Saturday morning. Saturday before super sunday. Its a big weekend everywhere in america. In the headleans this morning, of course, mitt romney makes a big decision about whether hell run again for president. And hes shaking up the rest of the field in the process. Also the countdown continues, as we said in tomorrows big game. Mark leibowich will share what he learned hanging out behind the scenes with tom brady. Were very excited that he will be here to tell us what its like behind the scenes with tom brady. And president obama gets ready to deliver on oneover of his state of the Union Promises or at least try to. We begin with the First Casualty of the race for 2016 president was three weeks after shocking the political world with his very idea that he was seriously considering a third president ial cam pa in. Mitt romney raised the flag in a confidence call to supporters. After putting thought in making the run for president , i decided its best to give other leaders in the party the opportunity to become our next leader. I am convinced that we could win the nomination, but i fully realize it would have been a difficult test and a hard fight. He ultimately concluded it was time for a new blood. I believe one of the next generations of republican leaders, one not as well known as i am today. One not yet taking a message from the country, one just getting started, may well be better able to defeat the democratic nominee. Part of the next generation of leaders that romney is talking about there, and theres a long reported history of ill will between jeb bush and mitt romney, too. For instance when romney was fighting for his political life in the florida primary in 2012 he appealed to bush the states former governor for help but bush staid on the sidelines. When romney lost the 2012 bush was publish and candid in his criticism. What was wrong with romneys message . It was not a an open message. It was one that for a as good as he could have been as president. He got off in the primary, got off to a start and never really recovered. In private conversations, romney has been highly critical of bushs political skills and chances of winning in 2016. His goal is to make an overwhelming show of force. And hes been making serious end roads to romneys camp. Most recently this week when the top political defendant in iowa deflected to bushs team. He is now expected to become jeb bushs campaign manager. So bush is behind the scenes Pressure Campaign appears to have sped up romneys timetable and forced h imto make a final decision now. And h iz decision is to walk away. So wo does that decision help . Well bush obviously, romneys absence means a lot of big dollar donors are up for grabs. Bush has a choons to reel in a lot of them. Its also a bush for Chris Christie. Christi had a long scheduled dinner with romney last night. Christie was in danger of being squeezed out if both bush and romney run. Now he has a better chance to build a serious organization. Kelly odonnell spoke with ray washburn who says theyre already taking calls from romney reporter who is are on the fence in their effort to raise 100 million. Its a boom for scott walker as well. The wisconsin governor pitching himself as a washington outsider and a fresh face in washington politics. Now it will be easier to get attention or raise money. M and also what role mitt romney will play now. The daily news captured them leaving the harvard club. The would have been rival, will romney stay above the political fray and be an elder statesman, or will he get involved and throw his support behind candidate if he goes that route, theres no love lost between him and jeb bush. Here to talk about everything that happened yesterday, we have katie packardgauge. Shes here with us. Dan balls, chief correspondent. And kacie hunt is in london. Shes there ahead of Chris Christie christies visit to that country. So i thank you all for getting up early and talking with us. Dan, i guess they call the stories the ticktok. You write that he basically settled on a no answer a week ago and then waited a few days to see how they felt. I think he was officely close to yes for a part of the period. Everything he looked at told him he was in as good of shape during the nomination and to go on and challenge. Not that he had an easy past. Their question back to me was who has an easier pass to the nomination . I think fe felt that was the case. He was in a strong position. As they went through this, one of the things they realized and as you know there was a tremendous amount of criticism from both opponents and allies about the idea he would get in again, he began to realize how he would look by time he went through the process. And i think when he began to realize how beat up he would be after a long, difficult primary contest contest, he thought he wouldnt be in as good a shape to take on presumably Hillary Clinton in the general election. Kacie hunt the other sort of angle on this too, is that relationship, and we got into it in the intro, the relationship between jeb bush specifically, and mitt romney. And theres quite a history there. It can really go back to the 2008 campaign. These guys really that fond of the each other. Ive talked to romney people who resented the way jeb bush ran in florida. A mustwin primary. They got no help from jeb bush. How much of this was mitt romney, a guy who always wants to be president , look at jeb bush make these moves, come out of nowhere, get all the talk that hes the unifying candidate, and mitt romney looks around and says why does it have to be him . Why cant it be me . How much of that was an element . This . I think it played a significant role in the buildup to this. In many ways theyre both former governors that went onto careers in business. Theyre not that dissimilar. The people i spoke to familiar with romneys thinking said he didnt quite realize what he would go through with the career he had, having been associated with lehman brothers. And i think there was bad blood from the lack of endorsement. And in particular onromann romney remember hd that and its hard to state the outlook on romneys political rear as a driving force in his decision making. Heres jeb bush. He said mitt is a patriot and join many in hoping his days of serving our nation and our party are not over. Another reaction here from another republican candidate is scott walker. The governor of wisconsin. He said on twitter yesterday, had a great conversation with mitt romney. Hes a good man. Thanked him for his interest in opening the door for a fresh leader in america. Mitt romney had dinner with Chris Christie. Katie, you know romney very well. You worked on his campaign. The role hes going to play Going Forward in the nominating process. And where do you think mitt romney ends up when he looks at the field . Who does he like in the field, you think . I would expect mitt will be focused on building the party and very focused on defeating Hillary Clinton. Thats his ultimate goes. A lot of folks will remember that Chris Christie did support romney early in the process. At a very critical time. Certainly you remember people that played a significant role. I wouldnt overstate it. Mitt romney is not a grudge holder. He will work to help whoever the best candidate is. Fwu that statement yesterday, the line in the statement about finding a new leader from a new generation that people dont know right now and i hope thats what happens. I hope thats what this process produces. That really is a direct shot at bush, isnt it . I think its a commentary about his praise a opposed to somebody new. I think hes anxious to hear from the next generation of candidates we havent heard from so much before. Christie and walker and rubio, who again is another person very helpful to governor romney. I think hes interested in seeing the process play out and seeing the emerge. Its an exciting time for the party. Dan, from your article in the Washington Post this morning, sort of the behind the scenes. You write romneys associates also say had bush sought his advice early on, he may have never been stirred to action. Instead, bushs aggressive efforts spurred on the former massachusetts governor. It was like poking a bear, one romney associate said. How much did that drive mitt romney . That sense of he deserved more respect from jeb bush . Well, theres no question that what jeb bush has done over the last six weeks or so spurred mitt romney to take a serious look at this. The hope is he could hang back for some time. If the field didnt come together in a way that the party would turn to him. R f what he was told as jeb bush was making pretty aggressive moves if you want to take any look at this if you want any chance of being a candidate, you have to move now. But i do think also the notion that in one way or another jeb bush had not sought out mitt romney, i cant speak for what the governors thoughts on that were. But certainly people around him felt if he had come out to utah and sat down and said i want to run. I really am going to run, i dont think governor romney anticipated originally i would like your support, give me your advice. It might have gone down differently. Thats a big what if. We dont know how we can answer that. The fact that governor romney moved was in direct response to what jeb bush was doing. And playing this forward now. Plomgz didnt officially 100 close the door. Lets assume mitt romney is out of this. We say jeb bush his whole game is to raise a lot of money and maybe intimidate other candidates, get republicans on board. A win for jeb bush yesterdays. It looks like an opening to Chris Christie, maybe. A lot of talk about scott walker. Where do you see the big benefit in the republican field from mitt romney getting out . So youre right, steve. It almost thrusts jeb bush to a frontrunner position. Which we havent totally had yesterday. Thats both good and potentially dangerous place to be. It makes her the big target for everybody else. Well see how that plays out. It also gives an opening for crest christi. We talked about how he was squeezed out by this potential of a romney bush battle. Which donors will be leftover if hes fighting for the independent more moderate voters suddenly the door is cracked a little bit wider. His trip overseas here, for example. Hes in london attending a soccer game. Meeting with Prime MinisterDavid Cameron will bring it to him again. And skod walker burnishing Foreign Policy credentials and what have you, hes another one. If you look at the line that romney had in his call he is somebody who really represents a new face as well that will get another look. In part because the establishment lens has widened about getting out. Kacie hunt in london, request you you draw all the fun assignments. You have to call it football. Keep that in mind. Dan will be back with us later in the hour. Thanks to msnbcs kacie hunt. More on mitts big decision and the political worlds reaction with our panel. Thats next. And later live to arizona where theyre putting the final touches on the festivities for tomorrows big game. Well also find out what makes tom brady tick. Your moms got your back. Your friends have your back. Your dogs definitely got your b but whos got your back when you need legal help . We do. Were legalzoom, and over the last 10 years, weve helped millions of people protect their families and n their businesses. 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Go like a pro. Were back discussing the end of romneys threedebate about a third trial. Were going to take a look now at how mitt romneys decision creates a big hole in the republican field. This is a poll released hours before he made the announcement. It showed him way aload of the potential rivals. You can see romney at 21. Huckabee second. Jeb bush all the way down in fourth place at 10 . Scott walker starting to move up to 8 . And Chris Christie clocking in at just 4 . We can make too much out of early polls. I always thought the early polls in this were a little interesting for two reasons. We always say name recognition. Everyone knows romney and bush names. Its always been striking to me the romney name is 21 ahead of the bush name. That tells you something about the mood of the Republican Party right now. In terms of romney people are saying hes ahead in the polls. Why did he get out of the race right now . 21 against a field a lot stronger in 2012. Theres a lot of room to fall. There. Always thought 21 would be the ceiling, not the floor. Everyone knows romney es name. He has a portion of the party that loves him and will be there for him. I guess im with you on my surprise with the bush number. But keep in mind his brother left office with republicans. And they look back at those years and think, wow, they were fiscally irresponsible. The iraq war, you know maybe some of them are still in favor. Big government conservatism. And jeb is a different person. He has the name. Theres hesitancy supporting the candidate and his Republican Party. I would say the same. Theres a looking back to the bush years and thinking we want to do this again . Then you look at where the republicans are position wise. Its not that far from where george w. Bush was. In many ways the party has not changed that much since the bush years. Im puzzled by the unwillingness to give jeb a bit more of a chance. It seems like if im a republican primary voter, say what you will about bush but he won the election twice. And hes good on, you know several of these issues that we care about. Social conservatism. Jeb bush will eventually move away. Although see, i wonder about that. We talk about the history between bush and romney. And the root of the ill will between them is how mitt romney handled immigration as a candidate. Who had been the moderate proimmigration reform. Suddenly going against john mccain for illegals and aum these things. From all accounts jeb bush was offended by that and that was the source of the friction thats lasted for five years. Yorn if hes dont know if hes willing to make that switch. Well certain will find out. One of the other numbers i go back to. You were talking about household name, romney at the top of that. Bush at the top of the. Christie is at 4 . Thats my point. Were talking about everyone knows him. Hes at four. Thats not a good sign. Ive been more bullish on christie in the face of the scandal. Im surprised. Im not sure he makes that pir row wet. You can say listen i can win a republican primary while being in favor of immigration reform. The john mccain strategy was like that triple bank shot. Progay marriage. Prochoice new york city mayor who cross dressed occasionally. Rudy giuliani got in all sorts of trouble. Mormonism caused issues with the right. I believe that. I believe jebs liability isnt so much immigration reform. Its the image as this establishment money guy. Its the coalition that hates that element of the party. This is why scott walker is the one to watch. He doesnt have bushs back baggage. He doesnt have christies scandal. They are definitely interested in having someone in the race who represents the particulars. This is not a very political sciency thing to ask. Does he have the personality . I remember watching in 2011. I said im starting to think personality matters more than i think. He made sense on paper for republicans. You anywayknow, scott walkers speech in iowa, it was a barn barnstormer for a american governor, but it was good. That was such a backhanded compliments. The Convention Wisdom is it means good things for bush. It means good things for christi christie. But walker rubio, these types. For some reason theres only a finite amount of ink on certain discussions pages. With the internet you can write about everybody without having to pay. Therest a limited Attention Span in the media and the establishment. The best example is 2008. Joe biden. Could not get his campaign talked about. Theres hillary, obama. And john edwards. Its hard to get a lot of attention and press if youre not in the top tier. Romney leaving does open up a little bit of space for other people to get a look. Walker could get a look. Rubio could get a look. Biden succeeded once. Joe biden gave an interview talking about barack obama being clean an arkansasticulate. He did get attention for that. Still ahead, the energizer patriot. How long did he keep going . St why did a politics writer pay this weeks big New York Times profile on tom brady . Were going to ask that report a little bit later this morning. Stay with us. T. Intercourse thats painful due to menopausal changes its not likely to go away on its own. So lets do something about it. Premarin vaginal cream can help it provides estrogens to help rebuild vaginal tissue and make intercourse more comfortable. Premarin vaginal cream treats vaginal changes due to menopause and moderatetosevere painful intercourse caused by these changes. Dont use it if youve had unusual bleeding breast or uterine cancer blood clots, liver problems, stroke or heart attack, are allergic to any of its ingredients or think youre pregnant. Side effects may include headache pelvic pain, breast pain vaginal bleeding and vaginitis. 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