so what? my question is, so what? come on, it's way too early for this. good morning. i'm jonathan capehart in for willie geist. this is "way too early," the show that's lin-sane enough to be on the air at this hour. i'm glad you're up with us this morning watching on msnbc or listening live on sirius xm radio. shoot me at e-mail at waytooearly at msnbc.com or tweet me @williegeist 1 and let me know why you're awake or do what brady quinn does and it text your response to 622639. the next 30 minutes will be your cram session for this thursday, february 23rd. a lot going on today including new allegations by the santorum campaign that mitt romney wants ron paul to be his running mate. can that be serious? the epidemic of singing

politicians has now spread overseas. russian billionaire and presidential candidate is caught on russian tv rapping to jay-z in very broken english. don't miss this. first, let's go to -- let's go to the news live at 5:30 a.m. here at 30 rock in new york city. the republican presidential candidates are back on the trail this morning after what could be the final debate in the race for the party's nomination. the four leading contenders squared off in arizona last night on everything from education to government bailouts. after a month -- after a month of long distance attacks mitt romney and rick santorum went head to head on the issue of earmarks. >> he's out there on television ads right now unfortunately attacking me for saying that i'm on this great earmarker when he not only asked for earmarks for the salt lake olympics in the order of tens of millions of dollars, sought those and used them and did as the governor of

massachusetts, 3 or $400 million. >> what happened there was abuse. when the abuse happened i said we should stop the earmarking process. i did say there were good earmarks and bad earmarks. >> i would put a ban on earmarks. i think it opens the door to excessive spending on projects that don't need to be done. you voted for the bridge to nowhere. >> ile whifs fighting to -- while i was fighting to save the olympics you were fighting to save the bridge to nowhere. >> he was questioning the former's senator education reform under president bush. the explanation didn't win over the crowd or keep ron paul from pouncing. >> when i supported no child left behind, it was the principle priority of president bush to try to take on a failing education system and try to impose some sort of testing regime that would be able to quantify how well we're doing with respect to education. i have to admit, i voted for

that. it was against the principles i believed in, but, you know, when you're part of the team sometimes you take one for the team for the leader and i made a mistake. you know, politics is a team sport, folks. >> once again, the senator was for no child left behind but now he's running for president, he's running to repeal no child left behind once again. but -- and he calls it a team sport. he has to go along to get along and that's the way the team plays. that's the problem with washington and that's what's been going on for so long. >> the issue of health care came back in a big way with romney hoping to turn the tables on what many conservatives see as a defining issue. in a show of political ju jitsu the former massachusetts governor suggested if voters are looking for someone to blame on the issue they should look no further than rick santorum. >> four years ago well after romney care was put in place, four years ago, you not only endorsed me, you and laura ingraman said this is a guy who is really conservative and we can trust him. let's not forget you said that.

the reason we have obama care, the reason we have obama care, is because the senator you supported over pat toomey in pennsylvania, arlen specter, the pro choice senator of pennsylvania that you supported and endorsed in a race after pat toomey he voted for obama care. if you had not supported him, said no to arlen specter we would not have obama care. don't look at me, take a look in the mirror. supporting arlen specter, supporting arlen specter over pat toomey that was a torturous route. >> just about as torturous six years later blaming me for obama care. >> it wouldn't really be a republican debate if newt gingrich didn't take his customary shot at the media. >> since birth control is the latest hot topic which candidate believes in birth control and if not, why? >> as you can see, it's a -- it's a very popular question you

have. >> it's a very popular question in the audience as we can see. we're not going to spend a ton of time on this. >> may i make a point? >> sure. >> these guys are going to give you feedback here. >> i see that. >> i think they're making it clear. >> look, i want to make two quick points, john. the first, there is a legitimate question about the power of the government to impose on religion activities which any religion opposes. that's legitimate. >> sure is. >> i just want to point out, you did not once in the 2008 campaign, not once did anybody in the elite media ask why barack obama voted in favor of legalizing infante side. let's be clear here. if -- if we're going to have a debate about who the extremist is on these issues it is president obama who is a state senator voted to protect doctors who kill babies who survive the abortion. it is not the republicans. joining us now is national affairs editor for "new york" magazine and msnbc political

analyst john heilemann who's the co-author of "game change." thanks for being with us. >> good morning, jonathan capehart. >> good morning. who came out on top last night in the debate? >> well, i think that -- i wouldn't really say that anybody had a particularly overwhelming or outstanding performance. it wasn't like someone really won. i think kind of by default, mitt romney ended up winning this debate largely because rick santorum performed at kind of a b-plus level or b level. he did not bring his "a" game. where he performed in florida, very strong, drew sharp contrast with mitt romney, a lot of that was lacking from santorum in what was probably the most important debate for santorum where the momentum coming into the debate and the national polls and everybody believes if he wins in michigan puts himself on a strong footing to actually claim the nomination or the high bar for him tonight and i think he fell a little bit short. at the same time, i think mitt

romney, he managed to through santorum's errors reinforce two things, number one that rick santorum is not a reliable conservative and a creature of washington. and we heard rick santorum lapsing into things like he's a member of the senate which he was for a long time, not good for him with the conservative base. >> how do you think it's going to impact his standings in michigan and arizona? do you think it will take the wind out of his sails? he, as you said, going into the debate had the momentum? >> yeah. i think, you know, it's a good question. i mean it's a little hard to know. there's one theory i think that the debate was because it didn't have a lot of fireworks early on it's possible a lot of the -- we'll see what numbers show but possible a lot of voters either turned off or tuned out and it's possible it won't affect santorum that negatively. on the other hand that michigan race is going to be very close and i think, you know, the key for santorum in michigan,

because mitt romney [ inaudible ] establish support there, to run up as big numbers as he can among tea party and evangelical voters. i thought last night romney was as strong on conservative social issues last night as santorum and again by painting him as a washington insider especially in the context of the earmarks debate that didn't do santorum any good with tea party voters in michigan either. >> john, last question, the santorum campaign is suggesting that mitt romney may have made a deal to make ron paul his running mate. do you think this is a possibility? >> do i think that the romney campaign would make any deal in order to get mitt romney the nomination? the answer is question. do i think that the one exception to that is ron paul on the ticket? i also think the answer to that is yes. it's possible that ron paul might end up running the romney fed but i don't think ron paul on the ticket is a likely outcome. >> all right. john, thanks a lot, john. >> see you soon, jonathan. turning overseas activists in syria say government forces are now using helicopter gunships to target rebel positions inside the country. it marks another escalation to

president bashar al assad's brutal crackdown against opposition protesters. yesterday's violence was intense with another 74 people reportedly killed. as nbc's richard engel reports, more journalists are being caught in the crossfire. >> reporter: even if you listen closely it's hard to hear a single peaceful moment in homs. syrian troops ringing the city, fire rockets and machine guns in ferocious barrages to drive out a few hundred opposition forces. the blogger who took this video, can be heard praying for his life. >> [ inaudible ]. >> reporter: he was killed a few hours later. this rubble was a rudimentary media center in homs run by the syrian opposition who barely hold a few pockets in the city. the building took a direct hit inside killed as they were

working, french photographer ren nay off link and veteran american war correspondent marie colvin who reported for the british newspaper "the sunday times." in homs, colvin provided the bbc with some of the most vivid accounts of the brutality. hearing her now, is haunting just hours before her death. >> there are just shells, rockets coming in, just hitting any building. i have not seen one military target. they're simply [ inaudible ]. and the wounded and dead i have seen, i would say about 80% civilians. it is shelling with impunity and merciless disregard for the civilians who simply cannot escape. >> reporter: colvin was no stranger to the costs of this unforgiving business of war reporting. she lost an eye to shrapnel in sri lanka. widely considered one of the greatest reporters of her generation, she was featured in a documentary about women on the fronts line. but in homs, there were no front

lines. nowhere safe. >> a small clinic, can't even really call it a clinic. it's an apartment that has been turned into a clinic. i mean, plastic bags hanging from coat hangers. i watched a baby die today. absolutely horrific the doctor just said, i can't do anything. that is happening all over and over and over. no one here can understand how the international community can let this happen. >> reporter: in oyster bay, new york, colvin's mother learned about her daughter's last dangerous assignment. >> it's terrible. never ready for it. all these years, all this time, i was never ready for it. >> reporter: a daughter, a reporter, whose work meant everything. >> you know, it still matters to me and when it stops mattering to me, i'll stop doing it. >> that was nbc's richard engel reporting. some 30,000 people are still in the city of homs. dozens of countries are now exploring ways to aid the syrian rebels, including potential military assistance.

still ahead on "way too early," the new york knicks starting to look like a playoff contender with jeremy lin leading the way. we'll show you what the league's new sensation did against the hawks last night. plus, mitt romney dips into 1990 sitcom lure during the debate last night. why the presidential candidate might want to brush up on his reruns the next time he quotes a "seinfeld" episode. that story and a check on weather when "way too early" comes right back. ♪ >> that picture serves to remind them and us of what those men did out there for our country, for us today. [ female announcer ] did mr. intern forget how his boss takes her coffee?

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looking from top of the rock, i think that's -- we're looking down to south lower manhattan here on a nice beautiful thursday. let's get a check of your weather now from nbc meteorologist bill karins. >> what did you do with barnicle? >> i don't want to talk about it really. it was messy, it was sad. >> has he fallen and can't get up again? >> yes, he has, and i left him where he fell. i did. >> excellent. in in a puddle. good morning. we are concerned with the northern plains today, cold air is moving in along with some snow. you'd never know it throughout the rest of the country. yesterday was ridiculously april like warm. in the 70s from oklahoma city to dallas and new orleans was at 80 degrees, the east coast, d.c. hit 63. the tulips are up, daffodils are out in southern new england. it feels like the middle of spring. that's going to come to an end this weekend. we have a snowstorm forming in

the middle of the country. a snow forecast i'm going to be giving you. right now it's just forming in south dakota but around ames, possibly des moines, definitely chicago to grand rapids to detroit, this will be an actual snow event for you. actually going to have to shovel and probably do plowing. here's the forecast. it's a very narrow band of snow, not a widespread snowstorm. these are the tough forecasts. little shift to the north or south makes a difference. milwaukee and kansas city, this is not for you. right in the middle of those areas. here's the forecast, chicago, by about tomorrow morning, you could have four to eight inches of snow on the ground. you've only had 16 inches this entire winter. it's a big deal for you. same goes for detroit, four to eight inches. notice that des moines, only two to four, milwaukee and cleveland right on the edge. looks like mostly a miss for you, only about a slushy inch or two. forecast for the big cities of the east today after a cloudy morning with some showers, a nice afternoon. but it will be windy. temperatures in the 50s. d.c. today, you a shot at 70

degrees. and look at the south. dallas, 81, atlanta 75. jonathan, it's, you know, pretty crazy spring. >> i was going to ask, i feel like i'm a lobster in a pot. >> yes. >> like any minute now you're going to come out and say it's going to be 100 degrees and it's only march. >> it's been an april fool's winter. i'll check on barnicle. >> the moment we've been waiting for, sports. we start at madison square garden. carmelo anthony and jeremy lin playing together for just the second time last night. melo looking to find chemistry with his new teammate. first quarter, lin slices through the atlanta defense. then in transition, lin dishes it to carmelo for the nasty finish. knicks up by 25 at the half. fourth quarter, j.r. smith and baron davis connect for the alley-o alley-oop. lin finished with 17 points while resting most of the fourth quarter. carmelo scored 15, as the knicks cruise 99-82. tonight the knicks head to south beach for a showdown with lebron james and the heat.

now it's no surprise that the los angeles angels are building their ticket sales and marketing efforts around their new slugger albert pujolss. the angels posted 20 billboards across southern california with the image of pujolss next to the words that are spanish for "the man." only one problem, he doesn't like being called that. he doesn't want the nickname out of respect for cardinals hall of famer sam [ inaudible ]. who was often referred to as "sam the man" during his career. the angels say they didn't consult with pujolss before launching the campaign. that wasn't bad. >> not bad at all. >> coming up at the top of the hour on "morning joe," we'll talk about the lasting impressions from last night's debate what and what it means heading into tuesday's high stakes primary. when we come back we'll huddle around the water cooler to see a russian's billionaire attempt at hip-hop. this is a guy challenging vad mere pu vladimir putin for the

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♪ the republican race for president is about to go into overdrive with more than a dozen primaries and caucuses scheduled over a one week time frame beginning next tuesday. want to sound smart today tell your friends 518 republican national convention delegates

are at stake between february 28th and march 6th, nearly half the total number needed to win the nomination and three times the amount awarded in the race so far. now enough with the real news. let's gather around the water cooler to talk about how mitt romney needs a re fresher when it comes to his seinfeld trivia. in an attempt to quote george costanza, romney fumbled. >> i want to restore america's promise and i'm going to do that -- [ applause ] >> that's good enough. >> yeah. as george costanza would say when they're applauding, stop, right? >> let me set the record straight. the actual quote was said during the show's 172nd episode and it was by jerry, not george, in a scene where jerry is encouraging george to quote end on a high note. >> showmanship, when you hit the high note, say good night and

walk off. >> all right. that's it for me. i'm gone, everybody. >> what was that? what was that some. >> showmanship. george is trying to get out on a high note. >> another classic moment from russia, where billionaire candidate presidential candidate, mikhail prokhorov showed off his states on a comedy program rapping about jay-z and declaring himself, quote, the real -- oh, stop. the real russian eminem. ♪ yo yo yo ♪ check this out ♪ yo yo yo ♪ mr. jay-z this is the first presentation of real rap music from russian federation mr. jay-z you are not allowed ♪ ♪ this is my friends they got million dollars ♪ ♪ we are super star on tv in russia ♪ ♪ we don't speak english we use

ipads because our english is very bad ♪ >> turn my mike up. russian tradition and singing and dancing on camera was established in the mid-1990s by this guy, russian president boris yet sen who took the stage during a russian rock concert during his election campaign and hasn't stopped since. here's current president dim mystery medvedev dancing the night away to american boy at his class reunion in 2011 and then russian prime minister vladimir putin singing "blueberry hill" to an audience of goldie hawn at a 2010 chairty dinner in st. peters burg. ♪ on blueberry hill ♪ on blueberry hill ♪ where i found you

♪ on blueberry hill ♪ until my dreams came true >> still ahead on "way too early" -- why are you awake? your bright-eyed tweets, texts and e-mails are next and "morning joe" now just moments away. i'm good about washing my face. but sometimes i wonder... what's left behind? [ female announcer ] purifying facial cleanser from neutrogena® naturals. developed with dermatologists... it's clinically proven to remove 99% of dirt and toxins and purify pores. and with natural willowbark it contains no dyes, parabens or harsh sulfates. dirt and toxins do a vanishing act and my skin feels pure and healthy. [ female announcer ] purifying facial cleanser ♪ until my dreams came true from neutrogena naturals.

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at the top of the show we asked why are you awake. producer john tower has your answers. >> we have nick who writes, had a nightmare, jeremy lin went down with an injury, capehart signed by the knicks, capetastic. >> i can't imagine what that would look like. i don't -- you're missing a tattoo on the left shoulder. it should be like a leprechaun or something. i don't know. something like that. thanks, john. "morning joe" starts right now.