it's the first contest in the south for democrats in the south and the first where they are competing for the african-american vote. on this business night. clinton and sanders find themselves competing for attention with a republican candidate. our team has it covered. first to south carolina carolina. >> reporter: clinton campaign officials feel confident. they are hoping to match or beat senator sanders' win in new hampshire. that would give second clinton big momentum heading into super tuesday. >> thank you so much, columbia. >> reporter: secretary clinton coasting to an expected win in the first southern primary. for clinton, south carolina is a key part it's a test for whether she can reclaim what was lost here in 2008. >> i want to congratulate senator obama. >> reporter: after her defeat here in barak obama that all but ended her white house bid. >> i think what happened, she wants redemption and voters here in south carolina want redemption. there are thousands of voters here in south carolina that were planning on voting for her. then barak obama won iowa. they don't regret who they voted for, but now they are able to vote for who they thought they were going to vote for. >> reporter: many of the african-americans who propelled obama to victory casting their ballots for clinton. given you voted for obama, how does it feel to vote for clinton today? >> that same way. that feeling of excitement. just ready to get the country moving in a more of a positive direction. >> reporter: why do you like hillary? >> i believe she's the most qualified. >> reporter: some feeling the bern. why did you decide to vote for bernie? raise the minimum wage. i'm a big fan of that. >> reporter: african-americans make up a majority of the electorate here and in some super tuesday states. 2008 exit polls show blacks comprised more than 50% of voters in georgia and alabama and nearly 30% in virginia and tennessee. even while south carolinians voted, clinton and sanders campaigned in super tuesday states where they lobbed their sharpest attacks at republicans. >> it does bother me when i hear some of the rhetoric coming out of the you do have to be careful about what you say and how you say it. [ applause ] and defeat him soundly. officials are hoping that a big win here will help to put this race out of reach with more than half of the democratic delegates up for grabs over the next month, many of them for the taking on tuesday. lester? >> thanks. south carolina would deprive him of much needed momentum going contests. casey hunt is with the sanders campaign tonight in austin, texas. >> reporter: lester, good evening. the sanders campaign is bracing for the worst as polls are set to close in south carolina. sanders has hardly campaigned in south carolina this week. his advisors are downplaying expectations. instead, he is looking ahead to super tuesday states. he is sharpening his attacks against hillary clinton. >> if you are going to give a speech to goldman sachs or other wall street institutions and if you give that speech behind closed doors, why don't you make those transcripts public? >> reporter: even more telling than that, he is going to be in minnesota as polls close in south carolina. that's one of the states he is looking to on that super he also wants to do well in massachusetts, vermont, colorado. all places where there's a lower share of minority voters. lester? >> casey, thanks. let's bring in our political director, chuck todd. he has been looking at exit polls for insights into today's election. what are you seeing? >> i can tell you, it's older, more diverse, less lebiberal. it does not favor bernie sanders. as you can see here, voters in south carolina just 32% are under the age of 45. look at the number in new hampshire. over 40% were under the age of 45. let's move to the breakdown among race. the electionoralte in 2008, 55% african-american. look at the number. over 60% at 61%. there's some evidence it may be higher than that. then look at the difference between south carolina and the first three states the idea of continuing obama's policies. 70% in south carolina want to continue president obama's policies. in the other three states, you had a thad closer to 50 and under in new hampshire. and then there's the overall ideology. this is the least liberal electorate of the first four states so far as you can see there. south carolina just 52% of democrats identify themselves as liberal. 70 in nevada, near 70 in new hampshire. this is an electorate that looks more like democratic electorates across the country. much less like an electorate that bernie sanders can do well in. >> coming into south carolina, hillary clinton and bernie sanders were quick to tailer their messages to african-american voters who as chuck pointed out make up more than half the electorate. i spoke to some black voters in south carolina who wanted the candidates to know that not every issue should be framed in black and white. >> they need my vote. >> which is why when we spoke to kara she was taking her time deciding between hillary clinton and bernie sanders. >> for me, i have to feel brought in. no one tap mid interest. >> bernie is solid. >> voters like this barber, the issue sanders built his campaign on are african-american issues. >> the universal healthcare. everything he stands for are the same things dr. martin luther king stood for. >> south carolina is the first of several crucial tests in the south where african-american voters hold huge influence. >> the key constituency for both would be african-american women. younger and older women. >> people like kara, a millennial who works for a non-profit and are a ramona brown. a schoolteacher. you were a supporter from 2008? >> i have been a hillary clinton. >> the fact that you were supporting not obama in 2008 speaks against the notion that african-americans it's a mono linlic vote. >> absolutely not. the issues that impact my life personally may be the same as a white american or a hispanic american. >> do we do ourselves a disservice when we talk about it in terms of african-american vote versus the rest of the vote? >> we do. many of us have the same challenges. i think of society and the media puts that -- the separation. many of us, we're facing the same things. we have the same concerns. >> there remain issues that resonate more forcefully in black communities. >> for example, education. the incarceration. those two are tied together. >> they are the issues clinton and sanders are largely in agreement on how to tackle. can they convince voters that they mean what they say? >> it feels good to finally be acknowledged and have a voice and that now you need our voice. you have to listen. we're going to make some noise and hold you accountable. >> as we pointed out, clinton and sanders face more contests in the south where the african-american vote could prove key during this coming week's super tuesday primaries. for the republicans, donald trump is being fed some of his own medicine tonight. insults and taunts as his competitors struggling to gain traction with pulling out stops to halt his momentum as the candidates make a push. we get the latest from katie tur. >> reporter: marco rubio is getting personal. >> he is flying around on hair force one. >> i see him with makeup. it's like he is putting it on with a trowel. >> amazing to me that a guy with the worst spray tan in america is tacking me for putting on makeup. >> rubio's 1-won nothing. he couldn't get florida. >> it's time to open our eyes. we cannot allow a con artist to get access to the nuclear codes of the united states of america. >> reporter: the race getting dirty going into super tuesday. trump has all the momentum. he continues to lock up voter support with a campaign built around a border wall. >> who will pay for that wall? >> reporter: the wall between the new yorker and republican establishment is starting to crack. first with the chris christie endorsement. now with endorsements from former arizona governor january brewer and maine governor paul lepage who two weeks ago was meeting in secret with party leaders to try and stop trump according to the "new york times." now on a radio talk show saying we could do worse. >> i think he could be one of the greatest presidents ever if he sits down and puts together a good team. >> reporter: the kasich and rubio campaigns are talking about taking it to the convention. get in my truck and i when i ran for senate. never be the nominee. >> reporter: cruz is trying to attack trump from the right. questioning why he won't release his taxes. >> maybe his tax return shows that he doesn't quite have as much money as he says he does. in addition to that last year he wrote a big check to planned parenthood. >> reporter: in the last month, trump has proved he can turn out politically varied voters. what may have started out as a political joke in washington is looking more and more like a political reality. as you can see, donald trump has just landed here in tennessee. a super pac supporting marco rubio is on the air in states across super tuesday states spending more than $6 million on negative ads against donald trump. marco rubio himself has released his taxes. in it they say that rubio has made over 500 grand for the last four years that he was in national office. most of that money deals. >> katy tur, thank you. in southern california, a big collision left three people dead and several in critical condition. police had two cars rr racing on the i-5 free way in commerce when one of them lost control and ran into a ups semitruck. the truck then hit the center median, crossed the divider and struck several other vehicles. the truck driver was among those killed. overseas, a temporary cease-fire went into affect in syria. it was a long awaited pause in the deadly conflict between the government and rebel forces. was worked out with the help of u.s. and russia. it's considered a test of whether the sides are committed to broader negotiations on a political transition. dan rivers is on the ground for us in damascus. >> reporter: here in damascus, things have been calmer than they have been for a very long time. yesterday, we witnessed this intense bombardment from jets above the capital. today, we haven't seen or heard any aircraft. both sides are claiming there have been some low level breaches of the cease-fire. the syrian army is claiming that the square, a notorious square where a lot of mortar attacks have happened, was mortared at 8:00 a.m. this morning. they claim in breach of the cease-fire. we went down there. we spoke to one local man who says his house was hit by mortar fire early this morning. in fact, while we were there we heard one mortar explosion going off. on the other side, the rebels claim there have been numerous breaches of the cease-fire by the syrian government. something the syrian government denies. they say there has been shelling of rebel-held areas in breach of the cease-fire. overall, things are still much calmer and much quieter than anyone dared to hope. it will give them a crucial opportunity possibly to get into some of the areas and to stopart delivering aid to people who were cut off. >> dan rivers in damascus. when "nightly news" continues saturday, tens of thousands of cubans pour into united states. the question is growing louder. folks out there whose diabetic nerve pain... shoots and burns its way into your day, i hear you. to everyone with this pain that makes ordinary tasks extraordinarily painful, i hear you. make sure your doctor hears you too! i hear you because i was there when my dad suffered with diabetic nerve pain. if you have diabetes and burning, shooting pain in your feet or hands, don't suffer in silence! step on up and ask your doctor about diabetic nerve pain. listen up! i'm here to get the lady of the house back on her feet. and give her the strength and energy to stay healthy. who's with me?! the complete balanced nutrition of great tasting ensure. with 9 grams of protein... ... and 26 vitamins and minerals ensure. take life in! look, the wolf was huffing and puffing. like you do sometimes, grandpa? 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(children giggle) symbicort. breathe better starting within 5 minutes. call or go online to learn more about a free trial offer. if you can't afford your medication, in a few weeks president owe bobama makes a trip to cuban. one issue likely to come up when the president meets with castro, the influx of shores. mark potter explains migrants is increasing. >> reporter: almost daily now, waves of cuban immigrants arrive at the u.s. mexican border in texas. as many as 48,000 expected here this year. this cuban boo electrician says she came seeking a better job, a better life. since the u.s. and cuba re-established diplomatic relations, thousands of cubans have headed for the u.s. illegally in boats and rafts. tens of thousands through south and central america and mexico. hundreds a day are flown to the u.s. boarder from costa rica where for months they were stuck when nicaragua sealed its border. they are processed by u.s. customers and just a few hours. then receive a coveted parole stamp allowing u.s. entry. walking out the door, they are quickly met arrangers who for a fee provide a place to rest, then a ride to join relatives. most head for miami. since the mid 1960s, cubans have enjoyed a special emigration united states. cubans arriving in this country, even if they are undocumented, are almost always allowed to stay, unlike other immigrants who are detained and turned back. central american migrants fleeing gang violence must prove their u.s. asylum claims. many are deported. >> the irony is that the cubans are not fleeing violence. they are fleeing -- they are pure economic refugees. >> reporter: calls for an end to the law are increasing. >> there's an underlying current of frustration and tension building up as given preferential treatment. >> reporter: resumers in cuba the u.s. law could soon change convinced this man and many others to leave right away. >> warning. come on. united states. >> reporter: us.s. officials insist plans to change the law. more and more cubans now head for the u.s. border. mark patter,potter, nbc news. up next, look who showed up for a fre song: "that's life" song: "that's life" song: "that's life" song: "that's life" that's life. you diet. you exercise. and if you still need help lowering your blood sugar... ...this is jardiance. jardiance works around the clock to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. it works by helping your body to get rid of some of the sugar it doesn't need through urination. this can help you lower blood sugar and a1c. and although it's not for weight loss or lowering systolic blood pressure, jardiance could help with both. jardiance can cause serious side effects including dehydration. this may cause you to feel dizzy, faint or lightheaded, or weak upon standing. other side effects are genital yeast infections, urinary tract infections, changes in urination, kidney problems, and increased bad cholesterol. do not take jardiance if you are on dialysis or have severe kidney problems. stop taking jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of an allergic reaction. symptoms may include rash, swelling, and difficulty breathing or swallowing. taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take and if you have any medical conditions. so talk to your doctor, and for details, woman: it's been a journey to get where i am. and i didn't get here alone. there were people who listened along the way. people who gave me options. kept me on track. and through it all, my retirement never got left behind. so today, i'm prepared for anything we may want tomorrow to be. every someday needs a plan. let's talk about your old 401(k) today. here in los angeles this afternoon, thousands came out to hear elton john. it was announced location at the tower records parking lot was revealed this morning. it was a thank you to the city of west hollywood for its support of the elton john aids foundation. as l.a. gets ready for the academy awards tomorrow night, there is controversy over a lack of diversity. chris rock posted a tweet about a blackout at the oscars. >> reporter: it's the most competitive year ever. could this be leo's year? a five-time nominee, he is a front-runner for best actor. >> i'm worried about him. >> reporter: alongside, brie larson, a top pick for lead actress. speaking of which -- >> this year we all know there's an elephant in the room. >> reporter: there are no actors of color among this year's 20 nominees causing dozens to boycott. >> this is bigger than >> reporter: which is why all eyes are on chris rock. >> let's do this. >> reporter: he hasn't said much, simply tweeting see you sunday, blackout, oscars. >> he has always skwu skewered the ept entertainment industry. >> reporter: this could be the most diverse show ever. this issue goes beyond the red carpet. it's about the industry as a whole. right now, 18% of films have no black characters at all. only 12% of film directors are minorities. in fact, the academy is 91% are white. >> this is a conversation that we have been needing to have for a long time. >> we need to focus. >> reporter: a conversation less about the oscars and more about opportunity. morgan radford, nbc news. life imitates art. how some abdominal pain. urgent diarrhea. now there's prescription xifaxan. xifaxan is a new ibs-d treatment that helps relieve your diarrhea and abdominal pain symptoms. and xifaxan works differently. it's a prescription antibiotic that acts mainly in the digestive tract. do not use xifaxan if you have a history of sensitivity to rifaximin, rifamycin antibiotic agents, or any components of xifaxan. tell your doctor right away if your diarrhea worsens while taking xifaxan, as this may be a sign of a serious or even fatal condition. tell your doctor if you have liver disease or are taking other medications, because these may increase the amount of xifaxan in your body. tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan on becoming pregnant, or are nursing. the most common side effects are nausea and an increase in liver enzymes. if you think you have ibs with diarrhea, listen up! i'm here to get the lady of the house back on her feet. and give her the strength and energy to stay healthy. who's with me?! the complete balanced nutrition of great tasting ensure. with 9 grams of protein... ... and 26 vitamins and minerals ensure. take life in! (toilet flush) if you need an opioid to manage your chronic pain, u may be sooo constipated it els like everyone can go ...except you. opioid-induced constipation, oic, is a different type of constipation, which may need a different approach. have the conversation with your doctor about oic, and ask about prescription eatment options. it's one of the most famous bedrooms in the history of art. a series of three works by the dutch painter van gogh on display at the art institute of chicago. if seeing isn't enough, our kevin tibls tells us how if you want, you can spend the night. >> reporter: chicago art lovers have been lining up for their bedtime ever since vincent van gogh came to town. >> i can feel his presence in a painting. >> reporter: the troubled dutch artist versions of his bedroom in the late 1880s. perhaps in an attempt to find some inner peace. >> bedroom was a very unusual subject to paint in the 19th century. we all have bedrooms. we all can easily identify with the bedroom. >> reporter: this is really rare. in fact, it's the first time all three paintings have even been together in north america. the folks at the art institute of chicago said, why stop there? visitors to the online booking site air bnb started noticing some guy named vincent has been renting his bedroom out for cheap. i'm charging $10 for no other reason than i need to buy paint. >> everyone fantasizes about what it would be like to step into a painting. now you really do have that opportunity. >> reporter: it took about a month for two painters and two carpenters to meticulously recreate van gogh's bedroom in a chicago condo. than the 1888 version. the brush and pitcher of water are glued down. otherwise, welcome to vince's place. one of the first lucky guests is chicago photographer kyle buckland. >> the weirdest is you waking up and i will hop out of bed and be like, wait a second. where exactly am i right now? >> reporter: the art institute says the response to its post impressionist slumber party, which ends in may, has been overwhelming. would you leave with your ears intact? >> i hope i would be. >> reporter: three rare van goghs in one place. an art connoisseur's dream, to sleep in his bed, sweet dreams. i'm in a painting. kevin tibbles, nbc news, chicago. that will do it for us saturday night. i'm lester holt reporting from los angeles. for all of us at nbc night. (donkey sound) (elephant sound) there's a big difference between making noise, (tapping sound) and making sense. (elephant sound) (donkey sound) when it comes to social security, we need more than lip service. our next president needs a real plan to keep social security strong. (elephant noise) hey candidates. enough talk. give us a plan. are, this is wncn news at 7:00. >> now at 7:00, the right to vote, how one organization is preparing for the upcoming primary and the requirement of ids at the poles. >> plus, i miss nick calling me on the phone. >> remembering nick bell. how his family is honoring his memory while trying to fight violence in durham. and helping a teacher, , how a donation program has helped thousands through a website. the news starts right now. good evening i'm maggie newland. thank you for joining us. the poles just closed in south carolina for the democratic primary, hillary clinton and bernie sanders are hoping for a win ahead of super tuesday. john takes a look at what voters wanted from their candidate. democratic voters in south carolina head to poling stations across the state to cast their ballot saturday. >> i'm going to be voting for hillary. we're very excited about her. and i think madame president sounds really good.