you see bill clinton coming out of the clinton's home in washington d.c. he comes out dressed very casually. carrying a bag. he put something into the car. we believe we saw hillary clinton's right hand woman uma get into the car and then it drove off. it is not clear if bill and hillary clinton got into that car again and are on their way to capitol hill for of course hillary clinton to take a grilling over the benghazi attacks. manu raju is live on capitol hill. he's going to cover the hearing today. you can see hillary clinton coming out the door here. i'm seeing these pictures for the first time along with you. so we'll just enjoy them together. there is huma abedin. she'll also get into the car. and bill clinton standing at the door. perhaps he's going to wave bye-bye. i don't know. ma manu, what's going on? >> we're waiting for hillary clinton to come walking in right behind me. it is going to be interesting to see bill clinton not getting in the car there. we've been hearing he's also been helping her with the testimony given how high profile this i

sharyl: clinton ambassador susan rice stayed on message. on the sunday tv shows. >> we do not have information at present that leads us to conclude that this was premeditated or preplanned. aryl: we learned mucuclater that obama o oicials deleted references to terrorism and al qaeda from rice's talking points. many deletions were dered by cia nuer two mike morrell. at the time, the white house insisted there only edit to her talking points was changing the word "consulate" to "diplomatic post." >> the point being it was a matter of non-substantive factual correction. >> to o very clear, the whihi house did not make any substantive changes to the talking points. sharyl: in mayay last year, we learned the white house did make substaive changes after all. documents showed an obama away from terrorism. >> the white house had a line about the administration warning of september 10 0 social media repopos calling for demonstrations. true? >> i believe so. sharyl: more documents revealed last year showed a top obama advisor coordinated the incorrec

clinton has a solid lead. let's look at the key states. >> with that lead you have to call her the front runner and go state by state, you do see she's facing a very tough surprising challenge from senator sanders. real clear politics average of several of the most recent polls. clinton leading in iowa but not by a lot. 37-31 vice president at 15. that's the first state iowa where barack obama stunned her in 2008. new hampshire that clinton won in 2008. this is interesting. sanders from neighboring vermont on average at 39% to 30% for clinton, some poll haves shown a bigger sanders lead, anderson. new hampshire appears to be a trouble state for secretary clinton and brand new numbers today, nevada and south carolina come next. let's go to south carolina first. look at this, 49% with the vice president in the race for secretary clinton. 49-24-18 for senator sanders. look at this without vice president biden. at the moment south carolina looks like a good fire wall state and the debate will be out of nevada, als

in general i think hillary clinton killed it. from what i heard, everyone had developments. >> there were a number of moments where they were into the issues that the manned date brought up. was there one that spoke to you? >> i would say when she turned it around on the planned parent hoot issue and talked about the hypocrisy, they were quake to find if. that got a big reaction. >> they'll be the front run erp. doesn't come without the baggage. >> did the other candidates seize the opportunity to talk about liabilities. >> the only candidate bringing up liabilities what is chaffey, but i don't think the crowd were impressed. bernie sanders, he didn't want to the attack hillary clinton. the governor said at some stages we are different. he was noncritical. if the candidates wanted to jump at her, they didn't take the opportunity. maybe that's a good thing. maybe they'll move up in the polls. >> last question. before the debate everyone was loud. bernie sanders captain depend on the younger vote. will they vote. >> i think so. the

is, for a political win for hillary rodham clinton. three times that year before khadafi was killed and turn your attention oother things. i yield back. >> well, congressman, that is only a political statement. >> i don't know what we want from you. do we want to badger you over and over again until you get tired until we get the gotcha moment he is talking about? we are better than that. we are so much better. we oar better country and we are better than using taxpayer dollars. to try destroy a campaign. that's not what america is all about. so you can comment if you like. i just had to get that off my chest. [applause] >> you had two ambassadors that made several, several requests, and here's basically what happened to their requests. they were torn up. >> that's just not true congressman. i know that -- >> madam secretary that didn't them. >> al jazeera's libby casey joins us from barn what's been the reaction to both sides of the aisle? >> as trey gowdy the chairman left the marathon 11 hour hearing yesterday, he admitted that the

[cheering] clinton: now -- [chanting] clinton: now i know -- [chanting] sen. clinton: i know when i talk about these things, republicans say that i am playing the gender card. i know. well, if talking about equal pay, paid family leave, affordable childcare, and women's health is playing the gender card, deal me in. [cheering] [chanting] clinton: i know, i know and you know, it is not enough to rail against the republicans and the billionaires. we actually have to win this election in order to rebuild the middle class and make a positive difference in people's lives. we have to build in america america again where success is measured by how many people work their way into the middle class, not how many ceos get bonuses. by how many children climb out of poverty, how many families can afford health care, many young people can go to college without taking on years of debt. [cheering] clinton: that is how we should measure success in this country. as i said at the debate in las vegas, i am a progressive who likes to get things done. [cheering] clinton: and i stil

republicans pressed clinton trying to make their case. she failed in her duty to secure the american diplomatic mission in benghazi, libya. democrats dismiss the entire episode as a partisan taxpayer-funded witch hunt. >> you know, i would imagine i've thought more about what happened than all of you put together. i've lost more sleep than all of you put together. >> hillary clinton stood her ground today before the congressional committee investigating the benghazi attacks from her time as secretary of state. her long-awaited testimony shed more fireworks than light on the 2012 assault on the u.s. consulate in libya that took the lives of the u.s. ambassador and three other americans. >> we're going to pursue the truth in a manner worthy of the memory of the four people who lost their lives. and worthy of the respect of our fellow citizens. and we are going to write that final definitive accounting of what happened in benghazi. >> but the hearing soon devolved into a familiar partisan argument that's dominated american politics for much

it's because the clintons -- we don't say hillary clinton, bill clinton, we say the clintons. they have been there. you can imagine hillary clinton in a black church. hard to imagine bernie sanders would know what to do in a black church. that long relationship is there. but he does have room to grow especially if he focuses on these criminal justice issues. these issues that are really mobilized and motivated these younger african-american voters and their allies. if he comes in hard on criminal justice reform where hillary clinton was not there until recently, he may be able to grow. but he's going to have to grow. >> one thing bernie sanders does have in common with donald trump, the huge crowds that come out to see him 30,000, 20,000, it's amazing what's been going on. people want to hear what bernie sanders, democrats want to hear what he has to say. >> it is amazing. when you see the images and pictures come out on twitter of just a sea of people showing up in all sorts of places, everywhere boston to oregon, it really is amazing. and i think that, you know, he's been ab

some exchange with hillary clinton. how they manage that, how do they have a confront tration with her about an issue, her character, consistency without going over the line is the great challenge for the other people in the debate who will be a factor, whether poll numbers move an ounce or not. they will be players, too, they're desperate. they need something to happen. they need traction. >> i know the name martin o'malley is not top of mind when we think about the debate but that's the toughest challenge help began as the likely alternative to hillary clinton, eclipsed by bernie sanders, now on the edge of extinction and has to perform well in the debate. he has to confront the question you raise, how aggressive should i be? how do i pause myself, how do be the younger generation candidate. you have a 74-year-old in sanders, 67-year-old in clinton, he's a younger candidate. he may make that new generation appeal. >> thanks so much. more from all of you throughout the night. one man will oversee the tone of tonight's

top aide in clinton's presidential campaign. the clinton campaign issued a statement this morning, saying, "the republicans' focus on huma abedin of all people, and their decision to leak details about her appearance is just another tactic in their partisan plan to go after hillary clinton. and in that vein, we hope that the leaks that have become routine do not happen after she completes her interview." nbc news capitol hill correspondent kelly o'donnell joins us live. and kelly, as we understand it, the committee chair is not participating in this? what can you tell us? >> reporter: well, this is the kind of an event when it comes to a committee like this that looks very different than those public hearings that we often cover. really, it's the investigative staff for both republicans and democrats that are doing the work here. the chairman, trey gowdy, is not in attendance. the top democrat, elijah cummings, he is here. and then two republican members who are part of the committee are here. but it's really not so much about t

clinton: mr. trump was asked about it, and he said, things like that happen in the world, and governor bush said, yeah, stuff happens. no. that's an admission of defeat and surrender to a problem that is killing 33,000 americans. mark: but the size of her entourage and the controlled formality of clinton's interactions with voters makes her seem less like a challenger and more like a defending champ. >> the secret service protection she has, cautious staff, she's not answering reporter questions. she is sticking on message. that's really different from the way a lot of other candidates work. mark: here is another example of how clinton is an unusual candidate. a reporter she has known for nearly a quarter century, standing inches away from her, asks her questions, and she pretends she can't hear him. what is your message to the nra, secretary clinton? can i ask you a question about guns, secretary clinton? what is your message to the nra? like a normal candidate, clinton will take questions from a

getting hillary clinton in there. >> trying to get hillary clinton or the truth. at the first debate hillary clinton questioned the motives. >> the committee spent 4.5 million of money, and said they were trying to figure out what to do better. there were already seven committee reports about what to do? >> i think it's clear what their obvious goal is. >> thank you. >> reporter: seven congressional probes looked into the 2012 attacks, including two senate committees, homeland security and five in the house. oversight and government reform for an affairs,nd intelligence. all found short comings, none found criminal acts or cover ups in the events on the attack. and the deaths of four americans, ambassador chris stevens, john smith, tyrone woods and glen doherty. the issue has been kept alive not just by republicans, but conservative talk radio. >> what questions to you think are unanswered on benghazi? >> the number one thing is i haven't heard anyone say what the problem was. >> chris argues that it is embarrassing that after all the investigations there are, in

>>> hillary clinton on the hot seat for hours, hours and hours. an 11-hour hearing on the benghazi terror attack. this went late, folks. there were big emotional moments. we have new reaction this morning coming up. good morning, everyone. welcome to "early start." i'm john berman. >> and i'm christine romans. this morning hillary clinton is back on the campaign trail. she's in virginia after that exhausting and exhaustive 11-hour grilling by the house benghazi committee. again and again republicans pressed the former secretary of state about her response to security concerns at the u.s. diplomatic compound in benghazi, libya. they drilled into her actions on the night of the attack on that compound, the attack in 2012, an attack that killed u.s. ambassador chris stevens, foreign service officer sean smith and cia contractors glen doherty and tyrone woods. at times clinton's testimony was emotional. >> i wonder if you would like to comment on what it's like to be dealing with the allegation that you deliberately caused the life of an ambassador wh

clinton. a couple of weeks back, you came and spoke to a large group about the drug issue in our state. we are grandparents raising our 10-year-old grandson because his father, we lost them to an overdose. i love keene state because i taught here for 15 years and retired here. would you please say a bit more, even though you are preaching to the choir. ms. clinton: i have to say, you are the third grandmother that i have personally met in new hampshire that is raising a grandchild because of drugs. we did have an incredible town hall here, didn't we? 600-700 people, most of them really affected in some way or another by this terrible epidemic of addiction. in particular, here new hampshire, and next-door in vermont, heroin. the heroin epidemic, which is killing so many young people, and leaving grieving and broken families behind. i don't think i would have been talking about this issue had i not spent several months listening to people. in iowa, on my first trip, in this campaign, and then in

>> and the speech today, it was not an endorsement of hillary clinton by the way. he continued with the same themes that he has been talking about for the last few days, and he didn't, you know, come out and say, well, we are all for hillaryingk. >> -- hillary clinton. >> and he is not going to do it in a few days and the 5ids will presumably will as well. stand by. and in the rose garden remarks, the vice president harkened back to the beginnings and the desire to be anything that he wanted. >> to be anything that we wanted to be, and to do anything, anything that we want, and that what we were both taught. that is what the president was taught. it was real. that is what i grew up believing. and you know, it has always been true in this country. and if we ever lose that, we have lost something very special. le we will have lost the very soul of this country. >> and let's bring in the senior political commentator david axelrod, former adviser to president obama, and david, at some point it sets the stage down the road and maybe not the next few days or weeks, but t

hillary clinton, this is a referendum, first and foremost about hillary clinton. i think there's a portion of the democratic electorate that's responded viscerally and strongly and probably more than they thought to bernie sanders. i don't think you can get to 51% by flanking hillary clinton on the left. if there is a way to fundamentally challenge her, it's with a majority of democratic voters. if she can answer the questions sufficiently for democratic voters, i think it's really hard for anybody else to get past her, just by being more desirable or seeming stronger. >> but she does also have to show that likable aspect of her personality, that charm. you meet so many democratic voters who have total clinton fatigue and just want something fresh and new. that's where the ground swell has come for biden. we'll see how she does with that. >> do you think that's how she's being coached, be as comfortable, relatable, conversational, have zingers. is that what her handlers are telling her? >> right. let's not forget, she's probably the most skilled debater up there o

not just clinton's, but others as well. john: trey gowdy spent months bragging about how they had all this new information. how all this new stuff is going to come to light. hillary clinton and her defenders will be able to say that the previous seven or eight investigations have covered this ground thoroughly already. mark: that's the substance of the hearing. but it's also important in a congressional hearing to deal with style. it is no surprise, given the nature of this conversation, some emotions boiled over the pot. for her part, secretary clinton appeared clearly and visibly annoyed at times. the telltale sign was when she rested her head in her hand. more than once, republicans stopped clinton midsentence, and insisted she read the notes her staff were handing to her. john, on the important question of style and political theater, who won the day so far? john: i think hillary clinton won the day, and i will tell you why. i think it is never a good look from republicans when republican men are interrupting democratic

clinton. it's not powerful enough to prevent legislation from getting past, but the polling is so overwhelmingly favorable to some form of gun control. we've seen such a wave of hornacek violence in so many places. even people who previously for whom gun control was anathema, they've moved to this issue -- this area where they are able to accept something. if you are looking for news not about donald trump, dan balls is your guy. he writes in "the washington post" that a melee hasbro cannot between three establishment candidates, the one-time front-runner jeb bush, his protege marco rubio, and ohio's john kasich. these three are refocusing their attacks on each other rather than wasting ammo on the donald. it bush is trashing rubio's limited experience. rubio is calling for a non-legacy candidate during kasich is saying his record is better than both of theirs. who has the upper hand? mark: i think rubio does. he's picking up a lot of support from scott walker financial and grassroots. so far,

clinton has explaining to do. we didn't need to de-emphasize and drop the investigation on different agencies, organizations and individuals. >> republican committee chairman trey gowdy said he never instructed him to focus on clinton. he said that he has, quote, demanded money from the committee, and committee refused to pay him, and he's now run to the press with his new allegations about secretary clinton. a spokesperson for the committee said in a statement that the claims are transparentally fals. the statement said, quote, thus directly contrary to his brand-new assertion, the employee actually was terminated, in part, because he himself manifested improper parrially and animus in his investigative work. >> wow. keep in mind, the house-led benghazi committee has been investigating benghazi for 17 months now. that's a month longer than the watergate investigation. taxpayers dolled out more than $4.6 million and counting. let's talk about this and the debate. a former manager of hillary clinton's 2008 campaign

democrats love hillary clinton. they also like bernie sanders and i think if they get to know martin oh molly and these other candidates, they will like them. i think the challenge is, one, it's created this press storm where all you've heard about from hillary clinton for the last four or five months now is the e-mails, bad polls and how the e-mails have caused her to have bad polls and that's a negative feedback loop that's hurt her. i think she has an opportunity start, this debate, as i said, pivot to something else and move forward. i think she can do that. it's going to take a lot of work and being transparent and nondefensive in how she answers the question, but the best opportunity she has is tomorrow night. >> but, david, whether it's -- dan, back to you. let's follow up on that. whether you think it's a real issue or not, or if you think it's something that is orchestrated by the republicans, it has become a talking point. she is being questioned about it. it has affected her in the polls and has affected

to chelsea clinton. let me read you what this e-mail says. this was new. we had not known about this before. it said two officers, from hillary to chelsea, two officers were killed today in benghazi by an al qaeda-like group. that information was conveyed, david, from had hillary clinton to chelsea clinton. >> right. >> within the hours that she released to the public a statement about what happened in benghazi. now, ben, in some republicans on the committee mischaracterized what that statement said. also that statement said some people are saying it was a video. hillary clinton certainly did not say in the statement that these people in benghazi were killed by an al qaeda-like group. why the omission? >> she also -- >> no, no. why didn't she tell the american people in that release that some people were suggesting that our four americans in benghazi were killed by an al qaeda-like group? >> there was a lot of conflicting information in the moment. as i said, as she testified, one piece of information wa

hillary clinton in the middle. poll standing will determine the order of opening and closing statements. no candidate can bring a phone or a tablet or notes or any props on stage. they will each be given a pad of paper and pen and have water if they need it. what will they face? an all cnn panel this time around. moderator is our own anderson cooper. he is joined by dana bash and juan carlos lopez and don lemon watching facebook and instagram for questions he will present to the candidates. each candidate will have one minute to answer a direct question. if one gets brought up in somebody's answer, they have 30 seconds to respond to that. lights will tell them they are running overtime. anderson has the discretion to let any part of the conversation to go on longer if he feel it is is needed for whatever reason. you can bet the candidates on the edges want every moment they can get to try to make an impression and rise in the polls and maybe closer to center next time around. christine, john. >> tom foreman for us.

clinton:. lary.anet hil brian: explain the david brock thing after we run a clip of .avid brock on msnbc >> i am a hillary clinton advocate and supporter but that doesn't mean that my facts are wrong. an institutional bias against the clintons by "the new york times." you have to start with benghazi, a failed investigation. colludedn operatives with "the new york times". to create this e-mail scandal -- to create this e-mail scandal. let me tell you why. it is brilliant, because this is a liberal paper, the gold standard, the paper of record. it is the perfect host body for the anti-clinton virus. explain david brock. amy: i don't think i can explain david brock. i certainly think he is an effective communicator, defender hillary clinton. i'm surprised he started with benghazi, i thought he would have started with whitewater. the clinton conspiracies about the new york times to start with whitewater. there were decade-long grievances between the two caps that date back to whitewater. the clinto

clinton: now -- [chanting] sen. clinton: now i know -- [chanting] sen. clinton: i know when i talk about these things, republicans say that i am playing the gender card. i know. well, if talking about equal pay, paid family leave, affordable childcare, and women's health is playing the gender card, deal me in. [cheering] [chanting] sen. clinton: i know, i know and you know, it is not enough to rail against the republicans and the billionaires. we actually have to win this election in order to rebuild the middle class and make a positive difference in people's lives. we have to build in america again where success is measured by how many people work their way into the middle class, not how many ceos get bonuses. by how many children climb out of poverty, how many families can afford health care, many young people can go to college without taking on years of debt. [cheering] sen. clinton: that is how we should measure success in this country. as i said at the debate in las vegas, i am a progressive who likes to get things done. [cheering] sen. clinton: and

party now saddled with scandal ridden clinton. we divided the lines by clinton supporters. those in the bernie sanders cap -- -- camp. what is your reaction to this? all others you can dial in 202-7 48-8002. frontw york times, their page story says this eases the path for hillary clinton. that is the headline. inside, this is what they report. fundraising was the biggest factor in his decision. he told aides and supporters "the strongest chance to continue the work that barack obama has done would be with him. he added that he believes mrs. clayton could lose the republicans - -- mrs. clinton could lose to the republicans you remember the last time he ran in 2008. he did not win the iowa caucuses. therailed behind many of democrats in the race then. is supporting bernie sanders p what you make of this news he will not be challenged by joe biden? caller: i want to save is unfortunate that elections, and if you run for president, is determined by how much money you have in the bank. and hillary clinton -- she does not have my vote in 2016. bernie sanders speaks for what i fee

or was raining on clinton's parade with a luke warm grade. >> i thought they all did well. >> top clinton advisers told fox immediately after the debate they see no credible path to the race for biden. the privately admit another clinton stumble after months of sliding polls over her email controversy would have panicked her fundraisers and other allies and opened the floodgates for a biden rescue mission. >> she obviously performed well last night. >> a reminder that the rest of the field struggled to look presidential. so clinton took a giant step toward locking down her party's nomination by dwarfing the others. democratic nominee bernie sanders stated that he does not believe in capitalism. >> jim webb opened the door to illegal immigrants getting obamacare. >> her explanation for flip flops may sting in a general election. >> if you are learning you're going to change your position. i never took a position on keystone until i took a position on keystone. >> then there are her trust issues, more easily side-stepped when she's among democrats. >> the american people are sick and tired

there are some of hillary clinton and bill clinton's. developed the power rangers entertainment network was getting messages and some greetings through to the clintons. there was even one point when huma abedin wrote the secretary and said he trying to get in touch immediately with former president clinton and can you and we're trying to reach him. you can help? so what we saw was that these top donors, many of whom the clinton described as friends had top level access to the secretary. >> i know that she has the uniqueness of having this big charity associated with her name. but, were you able at all to look -- is this sort of standard business in washington or is this unusual or are you unable to make that determination because you can't go through other emails? >> it's a good question. and i you think it points to the political question that you were talking about earlier which is the cost of this email controversy to hillary clinton and her presidential campaign. we don't really know how other secretaries of state, john kerry, george

to find out did hillary clinton -- did hillary clinton make a grievous error in not following up security complaints, how could she tell the various investigating committees that that was below her, that it never reached her level? that could be a legitimate reason. but why, then, do you call sid blumenthal and houma abedin and all of these other personal aides and non-aides? why have you focused so much on e-mails and not on the central question of why was the security failure at that consulate? >> well, we have focused on the central failure. we have focused on the security issues, and you'll see lots of questions about that on thursday. let me speak to mr. blumenthal. it goes directly to the security issue. we see now the former secretary relied on mr. blumenthal for most of her intelligence. she was relying -- >> that is factually not correct. >> that is correct. >> relied on mr. blumenthal for most of her intelligence? >> ms. mitchell, look at the e-mails trails. you will see. >> i cover the state department. that is factually not correct. i'm as tough on this issue as >> alex, quick

with hillary clinton. [applause] [cheering] i am a proud graduate of keene state college, and i want to welcome all of you to this outstanding campus this afternoon. [applause] >> i also want to thank hillary. i believe this is your third community toour talk with us in a matter of months. we cannot thank you enough. and how about the debate? [applause] [cheering] and what a great performance by hillary clinton. and here we have her with us today. watched the debate, as all of you did. i have to say that one of the things that hillary talked about that really touched my heart and is so important to me is to end gun violence. [applause] whatever we say today, here, whatever we do here today, will not bring back the lives of those who have been lost to gun violence. and no matter what we do here today or what we say, it will not lessen the pain or the suffering or the grief for all of those families who have lost a loved one to gun violence. so today, i stand here with hillary clinton and support her because

, huge crowds that have turned out tomorrow on that stage in terms of senator clinton, senator clinton or secretary clinton going after each other, can she afford to alienate that kind of enthusiasm? that support? >> i don't think she will. she will want to welcome and invite them assuming she gets the nomination but so much of that huge crowd buildup has to do with people feeling angry about inequality and lack of jobs, particularly young people saying where is our middle class and upper middle class. to me, the republican haves done an unbelievable job about taking her away from being able to talk about those policies so tomorrow, anderson, when you have them on the stage, i am so excited to hear actual substance from the candidates about this. if you ask hue does a poll about the number one issue americans believe is the most important for politicians to address, it's always jobs in the economy. specific policies to be able to fix what those crowds, what anybody in america wants to see happen. that's what i would love to hear tomorrow night is address those concerns. >> we talked ab

clinton: you bet. we're all on the same team. >> first-time caucus goer. >> first-time caucus-goers. >> all right. here we go. sen. clinton: how would you do an internship? >> [indiscernible] clinton: be sure to follow up with her. we are going to need a lot of help. first-time caucus goer. clinton: what did you vote on? oh, here it is. >> [indiscernible] thank you.n: thank you. >> we will be in touch. >> [indiscernible] >> [indiscernible] excited to have you as president. >> [indiscernible] yes, yes. >> i thought it would be. i think of you. >> good going. [indiscernible] [indiscernible] [indiscernible] [inaudible] [inaudible] >> two democratic candidates dropped out of the race this week. former senator jim webb and lincoln chafee. and vice president biden declared he will not be entering the race. he made that announcement wednesday from the white house rose garden alongside his wife jill and president obama. v.p. biden: good morning, folks. please, please, sit down. mr. president, thank you for len

hillary clinton won. in my entire career, i've never done that, asking a voter to ask my question, but i think with hillary clinton, it may become my common practice. i'm wondering if you think watching the piece and watching her lately whether you think she's getting better as a candidate. john: you know, i think she looks pretty good today, and you've got to attribute some of it to the fact that she is suddenly having this opportunity we talked about earlier to go on offense and not be constantly on defense. i don't know. i would like to see a consistent performance increase, better performance on her part before one renders judgment. i've seen her give a couple really good speeches this year. she looked better in that we setting than she has for a while, but she still seems like she is not firing on every cylinder. i want to see a little more. what is your thought about that? mark: i thought she was very strong today. when she gets into a problem, everybody focuses on the negative, but the fact is, if

that is a shot as hillary clinton. she tried to jump on mccarthy's comment about the benghazi committee try beating her up. listen. >> i have taken responsibility for it. i did say it was a mistake. what i did was allowed by the state department wasn't the best choice. i have been as transparent as i know to be, turning over 55,000 pages of my e-mails, asking they be made public and i'm going to be testifying. i've been asking to testify sometime. and to do it in public. this committee is basically an arm of the republican national committee. it is a partisan vehicle as admitted by the house republican majority leader mr. mccarthy to drive down my poll numbers, surprise. >> she went on to say "i'm standing". a direct appeal she's taking fire but is still the front runner. interesting she's trying to focus in on the problem was the benghazi committee but not addressing e-mail controversy itself because despite the back and forth with the republicans it does not change the fact there is a nonpartisan, criminal investigat

>> lanny davis is here special assistant to council for bill clinton. >> they said in 2008 hillary clinton won 80 percent of the debate. she has a lot of experience as you know first hand. how did you think she did last night? >> i don't know what winning or losing debates really is people sound like it's a performance rather than a discussion of issues. the big contrast is hillary clinton and bernie sanders and certainly governor o'malley, i don't regard comments made by senator web or governor chaffey as particularly relevant. but the three of them engaged in a discussion of issues that people care about. i think the three of them did very well. >> now that we have seen hillary debate this time around, who do you think would be best served to debate against her in terms of the gop candidates to go against her in the primary debate? >> well, i would say the most serious and decent and honorable debater among the group of republicans, meaning instead of engaging in name calling, vi vitriol food fights which is what we saw in the republican debate there were one or two people who tried to b

clinton. she's the obvious front-runner right now in this race. but a few moments ago, vermont senator bernie sanders has been giving her a run for her money making her feel the heat, feel the burn, you might say, as supporters might say in polls like places like new hampshire. but there are other candidates up on this stage who have a lot to prove on tuesday night. you mentioned one, former governor martin o'malley, will be trying to differentiate himself from the other contenders but loin conchafinco and it is bernie sanders that has captured the progressive nature of the democratic party. much in the same way that barack obama did back in 2008. he likes to remind supporters that he opposed the iraq war in 2002. he's now saying hillary clinton voted in favor of that iraq war back in 2002. echoes, shades of that battle royale between barack obama and hillary clinton. but earlier today bernie sanders was asked whether or not he can put together that same coalition, capture that same lightning

against hillary clinton? >> i believe it is hillary clinton against hillary clinton fundamentally in the debate and the race at this point. these two polls are an iowa check. iowa and new hampshire are anomalous, both 59% white states. one-third of all democratic primary voters in 2008, the last time we had a competitive race between president obama and hillary clinton were minority voters. today, hillary clinton is dominant among those voters. you see the numbers here in south carolina, we assume the numbers here in nevada. she's in a very strong -- until bernie sanders proves he can crack into that minority support and/or joe biden comes in and fractures that minority support, it is very difficult to see how anybody gets past her on their own terms. the issue really is not so much do a majority of democrats prefer bernie sanders to hillary clinton, it's whether a majority of democrats conclude that hillary clinton is or is not a strong, viable, general election candidate given the incoming she's taken over

with biden out hillary clinton earth iffer secures her spot. this as donald trump reaches his 100th day on top of the republican polls. are we staring down a clinton/trump general election matchup. and also bob woodward here to reveal new secrets about what led to the down fall of richard nixon. and i challenge three reporters to tell me something i don't know. this is "hardball." place for politics. the kids are asleep. look what i got. oh my froot loops! [sniffs] let's do this? get up! get up! get up! get up! loop me! bring back the awesome yeah! yeah! yeah! with the great taste of kellogg's froot loops. follow your nose! >>> new numbers about how republican voters view gop candidates. according to a poll trump leads the field in the granite state at 24%. ben carson at 17%. jeb bush at 10. as for who is ready to be president trump. when asked who cares most about people ben carson is on top. who is the most authentic candidate? new hampshire republicans pick donald trump. we'll be right back. [female announcer] if the most challenging part of

that is a shot as hillary clinton. she tried to jump on mccarthy's comment about the benghazi committee try beating her up. listen. >> i have taken responsibility for it. i did say it was a mistake. what i did was allowed by the state department wasn't the best choice. i have been as transparent as i know to be, turning over 55,000 pages of my e-mails, asking they be made public and i'm going to be testifying. i've been asking to testify sometime. and to do it in public. this committee is basically an arm of the republican national committee. it is a partisan vehicle as admitted by the house republican majority leader mr. mccarthy to drive down my poll numbers, surprise. >> she went on to say "i'm still standing". a direct appeal she's taking fire but is still the front runner. interesting she's trying to focus in on the problem was the benghazi committee but not addressing e-mail controversy itself because despite the back and forth with the republicans it does not change the fact there is a nonpartisan, criminal inve

he had a lot of slow zincers at hillary clinton, in the end, i respect what hillary clinton and her husband has done for our country. our country needs new leadership. that was the beginning of that alternative. >> hillary clinton said to him, i appreciated your endorsement in 2008. she was right. she was ready for that. >> he said something changed since 2008. >> right. >> you know, right at that moment, her team and her allies were sending out the full endorsement. >> how big a deal is it? bernie sanders said after the debate, they didn't talk enough about income and equality. they did talk a lot about wall street. i thought you saw a very important distinction. hick hick kept saying, hey, if states want to do that let them do it. that wasn't the question s. question is what will you do about banks and wall street. o'malley was strong on that, does it matter to the voters at least right now? >> i think it might. it's almost a republican argument that she kept making that this will all come down to the state. it's an elegant dodge, but it certain live wasn't the way that some democrats wou

so, too, has hillary clinton. a huge moment in the campaign as well, stay was. >>> huge day on capitol hill. hillary clinton face to face with the select committee on benghazi. answering questions they have been waiting mons to ask. answers she's been waiting a long time to give. >>> breaking overnight. paul ryan moves closer to becoming speaker of the house. the new support he's receiving. >>> inside the big decision from joe biden. not to run for president. details you have not heard from insiders about why and how and how late he made that decision. >> fascinating. >> welcome back to "early start." >> 31 minutes past the hour. it all happen this is morning. in just hours, hillary clinton goes before the house benghazi committee. questions and answers that could last all day. eight hours. the committee says the focus will be the 2012 attack on the u.s. diplomatic compound in libya. the attacks that killed u.s. ambassador chris stevens and three other americans. they're to ask her about the security problems at t

i certainly remember the clinton years. the clinton years are in my formative years. brian: your mom was a teacher? what kind of teacher? amy: first-grade teacher. brian: what about dad? amy: it dad is retired. he had his own law practice. brian: the new york times reporter covering the hillary clinton campaign is a dream job, but it sounds like you did not even intend to do that when you came out of school. amy: i think it absolutely is a dream job. i do not think it was something i could envision myself having. i was dropping off clips with security guards in lobbies of these places at and getting ignored by security guards. i am really grateful, but it was not something i envisioned. i don't know. i always wanted to be a journalist. brian: how often would we have seen you dropping off your resume with security guards? amy: it was those first few months when i moved to new york. brian: how many times? amy: i got rejected from a lot of jobs. i interviewed at women's magazines and places like that, where they did not want to hire me, which worked out because i do not

named clinton. i understand that there's more attention associated with her, but from my perspective i am much more interested in chris stevens' e-mails which we just received than i am her e-mails which we just received. >> dickerson: speaking of the the platetization of this, carly fiorina rendered her view this week, i wish for once mrs. clinton would be prepared to standby held accountable for murder of four americans in benghazi, libya. what do you make that have comment, is that what thursday is about? >> no, that is not what thursday is about. it's about what happened before, during and after. frankly secretary clinton's defense she's going to have lot more information about the before than she is the during and the after. i get that there's presidential campaign going on. i have told my own republican colleagues and friends, shut up talking about things that you don't know anything about. and unless you're on the committee, you have no idea what we've done, why we've done it and what new fac

clinton 1992. and the challenges is a familiar one for clinton. remember this exchange from her last bid for white house? >> my question to you is, what can you say to the voters of new hampshire on this stage tonight who see your resume and like it but are hesitating on the likability issue, where they seem to like barack obama more. >> well, that hurts my feelings. [ laughter ] >> i'm sorry, senator. i'm sorry. >> but i'll try to go on. -- [ laughter ] he's very likable. i agree with that. i don't think i'm that bad. >> you're likable enough, hillary. >> thank you senator. >> no doubt about it. >> i appreciate that. >> ooh, ouch ouch ouch. let's explore why hillary clinton's unfavorable or unlikability ratings are so high. why is that? >> well she's been the subject of basically sustained attacks for the last nine months. she's been seen as the overwhelmingly likely democratic nominee. the gop and the committees began focusing attacks on her a long while ago. and things like the e-mail scandal so

postdebate bump seemed to goo clinton and sanders. her performance picked up with democrats and sanders seem to do better in focus groups and social media. ahead, former congressman hoekstra on america's failed policy in libya and a startling >> sharyl: during the so-called arab spring, new governments rose to power in libya and egypt with support from the u.s. instead of a new era of democracy, the result has been a disastrous expansion of islamic extremist terrorism. former head of the in -- house intelligence committee pete hoekstra writes about it in his new book "arch "itects of disaster." he reveals a surprising story. libyan dictator gaddafi had become an unlikely u.s. ally before he was ousted from power. >> in 2003, he actually changed his behavior. he became an ally in the war on terror. he paid reparations to the victims of libyan terrorist attacks. he turned over his nuclear weapons program. in 2011-2012, america turned his back on gaddafi. we overthrew him with no plan as to what we were going to do afterward and, today,

the clinton foundation. he had business interests in libya. >> do we know what he wanted to do there? i'm trying to find something on that. >> it's complicated, but trying to set up a deal for a colleague of his who was trying to set up a business in libya. he felt that the clinton state department could assist him opening some doors. >> hey, i know the clintons, i know the secretary, that kind of thing, which happens in washington all the time. >> some look at him as somebody trying to cash in, make money off his relationship with the clintons and oh by the way as republicans put out in that last exchange, he's highly political, suggesting to the secretary of state, take credit, do a victory lap, go on camera, take credit for the fall of gaddafi. republicans are trying to make the point, hillary clinton was giving more access, spending more time talking about libya with a political operative who is extremely controversial, spending more time listening to him than spending time listening to the u.s. ambassad

i love bill clinton. people who hate bill clinton love to listen to bill clinton. he's an -- i think he's an unqualified asset for every one -- he'll say 100 smart, brilliant things did. >> how many votes in 2008? 18 million. the highest number of any candidate in any primary. let's set the record straight. she is her own person. she's her own woman. i know we sometime need to attach a man to our collar but she doesn't -- she loves him. she will use him. but she is her own woman. nobody's arguing that. but the point is, look, you don't let him lose at this point. he did make mistakes in 2008, made mistakes in 2008 in south carolina. the moment you see them release the cracken. >> he did help barack obama get re-elected in 2012. >> absolutely. when he was running as a candidate himself and she was on stage, you get two for the price of one. >> he's the best surrogate democrats have, except for his wife. >> let's see if he shows up here tonight. coming up -- terrorism is not going away after the presidential election. we'll take a closer look at where the candidates

i think hillary clinton is not the old hillary clinton. she is a warmer fuzzier hillary clinton. she is a grandmother now. >> a grandma. >> she wants to look like the presumptive nominee. she was in a dog fight with barack obama. she's not really in that intense of a match right now with bernie sanders according to the numbers. again, bernie is mounting a great campaign. i'm taking nothing away from him. she wants to look like he's above the fray. she's not going to do that. bernie sanders does not want to look angry. when he looked angry against the black lives matter people, it made him look less presidential. he already -- [ buzzer ] >> ben, who wins? >> who wins this? i think you're going to see bernie sanders come out doing some serious damage to hillary clinton. she can act like she's a grandmother all she wants to, but the reality is the american people are not going to see her as grandma hillary. they're going to see her as hillary clinton and they don't trust her and don't like her very much. we've seen that in the poll numbers. >> marc? >> if bernie can stay on message,

aides to clinton say she is ready. she spent the week preparing with policy and legal teams going over potential questions and studying up on the events leading up to and following the benghazi attacks. it was a long time, after all. there have been more than a half dozen congressional investigations following the benghazi attacks but there has been a greater political tone to this one. democrats, of course, mann taken it was designed as a takedown of clinton and you had the string of comments recently by republicans, almost backing up those accusations. the committee chairman, trey gowdy says he will prove the committee is not about politics with a hearing that is respectful of clinton and focuses on the facts surrounding the benghazi attacks. democrats, republicans, the state department, all will be watching this hearing, putting out their own spin, their own talking points. but for secretary clinton, this is really a chance to defend her record as secretary of state and argue that this committee is retreading old gr