moment. s syria radio trying to show the city has returned to normal. cleanup crews, cars on the streets, even ordinary people returning. that's what they showed on syrian state television. on video posted on youtube today, video how the of homs, you get a far different picture. the streets as you see empty of cars and people. rubble is deeper. destruction more complete. a top u.n. official who just got inside homs today say parts of the city were completely devastated. she says authorities kept her out of certain areas even though they promised her complete access. the red cross has not been allowed to bring relief in. in homs, the guns were still firing. as always we're not there to see for ourselves because the regime ke keeps out reporters when it's not shelling or killing them. tens of thousands have not fled the killing. a french doctor suggested reports of torture in government controlled hospitals continue. hospitals that have turned into houses of horror. >> translator: the regular people from the population do not trust the government hospitals anymore. there are confirmed stories of amputations for no reason, removal, kidnapping, executions, even torture. >> torture inside hospitals. we've been hearing these reports for many months. we've reported on this program over and over but tonight there appears to be video evidence of that torture. video reportedly taken undercover in a homs hospital that shows a ward full of wounded men chained to their beds. some of the injuries appear to have been afflicted by beating or electricity. at one point the camera pans over to a table on which you can see what appears to be jumper cables. this video is consistent with that doctor's account and numerous videos we've now seen of torture victims after the fact. this though is the first time we've seen tools of torture in a hospital. given all that, washington is grappling with what to do next. secretary of state clinton meets with her russian counterpart last week. russia has been protecting syria diplomatically arming the assad regime for decades and continues to do that. today joint chiefs chairman told lawmakers that initial planning is yununder way for operation against syria but leon panetta cautioned for now. >> it doesn't make sense to take unilateral action at this point. as secretary of defense before i recommend that we put our sons and daughters in uniform in harm's way, i've got to make very sure that we know what the mission is. i've got to make very sure that we know whether we can achieve that mission, at what price, and whether or not it will make matters better or worse. >> that answer came in response to a sharply worded question from ranking republican senator john mccain who asked secretary panetta, how many more would have to die before the secretary is convinced that america should intervene? i spoke with senator mccain shortly after that exchange. senator mccain, the secretary and secretary of defense said to at that take unilateral military action at this point would be a mistake. why do you think they're wrong? >> i don't want to take unilateral action. we need a coalition of nations that would join together and stop the massacre that's taking place in syria as we speak. you have reported extensively. there are 7,500 people who have been massacred and more to come. testimony by the director of national intelligence is that momentum is on the side of assad and other testimony saying assad may go but it would take a long period of time. i would add that head of our central command testified yesterday that if assad were taken down, it would be the greatest blow to iran in 25 years. we intervened in bosnia. we intervened in kosovo because people were being murdered. we need to act and we need to act with other nations who will join news this cause. >> you talked about not going unilaterally. the secretary of defense says it's not like libya where there's a coalition of states calling for intervention and chairman of joint chiefs says the air defenses are more sophisticated and more difficult to hit. >> we can't take out the air defenses of syria? that's an horrific waste of the taxpayers' dollars. every time that one of these crises happens and i remember well under president clinton, we can't do it. they can always think of reasons not to do it. we led from behind in libya. we were the last ones on board. by the way, the saudi foreign minister called for arming the rebels. there are our nations that are working to help the syrians. those people who watch cnn every night are treated or have the opportunity unfortunately to watch the sad spectacle of syrians being massacred. if we can do something about it, and we can, we should not unilaterally, no boots on the ground. checked the schedule and it's not on it. 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[ male announcer ] fast relief, fresh breath, weight loss programs can be expensive. so to save some money, i just got the popular girls from the local middle school to follow me around. ew. seriously? so gross. ew. seriously? that is so gross. ew. seriously? dude that is so totally gross. so gross...i know. there's an easier way to save. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. >> welcome back to the program. we clearly had a major technical problem. we had to go to a commercial break. we're going to reset that interview with john mccain. we taped it just shortly before we went to air. here's the interview with john mccain in its entirety. >> senator mccain, the president and secretary of defense have both said that to take unilateral military action at this point would be a mistake. why do you think they're wrong? >> first of all, i don't want to take unilateral action and it's unfortunate they portray it that way. we need a coalition of nations that would join together and stop the massacre taking place in syria as we speak. you have reported extensively. there are 7,500 people who have been massacred and more to come. testimony by the director of national intelligence is that momentum is on the side of bashar al assad may go but it could take a long period of time and the heady ied that if assad were taken down it would be the biggest blow to iran in 25 years. we intervened because people were being massacred. that's part of the president's stated national security policy. we need to act and we need to act with other nations who will join us in this cause. >> you talked about not going unilater unilaterally. the secretary of defense say it's not like libya. there aren't a coalition of states calling for intervention and the syrian air defenses are more sophisticated and more difficult to hit. >> we spend a trillion dollars a year on the military and we can't take out the air defenses of syria? that's a horrific waste of the taxpayers' dollars. every time one of these crises happens and i remember well under president clinton that we can't do it. they can always think of reasons not to do it. we were the last ones on board in libya. the saudi foreign minister called for arming the rebels. there are other nations that are working to help the syrians but those people who watch cnn every night are treated or have the opportunity unfortunately to watch the sad spectacle of syrians being massacred by bashar al assad. if we can do something about it, and we can, we should unilaterally and it will -- excuse me. not unilaterally. no boots on the ground with other nations who will join us if we lead and we can bring this to a halt. >> you are not calling -- it's been portrayed you were calling for u.s. planes just flying bombing runs. you're not calling for that. you're calling for other nations in the air as well? >> absolutely. again, it's unfortunate because i said foreign airpower. libya they were able to do it with british and french and others and uae aircraft and others. we have the capacity in my view to stop assad and the slaughter but it's also going to require sanctuary arms training and some other things as well. now it's reached the point where you have artillery and tanks against ak-47s. it's going to require foreign airpower and again the united states not going alone but the united states leading.pointed o been reporting on this every night for a year. i've been disappointed a lot of other networks haven't been reporting on this because we've had video available even if we're not allowed into the country ourselves, what do you say to those americans who look at this and look at those pictures and say, you know what? this is horrific but the u.s. is involved in two wars and we can't afford and shouldn't be involved in another one? >> first of all, again, i would like to say i watch it regularly and it's been extensive coverage. my answer to that is what does the united states stand for? what do we believe in? we believe in freedom. we went to bosnia. we went to kosovo. we regret enormously we didn't do something to try to stop the genocide in rwanda. we stood by because we can't address the issue? we can. we're the best military in the world. i understand the strain on american military. i understand the sacrifices made by american families. i also understand the proudest part of america's history is when we have tried to help other people achieve the same goals that we so passionately articulated when we declared our independence. >> two quick political questions. i would be remiss if i didn't ask about super tuesday's results. governor romney won the big prize, ohio. do you believe the time has come for other candidates to now get out of the race? >> i would hope so, but i can't tell the other candidates what they should do. they have to make their own decisions. i'm aware how tough an environment this is and so they have to make up their own minds. it is a fact that the longer this drags out, the higher the negatives of mitt romney and the harder it will be to win the election in november. that's just fundamental facts. >> governor palin was on cnn last night saying she would leave the door open to her name being placed into nomination if there was a contested convent n convention. what was your reaction to that? >> glad to see that sarah is still willing to get into the arena. i greatly admire and respect her. sarah, i view it with great interest your comment last night. i also think that, you know, that this thing is going to be resolved hopefully sooner for mitt romney than later. >> senator mccain, i always appreciate your time. thank you. >> thank you, anderson. >> let us know what you think about what the senator said on twitter. we're talking about it right now. join us on facebook. google plus. add us to your circles. up next, why all four candidates think they have a chance at the republican nomination. john king maps out what super tuesday changed, what it didn't and how the races ahead could change the picture yet again. who is the woman in that picture? just a simple small town mom? a soccer mom with four kids? or is she as authorities allege a madame to the high and mighty selling sex in new york? crime and punishment tonight. >> you might not know it but the vatican has a website and not only that a website that got ta targeted by the most notorious hackers out there. that and more when "360" continues. aflac! quack! like medical bills they don't pay for? aflac! or help pay the mortgage? quack! or child care? quack! aflaaac! and everyday expenses? huh?! blurlbrlblrlbr!!! 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[ female announcer ] california pacific medical center and sutter health. our story is you. post super tuesday. four of three four republican challengers chalking up wins last night. mitt romney continuing to have questions about not closing the deal. john king at the map. >> the night after super tuesday. if you go across the map, 23 states have voted so far. 14 for governor romney. that's dark red. seven for senator santorum. that's purple. two for newt gingrich. no victories for ron paul. kansas on saturday. santorum thinks he will win there. speaker gingrich says he won't compete. this is a race between santorum and gingrich than romney. he hopes to get delegates. what he is hoping is that santorum and gingrich split these contests so no one conservative emerges. here is why team romney says we're inevitable. other guys can't win. this is where they are after super tuesday. 40% to the finish line. the finish line is 1,144. they have in the ballpark of 430 delegates. nobody is even close. add the three up, they don't match governor romney. the race over the next week is not romney territory. kansas on saturday. santorum expects to win that. gingrich pulled out. next tuesday night. mississippi and alabama. if rick santorum can win kansas, mississippi and alabama, he will say gingrich get out. i'm the conservative alternative. if gingrich wins these states assuming santorum and romney pick up some delegates but gingrich wins them, governor romney closer to the halfway mark. santorum in second place. gingrich running third. this is what the romney campaign wants. they think all four candidates stay in. they have taken a bit of a hit over the next week or so but with four candidates still in the race, they think from here on in things turn back to more favorable territory. >> john king, appreciate that. more on raw politics. let's talk with james carville and kevin madden. james, despite his success last night, you know, questions remain about mitt romney's ability or inability to connect with conservative working class voters, evangelical christians, strong tea party supporters, people that say faith is very important to them. what is keeping him from connecting with those voters? >> you know, our colleague at cnn pointed out he can't carry the south or evangelicals or blue collar voters. he has a real problem with basic constituencies in the republican party. having said that, he's the only one in the field i've maintained this consistently that has any chance whatsoever to be the nominee. it looks like he's not going to get that until may or june before he ties him up and have to bring superdelegates in to tie it up. this has not been a kind process for governor romney at all but he's still going to win it. >> kevin, is the inevitability argument the right one to push? >> i've never liked that argument. this was a campaign built around earning the nomination. in large part the governor has begun to earn the nomination and is in a position right now where he's very likely to be the nominee because he took that attitude and that was going out and talking about the economy, talking about the big issues that are mobilizing republican voters and making the case that he's best positioned to beat president obama in a general election as a result. inevitability, i don't want to use that word. well positioned right now. likely nominee. i think after last night that's clear. >> kevin, when you hear people say he has an inability to connect with these groups, these core group of the republican party, what do you say? >> what's driving is the personal situation related to the economy. a lot of what happens with governor romney when people question whether he has the ability to connect, it is questions to do with his personal wealth. issues about him. when governor romney has an ability to talk about the future, what he wants to do to create jobs, to create prosperity, to create greater economic certainty for america so that all americans can prosper and all americans can be fully employed, that is where he has a connection with voters. >> you're making it sound as if -- >> his reason for running is related to the economy. there he has a better connection. >> james, do you buy that? kevin is making it sound like he hasn't had the ability to talk about those things. he's been running for a long time now. >> let me be uncharacteristically blunt. i agree with barbara bush who said this is the worst campaign she had seen in her lifetime and with all courtesy to mrs. bush, she's seen a lot of campaigns in her lifetime. santorum and gingrich are so pathetic as candidates they can't even get on the ballot. santorum couldn't get on the ballot in ohio or virginia in some congressional districts and romney can't put these people away, they're going to keep him going until late may or june. this thing is being played out. i don't see this as a democrat. i've been consistent about this. this field is horrible and romney is not connecting out there. even if big midwestern states where he's outspending santorum five, six to one he's winning by a percentage point or two percentage points. this is very, very damning to the mitt romney brand. that's a fact. every republican knows that. kevin knows that. everybody knows that. >> i respectfully disagree. governor romney has 53% of the delegates right now. folks like is on tsantorum and need -- >> kevin, you're going to win. you don't have to convince us of that. you're going to be the nominee. the problem is what you've been put through and how you've damaged the brand to get there because you can't put away two of the sorriest presidential campaigns in the history of politics. >> this is the nature of all primaries, james, you know this. what's going to happen now is we'll have very clear contrast on the number one issue and that's the economy. and general election matchup between governor romney and president obama. president obama does not have a record to run on related to the economy. >> you think whatever damage has been done, you think that will be forgotten by general election? >> i think what we've seen because of the volatility of this race, anderson, voters have had an ability to reframe them contest by contest. when we get into a general election, we'll be well positioned to make sur