PBS NewsHour; February 16, 2012 3:00pm-4:00pm PST

Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS

>> Woodruff: THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY CALLED ON SYRIAN LEADER BASHIR ASSAD TO STEP DOWN ON A DAY OF MORE DEADLY CLASHES KILLING DOZENS IN SYRIA. GOOD EVENING, I'M JUDY WOODRUFF.

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. ON THE "NEWSHOUR" TONIGHT, WE GET AN ON-THE-GROUND REPORT FROM DAMASCUS. AND RAY SUAREZ LOOKS AT THE OPTIONS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO HALT THE KILLING.

>> Woodruff: THEN, WE HAVE A NEWSMAKER INTERVIEW WITH HOUSE MINORITY LEADER NANCY PELOSI ABOUT THE PAYROLL TAX CUT AMONG OTHER THINGS.

>> FOR INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES, 160 MILLION AMERICAN FAMILIES, THIS WILL BE A BOOST. THE DEMAND THAT IS INJECTED INTO THE ECONOMY WHEN PEOPLE SPEND THIS MONEY WILL BE A JOB CREATOR.

>> Brown: WE BEGIN A NEW FEATURE: THE "DAILY DOWNLOAD" ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN AND SOCIAL MEDIA. TONIGHT'S FOCUS: MITT ROMNEY AND TWITTER.

>> Woodruff: AND EVERYTHING CAN BE DONE ONLINE NOW, RIGHT? NOT QUITE, SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT MILES O'BRIEN EXAMINES THE LOGISTICAL AND SECURITY CHALLENGES OF INTERNET VOTING.

>> THE VOTING PUBLIC EXPECTS SINCE THEY CAN CONDUCT THEIR BANKING ONLINE AND THEY CAN PAY THEIR TAXES ONLINE. WHY CAN'T THEY CAST THEIR BALLOTS ONLINE?

>> Woodruff: THAT'S ALL AHEAD ON TONIGHT'S "NEWSHOUR." MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: AND THE WILLIAM AND FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION, WORKING TO SOLVE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AT HOME AND AROUND THE WORLD. AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU.

>> Woodruff: THE UNITED NATIONS WENT ON RECORD TODAY, DEMANDING CHANGE IN SYRIA. BUT THE KILLING CONTINUED, APACE. RAY SUAREZ HAS OUR STORY.

>> Suarez: THE VOTE IN THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY ENDORSED AN ARAB LEAGUE PROPOSAL-- 137 TO 12, WITH 17 NATIONS ABSTAINING. THE NON-BINDING RESOLUTION CALLED FOR SYRIA TO END ITS VIOLENT CRACKDOWN AND FOR PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD TO STEP DOWN. RUSSIA AND CHINA VETOED A SIMILAR MEASURE IN THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL, BUT THE EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR SAID THE ARAB LEAGUE STILL WANTS ACTION.

>> ( translated ): THIS STRESSES THE NEED FOR AN IMMEDIATE, COMPLETE, AND FAITHFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL THE PROVISIONS OF THE ARAB ACTION PLAN. THE ONLY IDEAL MEANS TO REALIZE THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE SYRIAN PEOPLE THAT ARE LEGITIMATE.

>> Suarez: MEANWHILE, THE VIOLENCE INSIDE SYRIA RAGED ON, AS THE ARMY KEPT UP AN ASSAULT ON HOMS AND OTHER CITIES. JONATHAN RUGMAN OF "INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS" MADE HIS WAY TO ONE TOWN UNDER SIEGE-- SARAQUIB. FIGHTERS FROM THE FREE SYRIAN ARMY ARE TRYING TO HOLD GOVERNMENT FORCES AT BAY.

>> Reporter: SARAQUIB IS HOME TO A DEADLY GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE. THE MILITIAMEN OPEN FIRE ON TANKS WHICH WE SAW STATIONED ALONG THE OUTER HIGHWAY. PRESIDENT ASSAD'S SNIPERS HIDDEN IN EMPTY BUILDINGS TRY TO PICK THE MILITIAMEN OFF AND SOMETIMES GOVERNMENT TANKS SHELL THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE TOWN. INCLUDING THIS SCHOOL WHICH LIKE EVERY OTHER SCHOOL IN SARAQUID HAS BEEN SHOT FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS THE TOWN'S HEADQUARTERS HAVE BEEN BURNED DOWN. THE PLACE IS SAID TO BE RIDDLED WITH GOVERNMENT INFORMERS AND A MOBILE PHONE NETWORK HAS BEEN CUT. IN THE TOWN'S HOSPITAL THIS MORNING, WE FOUND A WOMAN WHO SAID SHE WAS SHOT BY A GOVERNMENT SNIPER YESTERDAY. BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THESE MILITIA MEN DEFEND SARAH KEEB, CONTROL IT THEY DO NOT. AND IF GOVERNMENT FORCES EVER RETURN, MANY FEAR BRUTAL REPRISALS. "WE HEARD WHAT HAPPENED IN HOMS," SAID THIS FIGHTER. "MAYBE IT COULD HAPPEN HERE." EVEN IF THEIR MILITARY HARDWARE FAILS TO IMPRESS, THEIR SPIRITS ARE REMARKABLY HIGH. ALSO SAYS THE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER, WHO SITS ON THE COORDINATION COMMITTEE OF SARAH- KEEB'S UPRISING. YOU SAY YOU'VE GOT 400 MEN DEFENDING THIS TOWN, BUT YOU'RE STILL HEAVILY OUTNUMBERED AND HEAVILY OUTGUNNED, AREN'T YOU?

>> Tom: RWE DEPEND ON MORE TROOPS LEAVING ASSAD, AND UPON THE STRONG WILL OF LOCAL PEOPLE. THOUGH WE HAVE LIGHT WEAPONS WE DEPEND ON ALLAH AND THE COURAGE OF LOCAL PEOPLE.

>> Reporter: IN SARAQUIB EVEN THE CHILDREN, ARMED WITH WOODEN KALASHNIKOVS CHANT DEATH TO PRESIDENT ASSAD. AND SOME OF THEIR PARENTS ARE NO LESS DEFIANT. WE WON'T BE SATISFIED TILL WE HAVE BASHAR'S HEAD, THEY SING. WE ARE MARTYRS GOING TO HEAVEN.

>> Suarez: IN WASHINGTON TODAY, THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE JAMES CLAPPER TOLD CONGRESS THAT AL-QAEDA MAY HAVE INFILTRATED THE SYRIAN OPPOSITION AND BOMBED SYRIAN GOVERNMENT TARGETS. FOR MORE ON THE DIPLOMATIC MANUEVERING AT THE U.N. AND ELSEWHERE WE TURN TO JOE LAURIA, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL'S U.N. CORRESPONDENT. AND HISHAM MELHEM, THE WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE AL ARABIYA NEWS NETWORK. JOE LAURIA, LET ME START WITH YOU. THAT WAS LOP SIDED IF NON-BINDING VOTE. WHAT DOES THE RESULTS FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TODAY TELL YOU ABOUT WHO'S LINING UP FOR AND AGAINST THE DAMASCUS GOVERNMENT?

>> WELL, THERE ARE VERY FEW THAT ARE SUPPORTING DAMASCUS ANYMORE. THIS IS REBUKE TO ASSAD AND PUTS POLITICAL PRESSURE ON HIM ALTHOUGH HE SEEMS TO BE IMPERVIOUS TO IT. AND IT ISOLATED RUSSIA WHICH TRIED TO ADD AMENDMENTS THAT WERE REJECTED BY THE ARABS. SO THERE WERE A FEW COUNTRIES THAT VOTED. IRAN, OF COURSE, BECAUSE IRAN IS AT THE CENTER IN MANY WAYS OF THIS CONFLICT. IN SYRIA THE RUSSIANS WANTED TO PUT AN AMENDMENT TO HAVE FOREIGN FIGHTERS NO LONGER BE SUPPORTED OR TO HAVE THE OPPOSITION DECLARE THAT THEY WILL DISSOCIATE THEMSELVES FROM THE FOREIGN INFLUENCE AND THEY HAVE BLAMED OTHER COUNTRIES FOR BACKING EXTREMIST GROUPS. NOW THE SYRIANS HAVE GONE AS FAR AS TO NAME QATAR AND SAUDI ARABIA IN PARTICULAR FOR BACKING EXTREMIST GROUPS, NOT NECESSARILY AL QAEDA. AS WE'VE HEARD NOW THEY HAVE, INTERESTINGLY, ENTERED THIS CONFLICT IN THE U.S. AND THE WEST AND SECRETARY GENERAL ARE NOT CONDEMNING AL QAEDA WHICH IS A CURIOUS SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE BOTH OF THEM... THE U.S. IN THE WEST AND AL QAEDA PRACTICALLY ON THE SAME SIDE AGAINST ASSAD. AND THE GULF COUNTRY'S INTEREST IS TO WEAKEN IRAN BECAUSE IF ASSAD CAN BE BROUGHT DOWN THE CONDUIT BETWEEN IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH, ACROSS HEZBOLLAH AND HAMAS WOULD BE BROKEN. BUT TO WEAKEN THEIR INFLUENCE IN THE REGION THE GULF COUNTRIES APPEAR ACCORDING TO THE SYRIANS AND ANALYSTS I'VE SPOKEN TO ARE BACKING SOME KIND OF EXTREMIST GROUPS IN SYRIA WHICH MUDDIES THE WATERS AND SORT OF HURTS THE LINE OF THE WEST WHICH WANTS TO MAKE IT BLACK AND WHITE. IT'S A FRIGHTENINGLY COMPLEX SITUATION AND NOT TO DEFEND WHAT ASSAD IS DOING, NO ONE CAN DO THAT BUT THE IRANIANS ARE AT THE CRUX OF THIS ISSUE AND THE GULF COUNTRIES DON'T WANT TO SEE DEMOCRACY IN AN ARAB COUNTRY UNDER THESE REVOLUTIONS AND THEY'VE BACKED ISLAMIC GROUPS ALL ACROSS NORTH AFRICA AS WE'VE SEEN.

>> Suarez: LET ME JUMP IN. AWAY FROM NEW YORK AND AWAY FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WHAT'S THE OTHER MANEUVERING THAT'S GOING ON?

>> WELL, THE TURKS AND THE ARAB LEAGUE MAJOR ARAB POWERS LIKE SAUDI ARABIA ARE ALL TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE PROCESS OF BRINGING ASSAD DOWN BUT THE PROBLEMS IS THAT WE DON'T MAJOR LEADERSHIP HERE. THIS IS A SITUATION THAT CRIES OUT FAR LEADING COUNTRY. AND MY FEELING IS THAT IF THE UNITED STATES DOESN'T STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND LEAD YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SEE ANY MEANINGFUL INTERNATIONAL EVERYDAY TO ACCELERATE THE FALL OF THIS REGIME. SO YOU SEE LOW INTENSITY CIVIL STRIFE. THAT'S LIKELY TO LEAD SOON INTO FULL-FLEDGED CIVIL WAR. THAT CIVIL WAR WON'T BE CONTAINED IN SYRIA. WHAT HAPPENED IN SYRIA DOESN'T REMAIN IN SYRIA. THIS IS NOT LIBYA. THIS IS THE IMPERATIVE MOST CIVIL WARS. THEY DO DRAG NEIGHBORS COUNTRIES INTO THEM. WE'VE SEEN THE SPILLOVER IN LEBANON LAST WEEK. WE'VE SEEN IRAQI TRIBES IN THE WESTERN SIDE IN IRAQ TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE ACROSS THE BORDERS SYRIA. THE TURKS HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THERE.

>> Suarez: YOU SAY THE SITUATION IS CRYING OUT FOR A LEADING COUNTRY. WHY ISN'T THAT YOU ARE THE ECONOMY? A LONG BORDER WITH SYRIA, AN ECONOMIC POWER, A REGIONAL POWER. IT WOULD SEEM TO BE A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD REALLY STEP UP, NO?

>> THERE'S A TURKISH PREDICAMENT HERE. TURKEY IS A RISING POWER BUT AT THE SAME TIME WHEN IT COMES TO SYRIA AND IRAN IT'S A RELUCTANT POWER. THE TURKS SENT THEIR FOREIGN MINISTER TO WASHINGTON A FEW DAYS AGO TO ASK THE UNITED STATES HOW LONG CAN THE UNITED STATES... HOW FAR THE UNITED STATES IS WILLING TO GO WITH THEM TO SUPPORT THEM. IF THEY'RE ASKING TO TAKE STRONGER MEASURES AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT IN DAMASCUS AND THE UNITED STATES IT'S STILL WEDDED TO THE VIEW THAT IT'S STILL POSSIBLE TO HAVE A POLITICAL SOLUTION. IN MY OPINION, THE POLITICAL SOLUTION AND ISSUE OF REFORM IN SYRIA, THE TIME HAS COME AND GONE AND TODAY WHAT IS REQUIRED, I THINK, IS TO LEVEL THE BATTLEFIELD, IF YOU WILL AND TO HELP THE OPPOSITION. I'M NOT CALLING FOR AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S PRACTICAL TO HAVE A MILITARY INTERVENTION ALLAH LIBYA. THE GEOGRAPHY IS DIFFERENT, THE REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT IS DIFFERENT. THE SOCIAL, ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS MOSAIC OF SYRIA IS DIFFERENT. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE UNITED STATES AND THE TURKS AND THE ARABS CANNOT PROVIDE MATERIAL HELP TO THE OPPOSITION TO ACCELERATE THE FALL OF THE REGIME IN DAMASCUS.

>> Suarez: TURNING BACK TO THE U.N., JOE LAURIA. THE FIRST VOTE VETOED BY RUSH THIS AND CHINA, THE SECOND VOTE OVERWHELMING BUT NON-BINDING, IS THE U.N. SIDELINED OR ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO CIRCULATE PLAUSIBLE FUTURE SCENARIOS FOR CHILDREN.

>> THE ONE UNDER DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW IS A FRENCH IDEA THEY ANNOUNCED TO CREATE A HUMANITARIAN CORRIDOR INTO SYRIA AND THE RUSSIANS HAVE AGREED TO TALK TO THE FRENCH ABOUT THIS. THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU PROTECT THIS CORRIDOR. DO YOU PUT PEACEKEEPER THERE IS OR SOME FORCE THERE OR DO YOU HAVE AN UNARMED? IF UNARM IT HAD SAD WILL BE SUBJECT TO BEING STOLEN AND ATTACKED BY GOVERNMENT FORCES AND PERHAPS BY THE REBEL SIDE. SO THIS WOULD MAYBE BE THE STICKING POINT WHETHER YOU HAVE TO PUT AN ARMED FORCE IN THERE. IT'S UNLIKELY RUSSIA WOULD AGREE TO THAT BUT THAT'S THE CURRENT DIPLOMATIC MANEUVER THERE. I WANTED TO ALSO ADD I AGREE IT'S TOO LATE FOR ASSAD BECAUSE FIVE YEARS AGO HE COULD HAVE DEALT WITH THE CIVIL SOCIETY MOVEMENT INSIDE SYRIA WHICH PUT FORWARD VERY BOLD INITIATIVES TO CREATE PLURALISTIC SOCIETY AND HE REJECTED THAT AND NOW HE'S TRYING AT THIS LATE DATE WITH THIS REFERENDUM IT'S TOO LATE FOR THAT. HE THOUGHT HE COULD HOLD ON AND CRUSH THIS INSURGENCY WHICH CLEARLY HE CANNOT. AS FAR AS THE U.N. GOES, IT'S LIMITED WHAT THEY CAN DO AND THE NEXT ISSUE HERE IS THAT HUMANITARIAN CORRIDOR IDEA.

>> Suarez: BUT HISHAM, IT'S NOT LIKE ASSAD IS BIDING HIS TIME. ISN'T HE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS DIPLOMATIC LULL TO CRUSH HIS OPPONENT?

>> HE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE CHINESE AND RUSSIAN VETO AND ACCELERATED THE BOMBING OF HOMS. HOMS IS A CITY OF THE QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE. THE THIRD LARGEST CITY IN SYRIA. WHAT THE WORLD IS WITNESSING IS A SLOW GRINDING, KILLING OF A MAJOR SYRIAN CITY. HOMS IS GOING TO BECOME THE SARAJEVO OF SYRIA AND WHEN YOU HAVE A LARGER MASSACRE, WHICH IS VERY LIKELY TO HAPPEN SOON, NOT ONLY PEOPLE... TODAY 70 PEOPLE WERE KILLED. I'M TALKING ABOUT A DAY OR TWO OR THREE WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE DYING. IT'S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FROM THE NEIGHBORING COUNTRY FROM TURKEY TO THE ARABS TO THE E.U., EUROPEANS, TO THE UNITED STATES JUST SIT THERE SILENTLY AND WATCH THIS UGLY GRINDING TAKING PLACE ON A DAILY BASIS. AND I THINK THOSE WHO ARE SAYING IF THE WEST AND ARABS INTERVENE THEY WILL PUSH THE COUNTRY TOWARDS CIVIL WAR. WE ARE GOING TO AN INEVITABLE CIVIL WAR AND THE UNITED STATES WILL LIKELY BE... ALL THE FIVE COUNTRIES AROUND SYRIA. THEY HAVE STRATEGIC POLITICAL INTERESTS IN ALL OF THEM. PARTICULARLY IN TURKEY, ISRAEL AND IRAQ NOT TO MENTION LEBANON AND JORDAN. SO THE UNITED STATES CANNOT SIT SIDELY BY AND WATCH THE TURKS AND LEBANESE AND IRAQIS BEING SUCKED INTO THIS CIVIL WAR IN SYRIA. IF SERIAL YAH MELTS DOWN AND THE SITUATION IS ALLOWED TO FESTER THE WHOLE REGION WILL SUFFER. AND THAT'S WHY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD AND CAN DO A LOT TO HELP THE OPPOSITION. AGAIN TO ACCELERATE THE FALL OF THIS REGIME. THIS IS A VERY HATED REGIME. IT'S WAGING A WAR AGAINST ITS OWN PEOPLE AND BRINGING IT DOWN IS MORALLY RIGHT BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF GEOPOLITICS IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL BECAUSE IT IS AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER THIS IS THE REGIME THAT ALLOWED IRAN TO BECOME A MEDITERRANEAN POWER. IRAN TODAY IS A MEDITERRANEAN POWER FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE EPIC BATTLES BETWEEN THE PERSIAN EMPIRE AND THE GREEKS IF YOU REMEMBER YOUR HISTORY. SO BRINGING DOWN THIS REGIME CAN BE JUSTIFIED.

>> Suarez: HISHAM MELHEM AND JOE LAURIA, GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU BOTH.

>> Brown: STILL TO COME ON THE "NEWSHOUR": HOUSE MINORITY LEADER NANCY PELOSI; SOCIAL MEDIA'S IMPACT ON THE CAMPAIGN AND THE HURDLES IN VOTING ONLINE. BUT FIRST, THE OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY. HERE'S HARI SREENIVASAN.

>> Sreenivasan: TOP U.S. OFFICIALS OFFERED NEW ASSESSMENTS OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM. IT CAME A DAY AFTER THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC CLAIMED MAJOR NEW ACHIEVEMENTS IN PRODUCING ITS OWN NUCLEAR FUEL. U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY LEON PANETTA GAVE HIS ASSESSMENT AT A HOUSE HEARING.

>> THE INTELLIGENCE HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR ON THIS. THEY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THEIR ENRICHMENT CAPABILITIES. BUT THE INTELLIGENCE DOES NOT SHOW THAT THEY'VE MADE THE DECISION TO PROCEED WITH DEVELOPING A NUCLEAR WEAPON. THAT IS THE RED LINE THAT WOULD CONCERN US AND THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HOPEFULLY TOGETHER WOULD RESPOND.

>> Sreenivasan: PANETTA REPEATED THAT ALL RESPONSE OPTIONS REMAIN ON THE TABLE, TO STOP IRAN FROM ACQUIRING NUCLEAR WEAPONS. AT A SENATE HEARING, TOP INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS SAID IF IRAN IS ATTACKED, IT MIGHT BLOCKADE THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ-- THE GATEWAY TO THE PERSIAN GULF OIL STATES. CLAIMS AND COUNTER-CLAIMS ABOUNDED TODAY OVER POSSIBLE PEACE TALKS INVOLVING THE U.S. AND AFGHAN GOVERNMENTS AND THE TALIBAN. AFGHAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI TOLD THE WALL STREET JOURNAL THAT DISCUSSIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE PAST MONTH. THAT INTERVIEW APPEARED AS KARZAI WAS IN PAKISTAN. A TOP ADVISER SAID HE WOULD SOLICIT THAT COUNTRY'S HELP IN NEGOTIATING A PEACE AGREEMENT.

>> HAMID KARZAI WILL ASK THE PAKISTAN HEAD OF STATE, AND THE HEAD OF THE GOVERNMENT TO COOPERATE, TO PUT POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE PRESSURE OVER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE TALIBAN TO COME CLOSE AND TO COME TOGETHER TO START INTRA-AFGHAN DIALOGUE AND A PROCESS OF THE NEGOTIATION.

>> Sreenivasan: A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TALIBAN DENIED THERE HAD BEEN ANY NEGOTIATIONS. HE SAID, THE TALIBAN DID NOT TALK WITH THE KABUL GOVERNMENT ANYWHERE. IN WASHINGTON, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN VICTORIA NULAND REFUSED TO CONFIRM OR DENY EITHER WAY.

>> THERE ARE LOTS OF TALIBAN SAYING LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO AGAIN, WE'VE SAID, AND THE SECRETARY HAS MADE CLEAR, THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS AT A VERY PRELIMINARY STAGE. WE ARE STILL AT THE STAGE OF TRYING TO BUILD THE TRUST AMONG THE AFGHANS SO THAT THEY CAN SIT IN THE ROOM AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS. SO THAT'S THE STAGE THAT WE'RE AT, AND IT'S VERY, VERY PRELIMINARY.

>> Sreenivasan: THE FOCUS ON POSSIBLE PEACE TALKS HAS INTENSIFIED AS U.S. AND OTHER NATO COMBAT FORCES BEGIN TO WITHDRAW FROM AFGHANISTAN. SUPPORTERS OF LEGALIZING SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN THE JUST WON ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE VICTORY. THE NEW JERSEY STATE ASSEMBLY APPROVED A BILL ALLOWING THE PRACTICE TODAY. IT ALREADY PASSED THE STATE SENATE. THE MEASURE IS NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME LAW SINCE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE HAS PROMISED A VETO. WANTS THE ISSUE OUT IF A REFERENDUM. THE U.S. ECONOMY IS SHOWING MORE SIGNS OF LIFE. REPORTS TODAY SAID FIRST-TIME CLAIMS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FELL TO THE LOWEST LEVEL SINCE MARCH OF 2008. AND HOUSING STARTS ROSE AGAIN IN JANUARY. THE NEWS HELPED WALL STREET TO NEW GAINS. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE ADDED 123 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 12,904. THE NASDAQ ROSE 44 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 2,959. GENERAL MOTORS REPORTED ITS BEST PROFIT EVER IN 2011. THE AUTO MAKER SAID TODAY IT MADE $7.6 BILLION LAST YEAR, ALTHOUGH IT LOST MOMENTUM IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. G.M. HAS STAGED A TURNAROUND FROM 2009 WHEN IT FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION AND TOOK A GOVERNMENT BAILOUT. THE SO-CALLED UNDERWEAR BOMBER RECEIVED A LIFE SENTENCE IN A FEDERAL COURT IN DETROIT TODAY. A NIGERIAN MAN-- UMAR FAROUK ABDULMUTALLAB-- HAD ADMITTED THAT HE TRIED TO BLOW UP A NORTHWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT ON CHRISTMAS DAY OF 2009. HE SAID IT WAS MEANT TO BE A SUICIDE MISSION FOR AL-QAEDA. BUT, HE WAS WRESTLED DOWN AFTER A BOMB IN HIS UNDERCLOTHES FAILED TO GO OFF JUST BEFORE THE PLANE LANDED IN DETROIT. RESCUERS ON CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS SPENT TODAY TRYING TO SAVE 11 DOLPHINS, STRANDED ON A REMOTE BEACH. IT HAS BEEN A COMMON SCENE FOR THE PAST MONTH. NEARLY 180 SHORT-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHINS HAVE BEACHED THEMSELVES IN THE AREA, AND OF THOSE 125 HAVE DIED. THAT'S NEARLY FIVE TIMES THE YEARLY AVERAGE. THE CAUSE REMAINS UNCLEAR. THEORIES INCLUDE CHANGES IN WEATHER, WATER TEMPERATURE AND BEHAVIOR OF THE DOLPHINS' PREY. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S MAJOR STORIES. NOW, BACK TO JUDY.

>> Woodruff: DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS MASSAGED THE LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE FOR THE PAYROLL TAX CUT DEAL TODAY. IT WILL EXTEND THE TAX CUTS-- SET TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THE MONTH-- UNTIL AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS. REPUBLICANS DROPPED THEIR DEMANDS FOR NEW SPENDING REDUCTIONS TO PAY FOR THE EXTENSION. HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER SAID HE WASN'T NECESSARILY PROUD OF THE BIPARTISAN EFFORTS.

>> THIS IS AN ECONOMIC RELIEF PACKAGE, BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT'S POLICIES HAVE NOT ONLY FAILED, THEY'VE ACTUALLY MADE THE ECONOMY WORSE. IF WE WERE DOING POLICIES LIKE THOSE THAT WE'VE PASSED AND SENT OVER TO THE SENATE, THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR THIS TYPE OF ECONOMIC RELIEF PACKAGE.

>> Woodruff: AND THAT WAS THE SUBJECT FOR THE START OF OUR INTERVIEW WITH HOUSE MINORITY LEADER NANCY PELOSI. I SAT DOWN WITH HER EARLIER TODAY AT THE CAPITOL. HOUSE MINORITY LEADER NANCY PELOSI, THANK YOU FOR TALKING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT.

>> Woodruff: THIS COMING, EVIDENTLY, AGREEMENT ON THE PAYROLL TAX CUT. SPEAKER BOEHNER IS SAYING TODAY THIS IS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE PRESIDENT'S FAILED ECONOMIC POLICIES.

>> WELL, HOW SAD. THIS IS NECESSARY BECAUSE OUR ECONOMY AND OUR PEOPLE NEED THIS BOOST. FOR INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES, 160 MILLION AMERICAN FAMILIES. THIS LS A BOOST. FROM THE MACROECONOMIC STANDPOINT, THE DEMAND THAT IS INJECTED INTO THE ECONOMY WHEN PEOPLE SPEND THIS MONEY WILL BE A JOB CREATOR. AND, AGAIN, A TEMPORARY MEASURE TO HELP GIVE US A BOOST. THE SAME AS THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE EXTENSION. ECONOMISTS TELL US THAT THAT'S AN IMMEDIATE JUMP START TO THE ECONOMY BECAUSE OF THE MACROECONOMIC OF PEOPLE GETTING MONEY, SPENDING IT IMMEDIATELY, INJECTED DEMAND, CREATING JOBS. THE TWO WANT US TO GET INTO A DISCUSSION OF HOW WE GOT HERE BEFORE THE BUSH MELTDOWN OF OUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. TWO UNPAID FOR WARS, A PRESCRIPTION DRUG BILLS THAT GAVE AWAY THE STORE TO THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY, THE PAYROLL TAX CUT FOR THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY UNPAID FOR. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WANT TO GO DOWN THAT PATH. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THERE, SEEN IT, THEY KNOW WHATEVER IT IS THERE'S A GROUND TRUTH IN OUR COUNTRY THAT WE HAVE TO HELP THE MIDDLE-CLASS.

>> Pelley: DO YOU WORRY, THOUGH, THAT THIS DOES TAKE MONEY OUT OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST FUND AND IT MAY NEVER FULLY BE REFUNDD? REPAID?

>> NO, I DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE THE LAST YEAR FOR IT AND I DO BELIEVE THAT OTHER FACTORS ENTERING INTO OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH ARE WEIGH IN NOW AND WE SEE AN IMPROVEMENT IN OUR GROWTH POSSIBILITIES. BUT I THINK ONE OR TWO YEARS, NO, THE TRUST FUND CAN HANDLE THAT.

>> Woodruff: THIS IS NOW OFF THE TABLE. ASSUMING THE VOTE GOES AS I THINK YOU AND THE SPEAKER ARE SUGGESTING IT WILL WHAT ELSE CAN CONGRESS GET DONE THIS YEAR.

>> I DON'T KNOW. YOU'D HAVE TO ASK HIM BECAUSE FOR SO FAR, ANY INITIATIVE THE PRESIDENT HAS PUT ON THE TABLE FOR JOB CREATION THEY HAVE SAID NO TO. WHAT'S REALLY SAD IS AS WE ARE MEETING THIS WEEK. THEY HAVE A HIGHWAY BILL ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE. TRADITIONALLY THE HIGHWAY BILLS HAVE BEEN A BIPARTISAN INITIATIVE FOR JOB CREATION. THIS IS A BILL THAT HAS BEEN FOR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PEOPLE SAY 50 YEARS HAS NOT BEEN PUT TOGETHER IN A BIPARTISAN WAY. IT'S NOT A JOB CREATOR BUT A JOB KILLER OVER HALF A MILLION JOBS WILL BE LOST IF THIS BILL WERE TO BECOME LAW AND IT'S DANGEROUS TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY. FOR MANY REASONS IT'S THE WRONG PATH TO GO DOWN AND THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE FOR JOB CREATION.

>> Woodruff: I KNOW THAT THERE'S A REAL DISAGREEMENT OVER THAT. WHAT ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET, THOUGH? THERE ARE BIPARTISAN GROUPS OUT THERE APPLAUDING THE PRESIDENT FOR GETTING A HEAD START ON TACKLING THE DEBT BUT, IN FACT, THE PRESIDENT PROMISED HE WAS GOING TO CUT THE DEFICIT IN HALF BY THIS POINT IN HIS PRESIDENCY. THIS IS NOT A BUDGET THAT GOES AFTER ENTITLEMENT REFORM AND IT USES WHAT IT CALLS SAVINGS FROM ENDING THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN THAT, AGAIN, BIPARTISAN OUTSIDE GROUPS ARE SAYING ARE REALLY A GIMMICK, THAT AREN'T... THAT AREN'T... ISN'T MONEY THAT CAN REALLY BE COUNTED ON AS SAVINGS.

>> WELL, PUT SEVERAL ASPECTS OF THE BUDGET ON THE TABLE. LET ME SAY I'M PROUD OF THE WHAT THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET IS. IT'S PART OF A STATEMENT OF OUR NATIONAL VALUES AS TO WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US AS A COUNTRY BEING REFLECTED INTO OUR INVESTMENT PRIORITIES IN THE BUDGET. IT TALKS ABOUT INVESTMENTS IN OUR FUTURE. IT TALKS ABOUT JOB CREATION. IT TALKS ABOUT DEFICIT REDUCTION. IT TALKS ABOUT LOWERING TAXES FOR THE MIDDLE-CLASS AS AN ONGOING THEME IN HIS AGENDA. MANY OF THESE OUTSIDE GROUPS DID NOT SAY THE SAME THING WHEN THE REPUBLICANS PUT THE SAVINGS FROM THE OVERSEAS WARS IN THEIR BUDGETS. SO THIS IS A LEGITIMATE PLACE. THE SAVINGS ARE THERE THAT CAN BE USED TO OFFSET OTHER INVESTMENTS. BUT IT IS, AGAIN, A CONTINUATION OF WHAT THE PRESIDENT STARTED WHEN IT CAME INTO OFFICE AND HE MADE THAT STATEMENT. REDUCE THE DEFICIT, CREATE JOBS, LOWER TAXES TO THE MIDDLE-CLASS, DO SO BY INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION AND INNOVATION INTO HEALTH CARE, INTO ENERGY INITIATIVES OF WHICH HE IS IN THE LEAD. WHAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT ABOUT IT, THOUGH, AND IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THAT THE NEW PRESIDENT MADE THAT STATEMENT HE WAS BASING HIS FIGURES ON THE INFORMATION GIVEN TO HIM BY THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION WHICH EITHER DIDN'T KNOW OR DIDN'T TELL WHAT THE ACTUAL FISCAL SITUATION WAS.

>> Woodruff: WE ARE LAUNCHING INTO AN ELECTION YEAR. IN THE LAST CAMPAIGN, MADAM MINORITY LEADER, YOU BECAME A NEGATIVE SYMBOL FOR THE DEMOCRATS. THE REPUBLICANS WENT AFTER YOU WITH A VENGEANCE. DO YOU THINK THEY'LL DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR?

>> WELL, IT DOESN'T MATTER BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT IS THEY USED MONEY TO WIN THE ELECTION. THEY USED MONEY. UP DISCLOSED, UNLIMITED SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY. AND THAT'S WHY OUR FOCUS IS ON DISCLOSE. WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY'S COMING FROM. WE WANT PEOPLE TO STAND BY THEIR AD. YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? YOU'RE GOING TO PUT UP TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO MISREPRESENT THE PRESIDENT'S POSITION ON SOMETHING OR MISCHARACTERIZE THE RECORDS OF A MEMBER OF CONGRESS? STAND BY YOUR AD. SO WE WANT TO DISCLOSE. WE WANT REFORM AFTER WE WIN WE WANT TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION TO GET RID OF THE CITIZENS UNITED UNLIMITED MONEY IN THE SYSTEM.

>> Pelley: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN, DEMOCRATS, HAVE EMBRACED THE SUPERPACKS, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO JUST AS THE REPUBLICANS HAVE.

>> WELL, MAKE THE DISTINCTION. THE REPUBLICANS' MONEY WAS UNDISCLOSED. UNDISCLOSED. THE PRESIDENT IS, I THINK, DOING THE RIGHT THING TO WIN THIS ELECTION BY... BUT DISCLOSING WHAT THE SOURCE OF THE MONEY IS. THAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD WHETHER PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM. BECAUSE IF PEOPLE HAVE TO STAND BY THEIR AD THEY MAY NOT MAKE SUCH OUTRAGEOUS CHARGES. THEY MAY NOT EVEN PUT THE MONEY UP. SO I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS TO WIN. HE CAN'T GO TO A BASEBALL GAME WITHOUT A BAT AND THERE'S SO MUCH AT STAKE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN THIS ELECTION. BUT HIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THEIRS IN THAT HIS IS DISCLOSED, THEIRS WAS NOT TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $150 MILLION, AS YOU SAID, DIRECTED AT ME.

>> Woodruff: I WAS MENTIONING THE REPUBLICANS USED YOU, YOU BECAME A PART OF A NEGATIVE SYMBOL. SHOULD THE DEMOCRATS DO THE SAME THING WITH SPEAKER BOEHNER OR ANOTHER REPUBLICAN?

>> I THINK THE DEMOCRATS ARE ABOUT THE FUTURE. THE REPUBLICANS HAVE ALWAYS GOT TO ATTACK SOMEBODY ELSE BECAUSE THEY'RE FRANKLY BANKRUPT IN TERMS OF IDEAS ABOUT THE FUTURE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REIGNITING THE AMERICAN DREAM. THE PRESIDENT WILL GO OUT THERE AND TALK ABOUT WHAT IS AT STAKE FOR THE FUTURE IT ISN'T ABOUT ATTACKING AN INDIVIDUAL. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ISSUES, YOU GO AFTER A PERSON. HE HAS THE ISSUES AND THE VALUES. WE IGNITE THE AMERICAN DREAM. BUILD LATTERS FOR THEM. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, PLAY BY THE RULES. BUT WE HAVE WORK TO DO THAT AND WE HOPE THE DO IN THE A BIPARTISAN. I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE. AND WINNING THE ELECTION TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM TO DIMINISH THE ROLE OF MONEY IN THE CAMPAIGN SO THAT THE PEOPLE'S VOICES AND VOTES WILL DECIDE THE ELECTION. NOT THE VOTE OF THE BANKROLLS OF A VERY FEW PEOPLE.

>> Woodruff: THE CHALLENGE TO THE HEALTH CARE REFORM LAW, THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, COMING UP BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT NEXT MONTH. ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THAT?

>> WELL, I THINK WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE CONSTITUTIONALLY. WE WROTE A BILL UNDERSTANDING OUR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN A COURT AND... BUT IN TERMS OF THE SUBSTANCE AND THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF IT WE FEEL... BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ON SOLID GROUND.

>> Woodruff: AND IF IT WERE TO BE IN PART OR FULLY OVERTURNED WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR THE CONGRESS?

>> >> WELL, LET'S BE ON THE POSITIVE SIDE. EVEN SOME OF THE MOST CONSERVATIVE GROUPS, THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION, FOR EXAMPLE SUPPORTED THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE AND THAT'S REALLY THE ESSENCE OF THE CASE GOING TO THE SUPREME COURT, THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE. THAT HAS HAD SUPPORT FROM RIGHT TO LEFT IN THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S THE THIRD BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. THEY WILL ACT UPON THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE SUBSTANCE BEFORE THEM IN TERMS OF WHAT WE LEGISLATED WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY AND BELIEVE THAT IT'S ON STRONG CONSTITUTIONAL GROUNDS.

>> Woodruff: A QUESTION, MADAM LEADER, ABOUT THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN. THERE WAS A REPORT ON... AN EXHAUSTIVE AND DEVASTATING REPORT WRITTEN BY AN ARMY COLONEL WHO WENT OVER TO AFGHANISTAN. HIS ASSESS SYSTEM THAT THIS WAR HAS BEEN A DISASTER AND THAT THE MILITARY LEADERS OF THE UNITED STATES HAVE NOT LEVELED WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SAYING THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND IS MUCH WORSE THAN WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE. FIRST OF ALL, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE REPORT AND DO YOU AGREE HIS ASSESSMENT? YOU'VE SPENT TIME LOOKING AT THIS.

>> I'VE GONE TO AFGHANISTAN MANY TIMES IN THE COURSE OF OUR INVOLVEMENT THERE MY LAST TRIP WAS MOST OPTIMISTIC. IT WAS BEARING FOOD FROM THE CHANGED APPROACH THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS TAKEN. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER WHEN THE PRESIDENT TOOK OFFICE THERE HAD BEEN NO PLAN FOR THE SEVEN YEARS BEFORE HE TOOK OFFICE. IT'S A VERY SAD TALE. WE WENT IN, WE ROUTE IT HAD TALIBAN, WE DID NOT DEFEAT THEM AND WE WENT TO IRAQ. THE PRESIDENT CAME UNTIL WITH A NEW APPROACH TO HOW TO TRANSFER THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SECURITY IN AFGHANISTAN TO THE AFGHAN FORCES AND THAT I'VE SEEN MUCH MORE PROGRESS IN THE PAST YEAR THAN I HAD SEEN IN THE TEN YEARS BEFORE.

>> Woodruff: DO YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE IN WHAT THE MILITARY LEADERSHIP IS SAYING ABOUT HOW THE WAR IS GOING?

>> FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN THERE. NOW LET ME SAY THIS I THINK WE WILL BE HONORING THE PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE WILL BE REDUCING THE NUMBER OF TROOPS OR CHANGING THEIR MISSION IN THIS YEAR, IN 2013, THE YEAR TO COME, IN ORDER FOR US TO LEAD IN 2014.

>> Woodruff: MINORITY LEADER NANCY PELOSI, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US. A NOTE, WE DID INTERVIEW HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER LAST WEEK. YOU CAN WATCH THAT INTERVIEW ON OUR WEB SITE.

>> Brown: IT'S BECOME EVER CLEARER THAT SOCIAL NETWORKING IS HAVING A PROFOUND IMPACT ON HOW POLITICS TODAY WORKS; HOW CAMPAIGNS ACT AND RE-ACT, HOW JOURNALISTS GET AND TRANSMIT INFORMATION, HOW MONEY IS RAISED, HOW ISSUES ARE FOUGHT OVER, AND MUCH MORE. TONIGHT WE BEGIN A NEW FEATURE THAT WILL TRACK THE CAMPAIGN AND POLITICAL ISSUES AS THEY PLAY OUT IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND ON THE WEB. FOR THAT WE'LL BE JOINED REGULARLY BY TWO JOURNALISTS FROM THE NEW WEBSITE, DAILY DOWNLOAD. LAUREN ASHBURN IS THE SITE'S EDITOR IN CHIEF AND FORMERLY WITH "USA TODAY LIVE" AND GANNETT BROADCASTING. HOWARD KURTZ IS "NEWSWEEK'S" WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF AND HOST OF CNN'S "RELIABLE SOURCES." WELCOME TO THE NEWSHOUR.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Brown: SO EVERY TIME WE MEET HERE AROUND THE TABLE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A PARTICULAR CAMPAIGN OR ISSUE STARTING TONIGHT WITH MITT ROMNEY. LARGELY, LAUREN, BECAUSE HE'S SO ACTIVE IN SOCIAL MEDIA, RIGHT?

>> HE IS SO ACTIVE. ESPECIALLY IN TWITTER. HE'S TAKEN TO IT LIKE A DUCK TAKES TO WATER. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE ON HIS STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR SENDING OUT MESSAGES THAT MILLIONS OF P.M.C. AND THOSE MESSAGES CAN BE A BIT DISPARAGING AT TIMES.

>> SNARKY, PERHAPS.

>> SNARKY IS THE WORD WE HAVE BEEN BANTERING ABOUT.

>> Brown: SO IT'S THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAMPAIGN IN SOME WAYS.

>> IT IS. IT GIVES THE CAMPAIGN THE ABILITY TO DO THINGS THEY MIGHT NOT DO ON TELEVISION OR PRINT. THEY CAN GET JOB JABS IN HERE AND SAY THINGS A LITTLE MORE CUTTING OR DICEY.

>> Brown: AND THIS IS MOMENT BY MOMENT. THIS IS CONSTANTLY HAPPENING FOR AN AUDIENCE OF... WHO ARE THEY TRYING TO REACH?

>> I WAS GOING SAY IT WAS HOUR BY HOUR BUT THAT WOULD BE WAY TOO SLOW FOR THE HYPERSPEED WORLD OF TWITTER. THEY'RE TRYING TO REACH POLITICAL JUNKIES AND JOURNALISTS, MOST OF WHOM ARE ON TWITTER AND ARE USING IT AS A SOURCE OF INTELLIGENCE SO FOR EXAMPLE ONE OF THE WEAPONS IN THE WAR IS CALLED THE HASHTAG. LIKE THE POUND SIGN ON YOUR PHONE. IT'S A WAY FOR USERS TO SEARCH FOR TOPICS OR TRENDS OR PEOPLE SO THE ROMNEY CAMPAIGN WHEN THE FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER WAS IN THE POLLS PUT UP ABOUT THIS TO NEWT GINGRICH. COMPARED HIMSELF TO MOSES, ABE LINCOLN TO NEWT-- AND THEN WE HAVE HASHTAG GRANDIOSE NEWT-- A THEME THE ROMNEY CAMPAIGN WANTED TO GO VIRAL GIVING THE IDEA THE FORMER SPEAKER HAS A SWELLED HEAD.

>> Brown: ATTACKING EACH OTHER THROUGH THIS MINUTE-BY-MINUTE.

>> AND IT'S A WAY THEY CAN BE QUITE CLEVER. LOOK AT ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS HAS HAPPENED. SO ERIC FEHRNSTROM IS ONE OF THE TOP ADVISORS FOR MITT ROMNEY. DAVID AXELROD ONE OF THE TOP ADVISORS FOR BARACK OBAMA. THEY GOT INTO A TWITTER WAR HERE AND IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. HERE'S AN EXAMPLE. DAVID AXELROD SAYS "DUDE, NONE OF MY BUSINESS BUT SHOULDN'T YOU BE IN DEBATE PREP INSTEAD OF TRYING TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF TO ME?" SO FEHRNSTROM SHOOTS BACK "HA HA BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE ECONOMY AN ISSUE WHERE WE DON'T PREP MITT, HE PREPS US."

>> Brown: WE SHOULD NOTE THE FORMAL LANGUAGE, "DUDE." IT IS THE WAY THEY TALK IN THE TWITTER WORLD.

>> THEY CAN GET A LITTLE JUVENILE.

>> BUT FOR THOSE WHO DON'T USE TWITTER, THIS IS A CONVERSATION THEY'RE HAVING BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING. RIGHT?

>> IT'S A PRIVATE BUT VERY PUBLIC CONVERSATION. ANYBODY CAN WATCH. ANYBODY CAN FOLLOW THE CAMPAIGNS. CERTAINLY JOURNALISTS WATCH AND SOMETIMES THE... THEY CAN BE QUITE CLEVER IN THESE JOBS AND THEY ALWAYS DON'T ALWAYS USE A SLEDGE HAEPLER. YOU ONLY HAVE 140 CHARACTERS SO AXELROD HARKENS BACK TO A STORY THAT A DOG... 30 YEARS AGO ABOUT THE FAMILY DOG AND THE FAMILY WENT ON VACATION, DROVE TO CANADA FROM MASSACHUSETTS AND PUT THE IRISH SETTER IN A CRATE ON THE ROOF. SO AXELROD TWEETS A PICTURE AND THE CAPTION IS SIMPLY "HOW LOVING OWNERS TRANSPORT THEIR DOGS." I'M NOT SAYING THE PRESIDENT POSED WITH BEAU FOR ORCHESTRATED REASONS BUT IT GOT THE POINT ABOUT THIS ROMNEY STORY WITHOUT HAVING TO MENTION IN THE ANY WAY.

>> Brown: SAY NO MORE. THE REST IS OUT IN THE AIR SO THAT'S ALL THEY NEED TO SAY.

>> A LOT OF THIS IS SNIDE, I THINK. WHEN YOU THINK OF INSIDE-THE-BELTWAY, I OFTEN THINK OF SORT OF JABS LIKE THIS.

>> Brown: ONE THING I'M INTERESTED IN, YOU TALK ABOUT TRYING TO REACH REPORTERS, RIGHTING? SO ANOTHER THING TO USE... THEY USE TWITER TO PUSH BACK ON STORIES THAT THEY MAKE.

>> TWITTER FUNCTIONS AS AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR THESE CAMPAIGNS SO THAT IF YOU TWEET SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T LIKE AND ROMNEY CAMPAIGN IS PRETTY AGGRESSIVE ABOUT THIS, AND THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE AS WELL, YOU WILL GET A SIZZLING E-MAIL IN YOUR INBOX CHALLENGING THE PREMISE OF WHAT YOU'RE SENDING OUT THERE.

>> AND EVEN IF YOU RETREAT, WHICH MEANS YOU SEND SOMEONE ELSE'S TWEET AND THEY DON'T LIKE THAT RETREAT, THEY'LL COME RIGHT AT YOU AND SAY "WHY DID YOU DO THIS? WHAT'S HAPPENING

>> AND ONE OF THE REASONS THE CAMPAIGNS DO THIS, LAUREN, IS TO HEAD OFF OR KNOCK DOWN OR AT LEAST DIFFUSE AN EMERGING TREND ABOUT THEIR CANDIDATE BEFORE IT'S ON THE AIR, BEFORE IT HITS THE NEWSPAPERS BY KIND OF THROWING A BRUSHBACK PITCH.

>> SO WE'RE USING WORDS LIKE "SNIDE ""CUTE "SNARKY" BUT THERE'S A SERIOUS ELEMENT TO THIS. THIS HAS BECOME A REAL PART OF THE WAY YOU CAMPAIGN.

>> THIS IS WARFARE. THIS IS POLITICAL WARFARE AT ITS FINEST. YOU GET THE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO SHOW POLITICAL REPORTERS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF. HOW ON TOP OF THE ISSUES ARE. IT IS ALMOST, I WOULD SAY, AND YOU MIGHT DISAGREE, AS IMPORTANT AS DEBATING. AT LEAST WHEN IT COMES TO REACHING POLITICAL REPORTERS WHO ARE SHAPING THE MESSAGE OF THE CAMPAIGN.

>> AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO BE INVITED ON THE TELEVISION INTERVIEW. YOU CAN GO DIRECTLY TO THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO READ TWITTER AND YOU CAN REACH THEM WITHOUT A FILTER.

>> Brown: OKAY. SOMETHING WE'LL KEEP WATCHING OVER TIME. HOWARD KURTZ, LAUREN ASHBURN OF THE DAILY DOWNLOAD. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Woodruff: NOW, ANOTHER KIND OF ELECTION STORY. AS BOTH PARTIES RAMP UP THEIR EFFORTS TO GET VOTERS TO THE POLLS THIS FALL, "NEWSHOUR" SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT MILES O'BRIEN EXPLORES WHY MOST PEOPLE STILL CAN'T VOTE ONLINE.

>> WE DON'T HAVE ARCHIVES.

>> Reporter: INSIDE NATALIE TENNANT'S VAULT IN THE WEST VIRGINIA CAPITOL...

>> IT'S ALL HANDWRITTEN STUFF.

>> Reporter: ...YOU WILL FIND THE BANE OF EVERY SECRETARY OF STATE OF EVERY STATE IN THE COUNTRY: PAPER, LOTS OF OLD, MUSTY, YELLOWING PAPER.

>> MANAGING IT ALL IS A HUGE SAP ON TIME, MONEY AND EFFICIENCY SINCE THE DEMOCRAT WAS ELECTED THE SECRETARY OF STATE HERE THREE YEARS AGO, NATALIE TENNANT HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO FIND A BETTER WAY.

>> SOON AS I CAME IN, I WANTED TO HAVE AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE WE ARE OPEN TO IDEAS.

>> Reporter: AND THAT IS HOW NATALIE TENNANT-- THE FIRST FEMALE STUDENT TO BE SELECTED MASCOT OF THE WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS-- FINDS HERSELF LEADING ANOTHER KIND OF CHARGE: A CONTROVERSIAL-- CRITICS SAY QUIXOTIC-- PUSH TO BRING US VOTING TO THE INTERNET. CAN YOU IMAGINE THEN A DAY WHEN ALL OF US ARE VOTING ONLINE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER?

>> I COULD IMAGINE THE DAY. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHEN THAT DAY IS.

>> Reporter: SHOULD IT HAPPEN?

>> I THINK THAT FOLKS SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. WELL, I THINK THAT YOU USE WHAT WE HAVE. I MEAN, LOOK AT WHAT WERE USING NOW.

>> Reporter: SHE DID NOT HAVE TO LOOK FAR TO SEE THE PROBLEM: HER HUSBAND ERIK WELLS, A DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR AND A U.S. NAVY RESERVE LIEUTENANT COMMANDER, FOUND IT ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO VOTE WHILE HE WAS DEPLOYED THIS PAST YEAR IN AFGHANISTAN.

>> THE IRONIC PART IS I'M IN AFGHANISTAN TRYING TO HELP A FLEDGLING DEMOCRACY AND I HAVE DIFFICULTY BACK IN MY OWN DEMOCRACY GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET ME KNOW HOW I NEED TO VOTE.

>> Reporter: COMMANDER WELLS ENDED UP FAXING IN HIS MARKED BALLOT RELINQUISHING HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO SECRECY. THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY HE WOULD BE COUNTED IN TIME.

>> I THINK WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WAYS ON HOW TO ALLOW SOMEBODY TO VOTE IN AN ELECTRONIC AGE IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN ALSO KEEP THEIR ANONYMITY.

>> Reporter: THE PLIGHT OF DEPLOYED U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL IS WHAT PROMPTED NATALIE TENNANT TO RUN A PILOT ONLINE VOTING PROGRAM IN 2010 THAT ALLOWED 179 WEST VIRGINIANS IN UNIFORM IN HARMS WAY TO VOTE AS EASILY AS IF THEY WERE SHOPPING ON AMAZON.

>> I AM PROUD OF AND I FEEL VERY SECURE IN WHAT WE DID.

>> Reporter: HOW CAN YOU BE CERTAIN?

>> I CAN BE CERTAIN THAT I KNOW THAT WE HAVE NO BREACH IN OUR VOTES AND I'M CERTAIN IN THE REACTION THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE MILITARY MEMBERS WHO ARE OUT THERE RISKING THEIR LIVES, WHO WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR VOTES COUNTED.

>> Reporter: NATALIE AND ERIK ARE COMFORTABLE IN THE LIMELIGHT. BEFORE POLITICS, THEY USED TO BE A LOCAL NEWS ANCHOR TEAM. BUT AS SHE TRAVELED THE COUNTRY- - EVANGELIZING FOR ONLINE VOTING-- SHE RAN INTO A BUZZSAW SHE DID NOT EXPECT.

>> I LIKE TO COIN WORDS, I AM A FAN OF STEVEN COLBERT. I COINED THE WORD OXYTOPIAN TO TALK ABOUT THIS DREAM OF A SECURE INTERNET VOTING. I THINK SECURE INTERNET VOTING IS LIKE SAFE CIGARETTES.

>> Reporter: AT THIS PANEL TALK IN CONNECTICUT, SHE GOT AN EARFUL FROM SOME OF THE WORLD'S TOP COMPUTER SECURITY EXPERTS.

>> EVEN SECURING THE VOTE FROM WITHIN THE CONFINES OF POLLING PLACE VOTING IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. AND WHEN YOU MOVE TO THE CONTEXT OF INTERNET VOTING THE PROBLEMS ARE MAGNIFIED MAYBE A FOLD. IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. THAT IS COMPUTER SCIENCE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ALEX HALDERMAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. FAMOUS AMONG HACKERS FOR MAKING MINCEMEAT OF AN ONLINE VOTING SCHEME PLANNED BY THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

>> THIS IS WHAT A VOTER WOULD SEE IF THEY WERE USING THE D.C. SYSTEM.

>> Reporter: THE D.C. ELECTIONS BOARD HOPED TO ALLOW ONLINE VOTING IN THE GENERAL ELECTION IN 2010. A FEW WEEKS BEFORE ELECTION DAY, OFFICIALS ISSUED AN OPEN CHALLENGE TO HACKERS TO TRY AND BREACH THE SECURITY OF THEIR SYSTEM. PROFESSOR HALDERMAN AND SOME OF HIS GRAD STUDENTS TOOK THE BAIT AND GOT BUSY-- DOCUMENTING THEIR EXPLOIT IN DETAIL. HE HAS NOT ALLOWED THIS VIDEO TO BE BROADCAST UNTIL NOW. WITHIN 36 HOURS, THEY WERE IN TOTAL CONTROL OF THE ELECTIONS SERVER. THEY CHANGED VOTES TO ELECT SCIENCE FICTION COMPUTERS AND ROBOTS, DOWNLOADED A FILE WITH ALL THE REAL VOTER PASSWORDS AND RIGGED IT SO WHENEVER SOMEONE SUBMITTED A BALLOT, THEY HEARD THE MICHIGAN FIGHT SONG-- THE VICTORS AFTER A 15 SECOND DELAY. IT'S TANTAMOUNT TO SPIKING THE FOOTBALL, ISN'T IT?

>> WELL, WE WANTED TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN SUBTLETY AND OVERTNESS HERE, BUT...

>> Reporter: SUBTLE?

>> IT'S WHAT THE 15-SECOND DELAY IS FOR.

>> Reporter: HERE'S HOW THEY DID IT: BEFORE UPLOADING A BALLOT FOR SUBMISSION, THEY CHANGED THE NAME OF THE P.D.F. FILE TO INCLUDE A COMMAND THE SERVER RECOGNIZED. AFTER UPLOADING THE DOCTORED BALLOT, THE SERVER SAW THE COMMAND RESPONDED ACCORDINGLY AND THEY WERE IN. IN THE HACKERS LEXICON, THIS IS KNOWN AS A SHELL INJECTION ATTACK-- A WELL KNOWN TACTIC.

>> THAT'S AWESOME.

>> ALL WE HAD TO DO WAS FIND ONE VULNERABILITY IN ORDER TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE SYSTEM AND CHANGE ALL OF THE VOTES.

>> Reporter: PAUL STENBJORN WAS THE D.C. ELECTION OFFICIAL FORCED TO CANCEL THE ONLINE VOTING SCHEME AFTER THE HALDERMAN HACK.

>> I'M NOT EMBARRASSED ABOUT IT. I THINK WHAT WE DID WAS WE ACHIEVED THE END RESULT. OBVIOUSLY, THE SOFTWARE COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BETTER AND OBVIOUSLY, NEXT GENERATIONS SOLUTION ARE GOING TO BE STRONGER AND MORE ROBUST THAN THE ONE THAT WAS DEPLOYED IN DC.

>> Reporter: STENBJORN IS NOW DIRECTOR OF U.S. OPERATIONS FOR A SPANISH COMPANY CALLED SCYTL-- A LEADING MAKER OF ONLINE VOTING SYSTEMS. THE COMPANY CLAIMS CUSTOMERS AROUND THE WORLD.

>> THE VOTING PUBLIC EXPECTS SINCE THEY CAN CONDUCT THEIR BANKING ONLINE AND THEY CAN PAY THEIR TAXES ONLINE. WHY CAN'T THEY CAST THEIR BALLOTS ONLINE?

>> Reporter: IN WASHINGTON, THERE IS A STRONG PUSH TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE FOR THE MILLIONS OF DEPLOYED TROOPS AND EX- PATRIOTS. THE MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTER EMPOWERMENT ACT SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2009, PROMISED TO MAKE IT EASIER THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN U.S. ELECTIONS, USING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY. BUT FOR MOVE SUPPORTERS, IT'S BEEN A LONG BATTLE.

>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE FIVE OR SIX YEARS BEFORE WE'RE EVEN CLOSE TO A POINT WHERE WE THINK THAT WE COULD DEPLOY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MEET OUR LEGISLATIVE MANDATE.

>> Reporter: BOB CAREY, HEADS THE PENTAGONS FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. HE REMEMBERS HOW HARD IT WAS TO VOTE WHEN HE WAS ON ACTIVE DUTY AS A NAVAL AVIATOR. HE SAYS COMPUTER SECURITY EXPERTS WHO OPPOSE INTERNET VOTING AND NEARLY ALL OF THEM DO ARE SETTING THE BAR TOO HIGH.

>> SO THERE IS SIGNIFICANT RISK IN THE CURRENT SYSTEM AND WE ACCEPT NO RISK IN FUTURE ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT THERE MAY BE RISK. I THINK THAT'S UNFAIR TO THOSE MILITARY VOTERS.

>> Reporter: IT MAY SEEM ODD AT FIRST, BUT AS IT HAPPENS, THE MOST COMMITTED SUPPORTERS OF PAPER BALLOTS ARE THE BEST BRAINS IN THE WORLD OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY. DAVID WAGNER IS A COMPUTER SCIENCE PROFESSOR, AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY. IN 2004, HE CO-AUTHORED A DETAILED STUDY INTO A SYSTEM DEVELOPED BY SCYTL TO ALLOW DEPLOYED TROOPS TO VOTE ON LINE. THE REPORT TO THE PENTAGON PROMPTED A HASTY CANCELLATION OF THE PLAN.

>> THERE WAS NO WAY TO GUARANTEE YOUR VOTE WOULD BE COUNTED CORRECTLY, THAT IF SOMEONE WERE TO HACK THE CENTRAL COMPUTER SYSTEM AND SOMEONE COULD CHANGE VOTES, THERE MIGHT BE NO WAY TO DETECT THAT KIND OF ELECTION STEALING. I DON'T THINK ANY OF THE VOTING SYSTEM VENDORS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW HAS A SOLUTION THAT ENSURES THAT'S PROOF AGAINST HACKING OR THAT ENSURES WE CAN DETECT HACKING.

>> Reporter: AND THE ONLINE SECURITY THREAT HAS ONLY BECOME MORE OMINOUS IN RECENT YEARS. IF HACKERS CAN ROUTINELY BREACH HEAVILY FORTIFIED SERVERS AT PLACES LIKE GOOGLE, LOCKHEED MARTIN, VISA AND SONY, WHICH EMPLOY LEGIONS OF COMPUTER SECURITY EXPERTS. WHAT HOPE WOULD A LOCAL ELECTION COMMISSIONER HAVE OF DOING ANY BETTER? NOT MUCH, ACCORDING TO COMPUTER SCIENTIST DAVID JEFFERSON, CHAIRMAN OF A NON-PROFIT CALLED VERIFIED VOTING. ITS MISSION: TO KEEP THE PAPER IN OUR POLLING. IS THERE ANY DOUBT IN YOUR MIND THAT THE ELECTIONS WILL BECOME THE TARGET OF A COORDINATED ATTACK?

>> SEE, I THINK THE U.S. ELECTION WOULD BE A VERY RICH TARGET FOR ANY NUMBER OF CLASSES OF ATTACKERS. THERE COULD OF COURSE BE THE ISOLATED INDIVIDUAL SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD WHO WANTS FOR SELF- AGGRANDIZEMENT REASONS TO ATTACK THE U.S. ELECTION BUT OTHER FOREIGN NATION STATES WHO ARE RIVALS OF THE UNITED STATES MIGHT WANT TO SURREPTITIOUSLY CHANGE THE RESULTS OF A U.S. ELECTION.

>> Reporter: FOR NOW, ONLINE VOTING ADVOCATES ARE SETTLING FOR HALF A LOAF. THIS YEAR THE FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS DELIVERING BALLOTS TO U.S. VOTERS OVERSEAS ELECTRONICALLY, BUT THEY HAVE TO PRINT THEM OUT, MARK THEM AND RETURN THEM BY MAIL. SCYTL HAS SOLD A SIMILAR SYSTEM FOR DOMESTIC ABSENTEE VOTERS IN A DOZEN STATES. FASTER, MUCH MORE SECURE, BUT SHORT OF THE HOLY GRAIL: IPAD ELECTIONS, IF YOU WILL. IT MAY BE A DISTANT DREAM RIGHT NOW, BUT PEOPLE LIKE NATALIE TENANT ARE CONVINCED IT IS A JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE ONLINE VOTING BECOMES A REALITY IN THE U.S.

>> AND YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO USE THESE TECHNOLOGIES TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AND CONTINUE TO LET PEOPLE BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THEIR OWN. AND IF I'M THE ONE WHO HAS TO TAKE THE SHOTS ON IT, I WILL BE THE ONE TO TAKE THE SHOTS.

>> Reporter: NO ONE WANTS TO DISENFRANCHISE THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE THE REAL SHOTS FOR OUR COUNTRY. BUT A RUSH TO BRING OUR VOTING ONLINE MIGHT INVITE ANOTHER KIND OF NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT.

>> Brown: FINALLY TONIGHT, A DIFFERENT TAKE ON FEBRUARY AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH. IT WAS IN 1925 THAT THE SECOND WEEK OF THE SECOND MONTH WAS DESIGNATED AS NEGRO HISTORY WEEK. THAT, BECAUSE IT CONTAINS THE BIRTHDAYS OF TWO PROMINENT FIGURES: ABOLITIONIST FREDERICK DOUGLASS AND FORMER PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN. IN 1976, PRESIDENT GERALD FORD EXPANDED THE WEEK TO A FULL MONTH AND GAVE IT ITS PRESENT NAME. BUT EVEN WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY NOT EVERYONE BACKS THE IDEA OF A DEDICATED MONTH AS HARI SREENIVASAN RECENTLY LEARNED.

>> Sreenivasan: IN HIS NEW DOCUMENTARY, THIS FILM MAKER SETS OUT ON A CROSS-COUNTRY TREK TO FIND OUT WHETHER THE EXISTENCE OF A BLACK HISTORY MONTH SEPARATES IT FROM AMERICAN HISTORY. WHETHER ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE IS STILL RELEVANT TODAY. HIS DOCUMENTARY HIGHLIGHTS THE EVOLUTION OF THE MONTH AS WELL AS ITS IMPACT ON EDUCATION, HISTORY, IDENTITY, AND COMMERCIALISM. "MORE THAN A MONTH" IS PART OF A SLATE OF DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AIRING ON "INDEPENDENT LENS" ACROSS PBS STATIONS THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY. WE RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH SOME OF THE FILMMAKERS AND SUBJECTS AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THE RELEVANCE OF THE HERITAGE MONTH.

>> I USED TO LOVE BLACK HISTORY MONTH. I THOUGHT BLACK HISTORY MONTH WAS REALLY COOL. AROUND ABOUT THE TIME THAT I WAS AN ADULT AND I STARTED TO HEAR THE SAME PEOPLE BE BROUGHT UP DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH I STARTED TO GET A LITTLE KIND OF LIKE... IS THIS ALL WE'RE GOING TO DO. IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN EVERY YEAR? AND THEN IN 2005 I BELIEVE IT WAS I SAW MORGAN FREE MAN ON "60 MINUTES".

>> I DON'T WANT A BLACK HISTORY MONTH. BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY.

>> ALL OF A SUDDEN I'M NOT ALONE.

>> Reporter: IN THE 1960s, DR. ANGELA DAVIS WAS ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE BLACK POWER MOVEMENT.

>> I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHOW A FILM LIKE THIS DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

>> SHE'S FEATURED IN THE DOCUMENTARY "THE BLACK POWER MIX TAPE" WHICH AIRED LAST WEEK ON PBS AND FEATURES NEVER BEFORE SEEN FOOTAGE OF DAVIS AND OTHERS. ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE AND RADICAL LEADERS OF HER TIME, SHE BELIEVES IT IS IMPORTANT TO REFLECT ON WHAT THE STRUGGLE FOR BLACK LIBERATION HAS MEANT TO THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF AMERICA. I THINK THE STRUGGLE OF BLACK PEOPLE AND THEIR ALLIES, IT'S A STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM THAT AFFECTS EVERY AMERICAN THIS COUNTRY AND IT HAS GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS AS WELL. SO I WOULD LIKE TO THINK OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH NOT SO MUCH AS THE HISTORY OF BLACK PEOPLE BUT RATHER WHEN WE REFLECT ON THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM.

>> EVERYTHING ABOUT WHO I AM COMES FROM GROWING UP IN BROOKLYN AND COMES FROM MY PARENTS. THEY LAID THE FOUNDATION.

>> Sreenivasan: THE HIP-HOP ARTIST NARRATES THE FILM "THE BLACK POWER MIX CAPE" AND IS OPPOSED TO IT BEING RELEGATED TO A SINGLE MONTH.

>> BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS A WAY TO HELP PEOPLE TO AT LEAST TRY TO DEAL WITH IT FOR A MONTH. I'M DOWN FOR THINKING OF AFRICAN HISTORY OR BLACK HISTORY AS PART OF A WORLD HISTORY AS OPPOSED TO IT JUST BEING A MONTH SET ASIDE. I THINK THAT MARGINALIZES IT A BIT.

>> Sreenivasan: FILMMAKER SHARON LE CRUZ IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE DOCUMENTARY "DAISY BAITS, FIRST LADY OF LITTLE ROCK." HER FILM DOCUMENTS DAISY BAITS WHO DEFENDED THE RIGHTS OF NINE BLACK STUDENTS TO GO TO THE ALL-WHITE HIGH SCHOOL IN LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS. SHE SEES THE POTENTIAL HER FILM CAN GAIN BY HAVING A FEBRUARY BROADCAST.

>> DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH THERE'S A HUGE FOCUS ON AFRICAN AMERICAN STORIES SO IT KIND OF GIVES THE FILM A LOT MORE PUBLICITY AND ACCESS AND IT CAN ENTER INTO A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS.

>> Sreenivasan: WHILE MOST FILMMAKERS WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE NATIONAL EXPOSURE, THE AIRING OF "MORE THAN A MONTH" PUT THIS IS FILM MAKER IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION YOUR FILM IS AIRING DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

>> YES.

>> Sreenivasan: AS YOU PREDICTED IN THE FILM.

>> YES.

>> Sreenivasan: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

>> I'M TORN. I FEEL LIKE I UNDERSTAND THE. IT'S A FILM ABOUT BLACK HISTORY MONTH. IT PROPOSES TO SORT OF DO SOMETHING OR DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT BLACK HISTORY MONTH. SO WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO AIR IT, JULY? BUT AT THE SAME TIME ISN'T THE POINT TO AIR IT IN JULY? I UNDERSTAND THAT VIEWERS MAY COME FEBRUARY 16 IN THOSE MARKET AND I HOPE IT REAIRS SOMETIME NOT IN FEBRUARY.

>> Sreenivasan: IN JULY.

>> IN JULY!

>> Sreenivasan: FOR NOW THE DOCUMENTARY "MORE THAN A MONTH" WILL AIR TONIGHT ON PBS'S "INDEPENDENT LENS."

>> Woodruff: JOIN HARI FOR A SOCIAL SCREENING OF "MORE THAN A MONTH" -- THAT MEANS WATCHING WITH HIM, THE FILMMAKER AND OTHERS ONLINE AT 3:00 P.M. EASTERN TIME TOMORROW. FIND MORE INFORMATION AND A LINK ON OUR HOME PAGE. AND ANOTHER PROGRAMMING NOTE BEFORE WE GO-- A PBS DOCUMENTARY AIRING TONIGHT EXAMINES COMMUNITIES THAT MANAGE TO DELIVER TOP NOTCH HEALTH CARE AT A REASONABLE COST. IT'S CALLED "U.S. HEALTH CARE-- THE GOOD NEWS."

>> Brown: AGAIN, THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE DAY: THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY CALLED FOR SYRIAN LEADER BASHIR ASSAD TO STEP DOWN ON A DAY OF MORE DEADLY CLASHES KILLING DOZENS IN SYRIA. GENERAL MOTORS REPORTED ITS LEON PANETTA TOLD CONGRESS THAT WILL IRAN HAS NOT YET DECIDED WHETHER TO BUILD A NUCLEAR WEAPON. GENERAL MOTORS REPORTED ITS LARGEST ANNUAL PROFIT EVER JUST TWO YEARS AFTER GOING THROUGH BANKRUPTCY. AND WALL STREET RALLIED ON NEWS OF FALLING JOBLESS BENEFIT CLAIMS AND RISING HOUSING STARTS. THE DOW INDUSTRIALS GAINED MORE THAN 120 POINTS. AND ON OUR WEBSITE, IT'S SCIENCE THURSDAY. WE FOLLOW UP ON THE STORY ABOUT THE STRANDED DOLPHINS AND ASK EXPERTS WHAT'S CAUSED THE ANIMALS TO BEACH AND DIE ON CAPE COD. ALSO, YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT EFFORTS TO COMBAT MALNUTRITION AROUND THE GLOBE AND THE CHALLENGES AID GROUPS FACE TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SITE: newshour.pbs.org. AND THAT'S THE NEWSHOUR FOR TONIGHT. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF.

>> Brown: AND I'M JEFFREY BROWN. WE'LL SEE YOU ONLINE AND AGAIN HERE TOMORROW EVENING WITH MARK SHIELDS AND MICHAEL GERSON, AMONG OTHERS. THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT. MOVING OUR ECONOMY FOR 160 YEARS. BNSF, THE ENGINE THAT CONNECTS US. AND BY THE BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION. DEDICATED TO THE IDEA THAT ALL PEOPLE DESERVE THE CHANCE TO LIVE A HEALTHY PRODUCTIVE LIFE. AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND, THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. CAPTIONING SPONSORED BY MACNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS CAPTIONED BY MEDIA ACCESS GROUP AT WGBH ACCESS.WGBH.ORG

>> THIS IS "BBC WORLD NEWS AMERICA." FUNDING FOR THIS PRESENTATION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FREEMAN FOUNDATION OF NEW YORK, STOWE, VERMONT, AND HONOLULU. NEWMAN'S OWN FOUNDATION. AND UNION BANK.

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