know david duke. i have never met him and don't know anything about him. >> bring in chris who is following the trump campaign from alabama. what more is being said beyond this tweet? >> i will tell you, what is interesting about the interview with jake tapper he said he doesn't know david duke. that may be true. going back 16 years in 2000 when donald trump decided not to run for the reform party nomination, he said in part "the reform party now includes a klansman, mr. duke. this is not company i wish to keep. clearly donald trump did know about david duke, knew about his affiliation with the ku klux klan. it is important to remind our viewers that david duke was a former grand wizard of the white supremacist group and on friday we heard he answered a question similar to jake tapper's this morning saying david duke endorsed me, okay, all right. i disavow. after his interview on cnn's state of the union this morning, trump did tweet moments ago saying "as i stated on friday, regarding david duke i di

david duke. i know nothing about white supremacists. and so you're asking me a question that i'm supposed to be talking about people that i know nothing about. >> but i guess the question from the anti-defamation league is even if you don't know about their endorsement, there are these groups and individuals endorsing you. would you just say unequivocally you condemn them and don't want their support? >> well, i have to look at the group. i mean, i don't know what group you're talking about. you wouldn't want me to condemn a group that i know nothing about. i have to look. if you would send me a list of the groupsly do research on them and certainly i would disavow if i thought there was something wrong. >> the ku klux klan. >> but you have groups in there that are totally fine and it would be totally hundred fair. so give me a list of the groups and i'll let you know. >> i'm talking about david duke and the ku klux klan. >> i don't know david duke. i never met him, i'm pretty sure i didn't mean

. >> i disavow david duke. when we looked at it i disavowed david duke. i disavowed david duke all weekend long on facebook and twitter and obviously it is never enough. >> i ask donald trump jr. about race in america with one day to go until super tuesday. >>> hillary clinton turns focus to november targeting trump. >> we don't need to make america great again. america has never stopped being great. >> bernie sanders is saying don't count him out. plus, chris rock at the oscars. >> otherwise known as the white people's choice awards. >> taking on the oscars white controversy head on. will anything change? let's talk live in the cnn newsroom. >>> and good morning. i'm carol costello. thank you for joining me. this may be the single most important week of the crazy political season and maybe one of the bloodiest at least among republicans. this time tomorrow voting will begin in primaries and caucuses across 12 states and super tuesday with hundreds of delegates could push the front runners closer to locking up the nomination. here is how the races stack u

david duke endorsed me. i disavow. okay. >> reporter: this on the heels of his interview this morning on cnn this morning where he dodged the question about duke's support. >> i don't know anything about david duke. i don't know what you are talking about with white supremacy or white supremacist. i don't know. did he endorse me or what's going on? i know nothing about david duke. i know nothing about white supremacists. so you are asking me a question i'm supposed to be talking about people i know nothing about. >> the question from the anti-defamation league is even if you don't know about their endorsement, there are these groups and individuals endorsing you, would you say you condemn them and don't want their support? >> well, i have to look at the group. i don't know what group you are talking about. you wouldn't want me to condemn a group i know nothing about. i'd have to look. i will do research and certainly would disavow if i thought there was something wrong. give me a list an i will let you know. >> i'm jus

duke and the ku klux klan. >> i don't know david duke. i don't think i've ever met him and i just don't know anything about him. >> we have the best political team on television covering all angles of this story and reaction from trump's rivals on the campaign trail. let's begin with chris frates in madison, alabama. now chris donald trump will take the stage behind you. this, as i said, his first public event since that exchange this morning here on cnn. do we have any sense from his campaign what he might say? will he address it? what can we expect? >> poppy, we have asked the campaign whether or not trump will address this. we have not heard back. of course trump never misses a chance to address his rivals and marco rubio and ted cruz have been make this an issue on the campaign trail. we expect to see donald trump shortly. his airplane just flying over this field. the crowd here very excited. we expect donald trump momentarily. i think it's important it take a step back about what has transpired. remember, back on friday, donald trump

duke and the ku klux klan. >> i don't know david duke. i'm pretty sure i've never met him and i don't know anything about him. >> so at the trump campaign in alabama, he is yet to arrive there and address supporters is the presumption he will take it a step further and talk more about disavowing the klan, david duke, and what he has said and being on record for what he has done and said? >> we are just getting under way here. as you can hear, the national anthem is being sung. we do expect donald trump to take the stage shortly. what is interesting about the comments, he refused to disavow david duke and kkk with our own jake tapper and said he didn't know enough about the group. the anti-defamation group saying they will provide information about extremist groups and hate mongers to all candidate, including mr. trump. we will take a second and listen to this national anthem. >> all right, chris frates, respectful respectfully, thank you from alabama there. the ceo of anti-defamation league, there were -- they were the ones calling for do

, i don't know david duke. i don't believe i've ever met him. i'm pretty sure i didn't meet him. and i just don't know anything about him. nigel: monday, on the "today" show, trump explained what happened this way. >> what i heard was "various groups," and i don't mind disavowed david duke, and i disavowed him the day before at a major news conference, which is surprising, because he was at the major news conference. cnn was at the major news conference, and they heard me very easily disavow david duke. now, i go and i sit down again, i have a lousy earpiece that is provided by them. and frankly, he talked about groups, he also talked about groups. i have no problem with disavowing groups. nigel: tomorrow is super tuesday. polls show donald trump is ahead in most states, including georgia. carol: other presidential candidates are working the campaign trail today, ahead of super tuesday tomorrow. marco rubio was in atlanta with governor nikki haley. there, he took aim at frontrunner donald trump. >> the american

>> i don't know anything about david duke. i don't know anything about what you're talking about what supremacy, i don't know anything abouted david duke or white supremacies. >> lauren: david -- ted cruz and marco rubio slamming trump. >> we cannot be part of that. >> watching donald's interview when he decline denounce the kkk, i thought that was unfortunate. >> as i stated athe press conference on friday, is disavow, here is what he said on friday. >> i didn't even know he endorsed me. i disavow, okay. >> lauren: senator obama denounced the support by controversial minister and nation of islam leader, mr. obama, i have been clear. >> nicole: releasing tax filings as they continue to criticize donald trump's refusal to release his tax returns. >> maybe he's not as rich as he is, maybe the case that he gives large sums of money like planned parenthood. >> he's portraying himself as great leader f donald trump is president, he's not going to make america great again. >> nicole: he will discloses filings until the irs finishes

i disavowed david duke. i disavowed david duke all weekend, on facebook and twitter. obviously it's never enough. >> reporter: that's after failing three times to denounce support from white supremacist and former kkk leader david duke on cnn's state of the union. >> would you say unequivocally you condemn them, don't want their support? >> well, i have to look at the group. i don't know what group you're talking about. you wouldn't want me to condemn a group i know nothing about. i have to look. if you would sends me a list of groups, i will do research on them. >> opponents were quick to pounce. >> you say david duke to me, i say racist, immediately. why would he not denounce the klu klux klan. there's no move for members of the klu klux klan or racists like david duke. >> reporter: candidates like john kasich push for a campaign beyond insults and outlandish behavior. >> i am sort of tired of what i see, the name calling, what i consider to be childishness when we are running for president of the united states. this is like every day, like a circus. >> reporter: te

and david duke? is he really so ignorant of southern voters that he thinks this is the way to their heart? to go neutral. to play switzerland. when you're talking about the klan? and to say he doesn't know enough information about the klan to condemn them, exactly what does donald trump expect to learn? in the next 24 hours about the klan? >> now, of course, early voting has been under way, but it's less than 24 hours before the polls open. donald trump finds himself on the defensive this morning. and on the "today" show, he tried once again to explain his comments. >> david duke was a member. >> a day before at a major press conference, and i'm saying to myself, how many times do i have to continue to disavow people. the question was asked about david duke and various groups. and i don't know who the groups are. >> the question now is, has donald trump finally crossed a line, or will he demonstrate once again that he's the teflon don? meantime, the level of frat boy humor flying in this election has

i know nothing about david duke. did david duke endorse me? i disavow. okay. >> reporter: back in 2000, he had a reform party who had ties to the former kkk leader. saying, this is not company i wish to keep. and trump took to twitter to disavow duke's support but only after he was attacked by some rivals. >> reporter: donald trump got another establishment support when alabama senator jeff sessions endorsed him at a rally here in alabama. it comes as the billionaire continues to coalesce establishment support around his run. john, al sip, back to you guys. >> chris, thanks so much for that. so voters in 11 states head to the polls. here this morning to dissect the new polls could impact this vote, we have fellow georgetown institution of politics, jack kucinich, errol lewis. the polls were released three and a half men's ago. let me show everyone what the big news is. trump has 49%. marco rubio is his closest competitor at 16%. trump and rubio have gone up since last month. trump now has more than all of his competitors combined. what does this mean for

i know who he is, but i never met david duke. met david duke. >>fused to run on the reform party's platform because duke was a member of it. >> i'm saying to myself, how many times do i have to continue to disavow people? the question was asked about david duke and various groups. i don't know who the groups are. i said, would you do me a favor and tell me the groups? he was unable to tell me that. about david duke and the klu klux klan here. you said, honestly, i don't know david duke. >> i'm sitting in a house in florida with a bad ear piece they gave me. you can hardly hear what he was saying. what i heard was various groups. i don't mind disavowing anybody. i disavowed david duke and disavowed him the day before at a major news conference, which is surprising because he was at the major news conference. cnn was at the major news conference and they heard me easily disavow david duke. now i have a lousy ear piece provided by them. frankly, he talked about groups. i have no problem with disavowing groups but i'd like to know who they are. it'd

talking about. >> david duke and the klu klux klan here. >> honestly, i don't know david duke. >> the odd exchange that left the billionaire scrambling to explain while his rivals pounced. we'll talk to trump in a live interview. >>> erin andrews and her convicted stalker expected to testify at her $75 million civil trial today. we're live at the courthouse. >>> cursed cruise ship? another ill-fated voyage for royal caribbean's anthem of the seas, just weeks after passengers were battered by a this time, bad weather and a norovirus outbreak forcing it to return to port today, monday, february 29th, 2016. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >>> good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. february 29th. you don't say that very often. >> every four years, actually. >> exactly right. did you watch the show last night? >> i stayed up all the way to best costume design. proud of myself. >> that's about 9:40, something like that. >> i know. >> way to go. chris rock seemed to have the

david duke i disavow. he said he disavowed him on friday and then said he didn't know anything about david duke. what do you make of this and will it matter? >> david duke has haunted the republican party for quite some time running in louisiana for state office and then in 1999 when donald trump was first flirting with the presidential bid he talked about how david duke and his association was hurting the republican party. now trump does say he disavows duke but says the tension the party has in some quarters when dealing with the question of some supporters who are out of the mainstream who have associations with racist groups like the kkk. it is an uncomfortable moment for trump as he is looking to sweep on super tuesday answering questions about david duke that shows he is not at ease on the national stage and not entirely clear on past histories. >> when you look at alabama being one of the series of super tuesday states that he hopes to sweep, will something like this make a difference? >> it is hard

duke. >> i don't know anything about david duke. i don't know what you are talking about with white supremacy. i don't know. did he endorse me or what's going on? i know nothing about david duke or white supremacist. you are asking me questions about people i know nothing about. >> reporter: and after that interview, ted cruz took to twitter for not disavowing his support. trump later tweeted he did disavow it. cruz and rubio continue to hit this issue going into super tuesday. back to you. >>> thank you. trump's rivals trying to seize on any new controversy they can find. marco rubio slammed trump for denying on cnn that he knows who david duke is. cruz suggested that trump had connections to the mafia. >> should the head of the conservative movement, the republican nominee someone like donald trump refused -- refused to criticize the ku klux klan. he was interviewed on cnn and was asked to disavow the kkk, he didn't do it. he knows exactly who david duke is. >> he is clearly hiding something. on the other hand, it could be donatio

i disavowed david duke. after that, i also disavowed david duke. when we looked at it, the question, i disavowed david duke. all weekend long on facebook and twitter and, obviously, it's never enough. ridiculous. >> there is a piece in the "new york times" yesterday after the republican establishment's efforts over the past couple months to derail your campaign. governors got together and met and talked about writing a letter to the american people, disavowing your brand and your candidacy. in your opinion, right now on the eve of super tuesday, has the republican establishment lost its opportunity to stop you? >> well, i think i'm doing very well. a reuters poll came out. i'm 44% and 45% and others are at 11%. i'd love to win texas. it's the only place i'm a little down to a sitting senator that hasn't done a thing for the people of texas. i think i have a chance of i think i'll win florida in two weeks because rubio is a no-show. he's done a terrible job for florida. he's defrauded florida. he never shows up for votes. i think i'll win florida. >

david duke endorsed me? okay, all right. i disavow, all right. >> >> don champion here in new york, thank you, don. >>> florida senator marco rubio went after trump during a rally in virginia yesterday. >> he is always calling me i admit he is taller than me by 6'2" which i don't know why his hands are the size of someone like 52. have you seen his hands? they are like this. you know what they say about men with small hands. you can't trust them. >> coming up on "cbs this morning," we will discuss the weekend's events and what is coming up tomorrow with cbs news political director and "face the nation" moderator john dickerson reason an army sergeant charged in the murder of a virginia police officer is expected to be arraigned today. ronald hamilton is being held without bail. prosecutors say they will likely seek the death penalty. the officer he is charged with killing was on her first day on the job. brian webb reports. >> reporter: bagpipes and candles and prayers were part of a memorial for officer ashley guindon kille

duke and other white supremacists backing his campaign. >> will you unequivocally condemn david duke, say you don't want his vote of other white supremacists in this election? >> just so you understand, i don't know anything about david duke, i don't know what you're talking about with white supremacy or white sue prpremac us. >> reporter: doing damage control, tweeting from a press conference friday when he disavowed duke support, pointing to that today. >> we looked at it, looked at the question. i disavowed david duke, all weekend on facebook and twitter and obviously it's never enough. >> reporter: all of this gives marco rubio another opening to pounce. >> you say david duke to me, i say racist immediately. >> reporter: rubio with his voice coarse. >> trying to get my white voice here. >> reporter: and keeping up the all out assault on donald trump. >> where was donald in the gang of eight. not only was he nowhere to be found, donald trump was funding the gang of eight. >> reporter: meanwhile, despite pressure from some party elders to exit the race, john kasich says even though

klan here. >> honestly, i don't know david duke. i don't believe i've ever met him. i'm pretty sure i didn't meet him and i just don't know anything about him. >> the backlash was swift and bipartisan. senator ted cruz tweeted, really sad donald trump, you're better than this. we should all agree racism is wrong. kkk is abhorrent. john kasich posted hate groups have no place in america. we are stronger together, end of story. now senator bernie sanders tweeted america's first black president cannot and will not be succeeded by a hate mongerer who refuses to condemn the kkk. which his democratic rival hillary clinton retweeted. now that's the first time her account has ever done that. and marco rubio said the comments disqualify trump from leading their party. >> we cannot be a party that nominates someone who refuses to condemn white supremacists, and the ku klux klan. we cannot be a party that does that. not only is that wrong. it makes him unelectable. how are we going to grow our party with a nominee that refuses to condemn the k

duke and the ku klux klan here. >> honestly, i don't know david duke. i don't believe i've ever met him. i'm pretty sure i've never met him and i don't know anything about him. >> is there no place in the conservative movement for david duke, the ku klux klan. >> we don't have anyplace for white supremacist in the united >> reporter: with more than 1 1,500 up for grabs the republicans are hitting key states in the south. today, hillary clinton also attacked trump. >> i said last night, america has never stopped beating great. our task is to make america whole. >> reporter: a new tracker poll shows clinton is ahead of bernie sanders in virginia, georgia, and texas. sanders admits he has work to do after losing south carolina's democratic primary. >> we did really, really badly with older african-american voters. i mean, we got decimated. >> reporter: trump is ahead in virginia and georgia but trails cruz in his home state of texas. 155 delegates are at stake there. trump's remarks yesterday about not knowing david duke don't jibe with what ed friday when

david duke endorsed me? i disavow, okay? >> reporter: trump's response drawing anger from his rival, senator marco rubio. >> he blamed it on a bad ear piece, that he couldn't hear the question. i don't care how bad the eerm piece is, ku klux klan comes through pretty clearly, and he refuses to criticize it. and trump engaging in an epic schoolyard name-calling war. >> i've never seen a human being sweat like he sweats. >> he doesn't sweat because his pores are clogged from the spray tan that he uses. >> marco rubio, a total -- total featherweight. >> i don't understand why his hands are the size of someone who is 52'2". have you seen his hands? they're like this. and, you know what they say about men with small hands. you can't trust them. >> reporter: left out of the trump/rubio brawl, senator ted cruz, camped out in his home state of texas, hoping a victory there keeps him in the race. >> if you don't want to see donald trump as our nominee and you don't want to see hillary clinton win the general, then, i ask for you to j

duke's call to vote for trump. >> i'm just talking about david duke and the ku klux klan here. but -- >> i don't know anything. hon honestly, i don't know david duke. i don't believe i've ever met him. and i just don't know anything about him. >> reporter: the backlash was swift. his rivals pouncing. >> we cannot be a party that nominates someone who refuses to condemn the ku klux klan. that. >> reporter: ted cruz tweeting, "really sad. donald trump, you're better than this. we should all agree, racism is wrong. kkk is abhorrent." trump fired back, noting this previous response. >> i didn't even know he endorsed me, david duke endorsed me? okay, all right. i disavow, okay? >> reporter: trump is poised to win big on super tuesday. which includes six southern states. trump boosted by his huge endorsement from former rival chris christie. the new jersey governor was challenged today on his change of heart about the front-runner. >> are you saying now that you endorse ban of having noncitizen muslims -- >> no, that's not what i'm saying. i'm saying that's only one piece of an overa

>> david duke endorsed me? >> reporter: meanwhile early voting officially kicking off in the sunshine state. early voting starts on saturday. for more information about voting locations and times, head to our website, wsvn.com >> also the news tonight, the virginia police officer making the ultimate sacrifice on her first day on the job. 28-ar-old ashley glendon shot and killed while responding to a domestic-related shoot nothing wood ridge, virgin. the suspect's wife also killed and two other officers injured. the police department holding a memorial for officer glendon tonight. family and friends remembering the powerful impact she had on her fellow neighbors. >> each and every one of us is blessed to know there are danger to make sure those of us who lack the training and courage and wherewithal to be in their place don't have to be in the place of danger. >> reporter: police identify ronald hamilton, an army pentagon. he's behind bars without bond. investigators are still trying to figure on the the motive

. >> more controversy for donald trump after an endorsement from former kkk leader david duke. several organizations called on donald trump to reject the support of david duke and other white supremacist groups. donald trump said he can't condemn somebody he doesn't know. >> i don't know anything about david duke. i don't know what you are talking about with white supremacists. i don't know. or what is going on. because i know nothing about david duke. >> later today donald trump tweeted that he does reject the support of the former kkk leader. >>> votersane dozen -- voters in a dozen states hold primaries on super tuesday. bernie sanders skipped south carolina and went straight texas and minnesota. -- straight to texas and minnesota. bernie sanders is now doubling down. >> i am going to be asking for your vote on tuesday but i need more than that from you. i need your help the day ter the general election because i can't do it alone. >> our campaign is the only one in a position to beat donald if you want to stop this trump drain, the only way is to beat him on super tuesday.

duke. >> i don't know anything about david duke. i don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy. i don't know. i don't know. did he endorse me or what's going on? i know nothing about david duke. i know nothing about white supremacist. you are asking me a question i'm supposed to be talking about people i know nothing about. >> reporter: after that interview, ted cruz took to twitter to criticize donald trump for not disavowing support. trump does in fact disavow it. this is an issue that will likely not go away as ted cruz and marco rubio to hit this issue going into super tuesday. back to you. >> chris, thank you so much. joining us to discuss this is cnn analyst josh rogin. good morning. we have controversy surrounding donald trump. refusal to disavow on sunday. we have news picking up endorsement of jeff sessions. a key alabama senator. the first senator to endorse trump. what is the back drop of this all right now? a day before super tuesday, josh, where are we in this campaign? >> what you see

klux klan. >> honestly, i don't know david duke. i don't believe i've ever met him. amy: donald trump has declined to distance himself from a benito mussolini quote he had retweeted. on sunday, chuck todd of nbc's "meet the press" questioned trump about the tweet. >> right now twitter, there is a trending retweet of yours, you retreated somebody from 2016 that was a mussolini quote but you did not know it was whistling the that said "it is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep." that is the famous mussolini quote. do you like it? >> it is located know it is mussolini. mussolini was mussolini. it is a very good quote and a very interesting quote and i saw it -- and i know who said it, but what difference does it make whether it is mussolini or somebody else? it is a very interesting quote. that is probably why -- >> [inaudible] associated to be with a fascist? know, i want to be associated with interesting quotes. amy: there's donald trump been question on nbc. kevin alexander gray, can you talk about donald trum