? what's going to be accomplished by staying this that godforsaken hellhole for another 20 months that hasn't been accomplished in another 10 1/2 years. events are beginning to conspire against the u.s. mission there. we had pictures of marines urinating on dead bodies, the accidental burning of the koran, and now the u.s. soldier allegedly massacring 16 afghan civilians including women and children. the taliban are threatening to begin beheading u.s. soldiers, yet the obama white house is out with a statement insisting that none of this will deter us from our my mission, which is what exactly? i have no idea what the hell we're still doing there anymore. isn't osama bin laden. the karzai government is a puppet regime, barely friendly to our government, and the rest of the country hates our guts, not much unlike what we would feel if someone had been -- not to be cynical, but it's might nature. the one thing that may haysing or departure is if president obama's reelection campaign is in trouble. he might decide to move up the timetable for bringing our troops home. hey, whatever it takes. i don't know about you, but i've had a belly full of afghanistan. here's the question. in light of recent events, what's the point of staying in afghanistan? go to cnn.com/caffertyfile, post a colt on my blog, or go to our post on "the situation room's" facebook page. wolf? >> i also write about this, you know, it's amazing when you think about not only the lives and the tragedy over these ten years, but how much money american taxpayers have spend, hundreds of billions. if the tame table -- the current timetable continues under the end of 2014, which is almost three years, 2 billion a week, $100 billion a year, $300 billion in taxpayer money that will go into this. a lot of people are asking, will that really make much of a difference if the u.s. leaves in three months or three years? >> and why don't the american people have anything to say about what we're doing? we have no voice in any of this stuff anymore. they go into iraq, afghanistan, they might go into iran. we've got nothing. we just are kept in the dark, and the government does whatever the hell it feels like doing or preferably what it's being told to do by the people wo pay the politicians' bills. remember that warning from dwight eisenhower about the military industrial complex? it's got this country by the throat. >> all right. jack, thanks very much. jack makes some excellent points. mitt romney gets slammed by his opponents. i'm going to speak to the front-runner. we'll get his response to some of the latest attacks, and syria faces a rebellion that's cost thousands of lives. and the government is about to make a move that some people find ridiculous. and a new study says dementia can be delayed, stopped, sometimes even reversed. we have the details. 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[ male announcer ] tempur-pedic. the most highly recommended bed in america. it's the perfect time to save up to $300 on select mattress sets. in the deep south, it isn't just afghanistan that the republican presidential contenders are slamming the president on, they're also blaming him for the huge pain americans are feeling right now at the gas pump. it could become a major stumbling belong for his battle for reelection. jessica yellin has details. what is going on? >> wolf, you'll remember in 2008, then candidate obama campaigned against high gas prices. he did follow through on many of his promises, but right now it just doesn't seem to matter. voters blame the occupant of the oval office when the price at the pump sky rockets. these candidates know rising prices at the pump can be kryptonite for an incumbent president. >> i believe your energy speeches have been so patently incoherence they are indefensible. >> we have a president 100% against anything that will create more energy independence. >> these gasoline prices are really crushing a lot of people. >> reporter: a numbs number of times/cbs news poll indicates they could be crushing the president. that is plummeted nine points in a point. the polls suggest gas prices are partly to blame. over the last four weeks, the average price has risen 40 cents. experts say they're rising -- >> the conflict with iran, the expected closures of refineries in the state of pennsylvania, some refinery closures in europe. and the fact we're in a very tight oil market. still "new york times" poll shows 54% of americans believe that a president can do a lot to control gas prices. in other words, they want more. to combat this impression, the white house has been trotting out charts and giving speeches to show oil production is up and consumption is down, but clearly it's not enough. so this week, the white house brought in local reporters from key swing states -- florida. >> as long as the gas prices are going up, people will feel like i'm not doing enough. >> reporter: ohio. >> i think the american people understand that we don't have a silver bullet. >> reporter: it's a line you could hear from the president for many months to come. >> i think it's unlikely. the summer could actually get worse, not better. >> reporter: something to keep in mind about that "new york times"/cbs poll, though the president's approval has plummeted, he is still either tied or beating each of the republican candidates running for president. there are some other factors that could be fueling his falling numbers. keep in mind the tensions with iran, and uncertain in the middle east. >> still a long, long time between now and november. we don't yet know who the republican nominee will be, as you know. thank you very much. syria's president announces parliamentary election. the state department responds with tough woshds. will issa, what's going on? >> president bashar al assad is scheduling the election for may 7th. government officials say it shows his commit -- but opponents claim it will be fixed. a state department spokeswoman says it's ridiculous to hold elections in the midst of the violence. former editor of "news of the world" has been arrested against. they were detained on suspicion of conspiracy, dozens of current and former employees of the tabloid has been arrested, but no one has been charged. dementia can be delayed, stopped, sometimes ereversed. as with heart disease, researchers say dementia that develops is usually a as a result of combination of factor, including diabetes, obesity and stress. this does not apply to alzheimer's. and steak lovers beware. too much of it may shorten your life. according to a study in the article skifs of internal medicine, the more red meat, the higher of risk of dying at an early age researchers found just one serving of red meat a day increases your risk of dies by 13%. processed red meat increases that risk by 20%. i don't know about you, wolf, you but i like the occasional steak and burger. >> keyword -- occasionalisms that's right. >> thanks very much. thousands of dollars worth of one product is being stolen across the country. these thieves aren't taking jewelry or electronics. they're taking, get this, laundry detergent. why? we have details. minutes away from getting our first look at exit polls in alabama and mississippi. stay with us. my better view with mitt romney coming up as well. the same goes for my retirement. with the plan my financial advisor and i put together, a quick check and i know my retirement is on course. 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(laugh) if you had to guess what shoplifters like to steal, you might go with cigarettes or electronics, but police say the increasing target is tide detergent. brian todd is explaining. what's going on? >> this could be a reflection of the economy, or a crime wave, but thefts had been reported. how serious is it? we are told that theft rings are hauling it away by the cartful and putting it on the black market. you're looking at surveillance footage. he's not stealing cash or jewelry, but detergent. patrick coassistanceo pled guilty that he stole as much as $6,000 over several visits to walmart. it's not isolated. this safeway in maryland was a favorite target. police tell us one alleged theft ring stole several thousand in recent months. why tide? at between $10 and $20, a full cart like this is worth hundreds, and can easily be resold for less than retail price. >> in some cases they're trading it directly for drugs? >> yes, drug dealers are realizing i can take this $10 rock and have you try to steal something, and get $10 or i can tell youivity five bottles of tide. once they steal them, then they can turn around and give them to me. i take them down to the dirty store and sell them for $6 apiece. >> police in prince georges county, maryland say they have arrested 18 people in one ring. how do they get away with such bulk? >> it's very easy to not know what's going on. >> why is it so easy? >> if you're here with your children, you're obvious times managing your kids. >> reporter: police and store officials said they were so organized, staging unattended carts in the aisles, lookouts, moving through the aisles quickly, grab the tide, pile it up, maybe throw their jackets over it and out the door before anyone would noticeisms now some retailers like cvs are putting tags on this. police say they expect more arrested from members of that one ring very soon. i had a conversation with some of those detectives today, wolf. it's fascinating how they operate. >> when the thieves take the detergent, where do they sell it firth? >> reporter: side of told often to small mom and pop stores buying it for less than retail price, they'll sell some of it themselves, then we're told that some of those small owners will ship it overseas, so they're kind of in on the deal themselves. it's hard to catch up with them sometimes. >> who would have thought? isms thanks, brian, very much. soon polls will be closing in alabama and mississippi. will mitt romney walk away with a win or two? he's live in just a few minutes. and new exit polls into "the situation room" as well. we'll break down what voters are telling us. stand by for that. ♪ when your chain of supply goes from here to shanghai, that's logistics. ♪ ♪ chips from here, boards from there track it all through the air, that's logistics. ♪ ♪ clearing customs like that hurry up no time flat that's logistics. ♪ ♪ all new technology ups brings to me, that's logistics. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] offering four distinct driving modes and lexus' dynamic handling, the next generation of lexus will not be contained. the all-new 2013 lexus gs. there's no going back. ♪ lemon burst, blackberry harvest, pina colada... i can't imagine where she is... orange creme... 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[ female announcer ] yoplait original. 25 flavors for you to love. any way you want it. that's the way i need it. any way you want it. that's the way i need it. we just had ourselves a little "journey" moment there. yup. ♪ any way you want it ♪ that's the way you need it ♪ any way you want it like in a special ops mission? you'd spot movement, gather intelligence with minimal collateral damage. but rather than neutralizing enemies in their sleep, you'd be targeting stocks to trade. well, that's what trade architect's heat maps do. they make you a trading assassin. trade architect. td ameritrade's empowering, web-based trading platform. trade commission-free for 60 days, and we'll throw in up to $600 when you open an account. these numbers are just coming into "the situation room." the first exit polls out of alabama and mississippi. he's crunching the numbers for us. >> fascinating to see who voted and what's on their mind? during these two big southern states, mississippi and alabama, one of the big questions is who is voting? 81%. 8 in 10 voters in mississippi today said yes to the question are you a white born-again evangelical christian? that's a high number. can romney wrap up votes here? we don't want to get too deep into the polling, because they're still open. that's one of the highest numbers we have seen. just next door in alabama, eight points lower, still more than 7 in 10 voters today, in the alabama republican primary, a little more than a quarter. >> then these voters are also asked, do the religious beliefs of the candidates matter to you? do they care if they share your beliefs? almost half says it matters a great. you see the smaller numbers here, add them up, about 20%, not much or at all. this is one of the ways we can explore, good governor romney's mormon faith help or hurt in the deep south. in the past some have said it would hurt. in alabama, roughly the same numbers. and one of the things we want to look at here, both of these states are open primaries, so show showed up to vote today? 8 in 10 of the voters identify themselves as republicans. they just had a gubernatorial election, for example, now it sends to be the republicans. 8 in 10 in mississippi id fill themselves as republicans. look at this difference. again this is a neighboring state, alabama 66, two thirds identify themselves as republicans. we're not going to dig too deep into this data, but we've been asking, if you look at the polls, dead heats in alabama, dead heights in mississippi, two thirds of the electoral identify themselves -- 34% to 31% to 31%, so you have a very tight race among the key group, the republicans in the state of alabama, senator santorum leading very slightly. as pollsters would say, that's a dead heat. >> more numbers through the night. thank you. potential no one assistants more to gain or lose than the former house speaker newt gingrich. joe johns is standing by with the latest in birmingham, alabama. what's going on, joe? >> wolf, this is the ballroom where we expect to see newt gingrich later this evening in birmingham, alabama. birmingham has had very interesting weather today, a lot of rain this morning, so much so that the former speaker even had to cancel an appearance at a local zoo, so much rain. then in the afternoon it cleared up. that always raises the question whether turnout will have been very different in the morning than in the afternoon. the big question is just how y critical is it for him? he's been trying to back away from the assertion that it's make or break, saying if it's close, everyone here will move on. that said, we have seen some interesting buzz over the last 24 hours, including sort of a back-and-forth feud with the white house spokesman over newt gingrich's proposal of course, the white house spokesman saying that's a lie. newt gingrich responded we had a back and forth. let's listen to some of it. >> i want to take this moment to respond to the president and to his press secretary and say, first of all, mr. secretary, i would be happy to debate you anywhere in the country anytime on energy. i believe your energy speeches have been so patently incoherence that they are indefensible. i would be glad to meet you at an oil rig somewhere, at a refinery, i would be glad to meet you at a gas station. i would be even willing to go to a university campus where you will feel comfortable. and i would be happy in advance to agree that you can use a teleprompter. >> but it's a fallacy, as i said yesterday, to suggest there's a three-point plan or five-point plan out there that could magically if you wave a wand reduce the price americans are paying for a gallon of gas. i said yesterday that anybody who said that would be aliar, and i shouldn't -- i should have said that anything who says that doesn't know what he's talking about. >> reporter: gingrich also attracted some attention by saying that he and santorum might team up against mitt romney, actually to defeat mitt romney, which is what some conservatives have wanted to hear again and again. it wasn't all good news, though, for newt gingrich today. the governor of the state of alabama, robert bentley, saying on a radio program that he was going to vote -- or had actually already voted for rick santorum, but he didn't go as far to give rick santorum an endorsement. so it's very dinam hike here in the state of alabama and i think in mississippi as well, wolf, and very exciting politics. back to you. >> joe, thanks very much. as we wait for the polls to close, go everyonor mitt romney is standing by live here in "the situation room." we're going to talk about afghanistan, the economy and other subjects. stand by, my interview is coming up next. the first polls set to close in an hour from now. one person keeping a very close eye on the results, the republican front-runner mitt romney. governor, thanks very much. i know you have a limited amount of time. 9 situation in afghanistan seeming to going from bad to worse. newt gingrich even said i think it will be getting worse. is it time to start getting out of afghanistan much more quickly than president obama has in mind. >> certainly it's time on a regular basis to review our mission there, and not to make decisions based upon some actions by a crazed gunman. we don't determine our foreign policy based on something of that nature, but of course from time to time we have to assess what the process is there. i'm very disappointed that the president has not over the last year or two talked about what's happening in afghanistan, what progress is being made, describing a time take -- or why hi timetable makes sense or not. my own view is we have to listen to the commanders on the ground, hear what they have to saying. wee have input from general allen in a few days, and see what prospects we have for having a successful mission of turning over as soon as possible the responsibility for the security of afghanistan to the security troops there. >> so do you agree or disagree with gingrich that the mission may not be, in his word, doable? >> well, there is no certainly in a matter of foreign policy of this nature, of course, and one recognizes that, as one goes into a conflict, but one over time collects information to see what process is occurring, but you don't make it an abrupt shift in policy, because of the access of one crazed deranged person. but, of course, you assess your prospects over time, given the input and people closest to the action, but at this stage, to say we're going to throw in the towel without getting the input of general allen, and meeting with leaders there, and meeting with our commander there, that wouldn't make a lot of sense. i'm more deliberate when it comes to the lives of our sons and daughters and the mission of the united states of america. >> the super pac that supports rick santorum has come out with a very touch commercial or very tough attack ad against you. i want to play a little clip and then we'll get your response. >> announcer: mitt created romney-care, and just like obama, romney left massachusetts in debt. who can win? rick santorum. >> i'll give you a chance to respond to the super pac. >> it's been interesting. fact check has looked at rick santorum's claims over the last several ads, and i think in almost each case, the attacks have been baseless and wrong. i think they have something called pinocchios. i'm not going to get into discussing various ads, but obviously we left massachusetts with over a $2 billion rainy day fund and a balanced budget. i'm afraid his conclusion are exactly wrong, but senator santorum is at the desperate end of his campaign, and trying in some way to boost his prospects. frankly misrepresenting the truth is not a good way of doing that. >> why do you think he's at a desperate end of his campaign? >> he's far behind in the delegate count, far behind in the popular vote count. if you look at the math, it's a very difficult road for him. so at this stage, he's looking for some way to gain ground. i understand that, but i would hope you would use truth as one of the pillars of your strategy as opposed to trying to come up with one attack after another. >> one of the criticisms you have level when he was a sitting u.s. senator is he repeatedly voted for raise the nation's debt ceiling. if you're elected president of the united states, will you make a commitment not to raise the nation's dead ceiling anymore? >> i made it clear when the last question came up that i would not have raised it without getting an agreement to cut cap and balance the budget. i continue to believe that's the right course. that's what we have to do. if we don't do those things, we should say we're not going to keep on opening our children's future to politicians that want to spend away that future. my view is very simple and straightforward. my plan is to get america on track for a balanced budget by cutting and capping federal spending. >> do i understand that to mean that's a commitment, no more increases in the nation's dead ceiling, if you're the president? >> any increases in the debt ceiling will have to be accompanied by compensating cuts in federal spending, making sure we get ourselves on track to having a balanced budget. >> governor, thank very much. i appreciate you spending a few moments with us. i appreciate it very much. >> thanks, wolf. good to be with you. >> thank you. we just ahead from mitt romney. just ahead what our -- and it may seem punishing, but it's nothing compared to what we call pizza roulette. we're going to explain. now, in every box of general mills big g cereal, there's more whole grain than any other ingredient. that's why it's listed first. get more whole grain than any other ingredient... just look for the white check. a second gen intel® core™ i5 or i7 processor. everything. and more. ♪ in what passes for common sense. used to be we socked money away and expected it to grow. then the world changed... and the common sense of retirement planning became anything but common. fortunately, td ameritrade's investment consultants can help you build a plan that fits your life. take control by opening a new account or rolling over an old 401(k) today, and we'll throw in up to $600. how's that for common sense? chocolate lemonade ? susie's lemonade... the movie. or... we make it pink ! with these 4g lte tablets, you can do business at lightning-fast speeds. we'll take all the strawberries, dave. you got it, kid. we have a winner. we're definitely gonna need another one. small businesses that want to grow use 4g lte technology from verizon. i wonder how she does it. that's why she's the boss. because the small business with the best technology rules. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 1-800-974-6006. all right. let's break down what we just heard from mitt romney. joining us now, our senior political analyst david gergen and our chief political correspondent candy crowley, the anchor of "state of the union." he did not take a firm position that this is open-ended or ready to pull out. he wants to talk to the commanders. >> he took a firm position that this one, as he put it, should not derail the mission. you just don't have something like this happen and pull out. it differentiates him from newt gingrich. it stays consistent with what he's said in the past, which is that you've got to consult with the folks on the ground. i thought it was a pretty solid answer. more and more wee hearing people say get out, get out. >> you know, the obam -- >> newt gingrich says it may not be do away, the mission, that's something. >> and rick santorum is beginning to talk as if we ought not to be there, but even in the white house there are strong forces to accelerate withdrawal. it's the commanders on the ground that mitt romney talked about who are the ones resisting. >> general allen in "the situation room" yesterday, solid operation, things are going along, making progress, and he stuck with it. >> santorum, he called him right now, in a desperate situation. >> which is funny. earlier in the day santorum said romney was desperate, so it depends on your perspective. i think you saw a very confident mitt romney in this interview. he came across really calm, had the american flag and all that, but he really was on his game in that interview. i think it's because they truly believe they've got it, that they're going to run this through, and they're not going to go it's over, it's over, time to get out, about you they truly believe -- >> we said to each other, he's starting to look more presidential -- and i think he thinks it will be a closer race than we thought three weeks ago. when we thought everybody in washington was beginning to say maybe there won't be a contest. we had polls this week that showed, wait a minute this could be very close. >> a lot can happen. this is wide open right now, did you hear he made a commitment president, of the united states that he would never again raise the debt ceiling? >> no. i heard i won't raise the debt ceiling unless there are corresponding cuts. he didn't even say they had to be the same. which has been the standard republican position mostly about the debt in the last 14, 18 months. >> he's been very critical of santorum when he was senator raising the debt ceiling. >> he had that exception. we won't raise it unless we get this commitment. but as secretary geithner has been making clear, we may burst this debt ceiling here in the fall. it may be the most important problem on the new president's desk some january. >> but they're going to have to make some major cuts this time if they're going to get any of these republicans to go along, don't you think? >> we're going to have one heck of a battle in washington after these elections are over. the lame duck session of some 60 days is going to bring huge problems. but they may all get postponed by that lame duck congress over into the desk of the next president. especially if if it's mitt romney. >> what are you looking for in mississippi and alabama? other than who wins. >> we look at the demographic. we know mitt romney has had trouble. home people self-identify as born again evangelicals. you might think it's a tough night for mitt romney. if he does well this begins to answer one of the questions. >> tonight we're looking at who loses and by how much. if anybody winds up third in both of them, gingrich or santorum difficult to move forward. >> gingrich has to one one of these things, don'ts you think, in order to continue realistical realistically? >> the pressure is on newt gingrich to win at least one of them. the pressure is on mitt romney to do well. >> i agree with that. >> thanks, guys. don't go too far away. it's going to be a fun night. now for tfor the calfer if i tile. >> larry bright "afghanistan is the keystone between pakistan and iran. it's also the or border with iran opposite of israel. it's a strategic military country. the neocons already have the next war planned." david writes "there is no point. i just came from serving in that country. there is nothing there." daniel writes "unless you're prepared to stay for 30 years we ought to leave immediately. the 2014 pullout date is political, nothing more." andre writes "point of staying? to gain forgiveness. the euro nations in this event are not representative of america's character." stephanie on facebook "there isn't one. this guy snapping and shooting innocent people is proof enough that sending and resending our troops there takes a severe mental toll on them". jerry in wisconsin writes "we'll be out within the next six months. obama will time this to take the maximum political advantage. what a resume' to take into november. we got osama bin laden, save the auto industry and ended two wars. and linda writes from arizona "we're not finished helping the afghan people yet, jack. i know that they're grateful, and i'm certain if we're there long enough we can do even more to build their democracy and then they'll finally become as civilized as we are". if you want to read more on the subject, we got a ton of mail. go to the blog, cnn.com/cafferty file or the facebook page. people getting fed up with this nonsense, wolf. >> i think right. certainly the polls understore that, jack. just about everyone has a favorite pizza topping. some diners at a pizza joint enjoy a little shock and surprise with their pies and the drama is all over the internet. stand by. copd makes it hard to breathe, so i wasn't playing much of a role in my own life, but with advair, i'm breathing better so now i can take the lead on a science adventure. advair is clinically proven to help significantly improve lung function. unlike most copd medications, advair contains both an anti-inflammatory and a long-acting bronchodilator, working together to help improve your lung function all day. advair won't replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms and should not be used more than twice a day. people with copd taking advair may have a higher chance of pneumonia. advair may increase your risk of osteoporosis and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking advair. if you're still having difficulty breathing, take the lead. ask your doctor if including advair could help improve your lung function. get your first full prescription free and save on refills at advaircopd.com. i'm going to own my own restaurant. i want to be a volunteer firefighter. when i grow up, i want to write a novel. i want to go on a road trip. when i grow up, i'm going to go there. i want to fix up old houses. 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[ male announcer ] get it fast with at&t. the nation's largest 4g network. at&t. ♪ will be giving away passafree copies of the alcoholism & addiction cure. to get yours, go to ssagesmalibubook.com. the odds are in your favor but you'll be tortured if you lose. still people are putting their tongues on the line to play pizza roulette. here's cnn's jeanne moos. >> reporter: who would want a pizza that makes you feel like this? >> oh. >> reporter: pizza from hell. literally a pizza chain called hell. their latest offering is pizza roulette. only one of the eight slices is laced with one of the hottest chilies known to man. >> yeah. that's it. >> reporter: the lucky slice gets a couple of drops of something called blare's 3:00 amare serve which contacts extracts from chilies like the ghost pepper which does this to a person. mama mia. imagine that in your pizza. >> oh, geez. >> reporter: the idea is for a group to buy a pizza and see who gets the doctored slice. only this guy played pizza roulette all by himself. i'm playing pizza roulette by myself and it was the first piece! it's so hot! hell pizza comes in a box that can be turned into a cough coffin. the chain started in new zealand where the pizza roulette marketing has been introduced. the compulsion to ingest something you know will make you mississippi erable has inspired something called the cinnamon challenge on the web. people are trying to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon. >> reporter: not even mary pop pins can make this go down. like the cinnamon challenge has been put to music. . >> reporter: this guy. planned to sing his way through the cinnamon challenge. do we really have to say don't try this at home? the stuff blocks your passages. >> if you put anytime water you see how it stays clumped. >> reporter: doctors say it can cause broncho spasms. you could end up on a ventilator. >> i couldn't stop throwing up. i had to go to the urgent treatment center, get a shot of benadryl, it was a nightmare. >> reporter: the next thing you know they'll combine the cinnamon challenge with pizza roulette. hold the pepperoni. pile on the cinnamon. but skip the bravado.