thanks for watching. i'm wolf blitzer in "the situation room." to all of our jewish viewer out there in the united states in around the world, happy hanukkah. they lit the national hanukkah m menorah a little while ago. the news continues next on cnn. broken government. your taxes set to go up as house up republicans and president obama play the blame game. >> one of the republican party establishment's biggest nightmares. we'll ask congressman ron paul what happens if they wins the iowa caucuses. plus, this warning. washington's budget cutters may be leaving us unprepared to face a bioterror attack. cnn's dr. sanjay gupta is here to explain. the house rejected a two-month extension of the social security payroll tax holiday. that's the only option that was left on the table by senate democrats. that means the government could start taking a bigger bite out of your paycheck starting january 1st. that caused the president to make a rare appearance in the

white house briefing room to blast house republicans, blaming them for the gridlock. >> and let's not play brinksmanship. the american people are weary of it. they're tired of it. >> minutes later, the house speak, john boehner said, no, this is the democrats' fall for refusing to pass a year-long extension. the republican speaker called on the president to order senate democrats back to washington. >> i need the president to help out, all right? >> cnn is working its sources on both ends of pennsylvania avenue. chief white house correspondent jessica yellin will join us in a second. first up to capitol hill and dana bash. the president seems to think he has the upper hand here. let me ask you this from a policy perspective. the house went home after this. they think they're on the high ground. do they have a plan b? >> reporter: plan b is to have

the republican gauche yar negotiators to have them out front and center as much as possible, in front of the cameras and put the pressure on. democrats to show maybe the house went home in general but the people who they want to negotiate, they're still here. beyond that, i'm told by republican sources, not so much. look the reality is, that republicans some of them i talked to, very quietly, around the corners in the hallways here, they are concerned. they are concerned about getting the blame for taxes going up. that's why vote you saw today, john, the republican leaders crafted it carefully so that republicans didn't have to vote for what was effectively a tax increase. you're also seeing senate republicans more and more, john mccain on cnn just a short while ago saying to their colleagues in the house, come on, guys, we think that you should pass this two-month extension and then we'll deal with the longer term one year that almost everybody agrees on. >> stand by. the other end of pennsylvania avenue, jessica yellin. will the president heed the speaker's call and say, senate democrats, come back or does he think he has the upper hand

here? >> quite simply new york. there's no indication the president will call the senate back. the feeling here is why should they? it's not their place. and it's the house's turn to act. their view is that the politics on this are very clear and the policy is clear because 89 members of senate have voted to pass a compromise. that's very rare, we all know. four senate republicans, all up for re-election, calling on the house of representatives to agree to this compromise and so, the white house's view is that they can keep the pressure on the house of representatives and as the clock keeps ticking, enough members of the house are likely to peel away that they will pass this measure perhaps after christmas and in the worst case, if they don't, then republicans are going to take the blame, john. >> stand by. back up to the capitol. dana, what do house republicans

say about na? in an important election year do they want to take the blame for raising taxes, if only temporary? i get the speaker's point, he has a point. why a two-month extension? why can't you get it done on a one-year extension? in the hold days especially with eggnog in the glasses most congresses swroul tawould have deal and dealt with it in january. >> reporter: it's an example of how much things have changed in washington. look at public opinion, they think, for the most part, not for the better. and that is you're right, usually the culture and die flamfla flamfla dynamic here, people take the deal and go home. it may not be perfect but they do it. there's so many new members, especially of the house republican conference, who they say this is not what we came here for. i was told by several republican lawmakers about one of the conference calls, even a two-hour meeting yesterday, so many people stood up and said, forget it, we're not going to do two months, we're not go doing

it, because they believe it hurts small businesses and politically they want to take it all. and they're not going for anything less than that. throughout the year, republicans have had the upper hand and democrats have caved. be honest, they admitted they have caved. in this instance, they insist they won't do it because this issue they believe really hits home because it hits people's pocketbooks, more than anything else they have had a stalemate over and they've had many over the past year. >> jessica, dana makes an important point, the democrats have in the past blinked. sometimes they blame the president. if he's going to plant his foot on this one, he thinks he has the upper hand now. what is their presidential election year calculation on this? are they worried? >> reporter: not worried at all. there's always a little concern, but, john the big picture here is that, for the president you've heard him paint this picture overlast three months of a quote do nothing congress. tagging the republicans in congress as dysfunctional and to blame for gridlock.

so if this payroll tax cut is not extended on that builds on this theme of a do nothing congress in the president's team's view and then the idea is they could attach the republican opponent whoever that is to this republican do nothing congress and make them a unit and the republican presidential candidate would be aligned with a dysfunctional gridlocked republican party. if, on the other hand, the payroll tax cut does pass, the president would take credit for it. the big caveat to all of this, the big warning, is if it doesn't pass, that would be a big hit on the economy, if the economy goes into recession, the person who takes ultimate blame is the president. >> that is a risk the president is taking. thank you. for more perspective, your broken government at work, turn it our senior political analyst david gergen. he's in new york. you have a tough economy, a vulnerable democratic incumbent. are the house republicans even

if they're right on the policy, are they somehow helping, are they unwittingly or out in the open helping the president of the united states get his handing back? more confidence in president obama or the republican congress? 50 to 31. the president wins this hands down. take a look at this next one. the president's approval rating is near the 50% range. why? the biggest jump is among middle class americans. look at those making between $50,000 and $75,000 a year. the president's numbers are up by a striking, a striking, from -- 57% approval now. up from 36%. are the house republicans playing to the president's hand? >> absolutely. absolutely. on the merits, i think republicans in the house have a very good point. of course it should be a one-year extension instead of two months. that's very bad policy. on the politics the republicans have been outmaneuvered on this one, john. the president working with the national has put the republicans in the house into a position where they look like they are

clearly obstructing and they are adding fuel to the fire from the democrats that the republican party has become hostage to the tea party. and whoever gets nominated by the republican party at the end of this primary season is also going to be hostage to the tea party and we're going to be -- that's what you're going to get in the next four years. i think from the republican standpoint they may be right on the merits. there's a lot to be said for their position on the merits. the politics, they've got to find a way out of this really fast. >> a lot of americans, as you know, david, think washington is broken. but if they've been focuses on the holiday shopping, let's go through the process. maybe they've been focused on ohio holidays, maybe thought congress would get it right. here's what happened here. friday the senate leaders agreed on a short-term deal, two-month extension, come back in january and figure it out for the long haul. the senate voted in favor of that deal. two-month extension of the tax cuts of unemploy minute benefits. house gop members, rank and file, they say they don't like

that. then by sunday, john boehner says, no, we're not going it pass the plan. let's have a conference committee. remember your fifth grade civics class, they have a conference committee to work things out. on monday the house comes in, they don't vote on the senate plan but was the republicans don't want to be voting in favor of a tax hike. and then today, that's what happens, the house says we'll have a conference committee. we're going home. the president says, no, come back and do this. washington is broken. speaker boehner says let's have a conference committee. in the old says and every civic book in american schools, that's how it works, house, senate, a committee to merge them. look at 2000, 2001, 2002, a lot of conference committees. speaker boehner may say this is the way the founders wanted it. under his leadership and nancy pelosi's it hasn't happened in washington. two conference committees in 2011. none last year. one in 2009. he's right by the constitution,

but it's a cop-out. >> you're right. on the constitutional basis, of course the house shouldn't be dictated to by the senate. but when it comes down to the 11th hour of the 12th month, you know, with the clockic itting the way it is, and they works out a compromise in the senate which did get majority republican support in the senate, you would think that the -- that would have been wires with the house. what's stunning to me is where was the conversation between john boehner on the republican side in the house and mitch mcconnell the republican leader of the senate? how did the house members let the senate get that far out in front and vote for this, and then come back and pull it down in the house? that -- somehow that communication broke down or boehner didn't know he had a revolt on his hands in his own caucus. >> now we'll see if the president blinks if speaker boehner blinks or if we go into a horizon. everyone's taxes go up.

we'll see. they say they'll work this out. thanks to dana and jessica. ron paul right here to talk about his campaigness latest surge in iowa and register a strong complaint about his party's establishment. >> what they want to do is say i don't count. i'd never ride without one now. and since my doctor prescribed lipitor, i won't go without it for my high cholesterol and my risk of heart attack. why kid myself? diet and exercise weren't lowering my cholesterol enough. now i'm eating healthier, exercising more, taking lipitor. numbers don't lie. my cholesterol's stayed down. lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. it's backed by over 19 years of research. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications, or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. [ man ] still love that wind in my face!

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a acceptance that gives the republican establishment heartburn, ron paul is in contention to win the iowa caucuses. that voting in iowa two week president tonight. congressman paul is looking to build his already-strong base in the state with the new tv ad. >> it's the story of a lost city. lost opportunity. lost hope. a story of failed policies. failed leadership. a story of smooth talking politicians. ron paul, the one with the plan to cut a trillion dollars year one. eliminate the waste. balance the budget. ron paul, the one we can trust. the one who will restore america now. >> so is ron paul the one? texas congressman, presidential hopeful, join me from hampton,

new hampshire. gds to s good to see you. the establishment in washington and the republican establishment in iowa has a case of the jitters now. i was in iowa last week. some people think you have the possibility to win that state, if not they expect you to be strong, in the top two or three. listen to this, the torpedos are now in the water for paul. one of them is labeled a paul win hurts the iowa caucuses. i've heard similar worries from gop leaders in iowa, who fear paul's crazy train will haul the caucuses out of the political fringes and derail forever, stranding iowa's coveted stat tus. why are they so worried about you? >> it's sort of entertaining. so much for democracy. as long as democracy goes they're way, it's okay. few if you get enough support from the people, you win election, it doesn't mean anything, so i think they see me as a challenge for the status quo, you know. there's a lot of people i challenge, everybody from the

military industrial complex to the banking system to the bailouts, to our foreign policy. it's a big deal because i want changes. but that's what the american people want. the american people are with me and that's why i believe i'm going up in the polls. >> we've had this conversation a few times during the campaign, and it is fair to say you are less out there if you will, this campaign than you were in the last campaign. and you get amused by this in watching it in the debates. there's a question even if you perform well in iowa, even if you win iowa, can you grow to the point of being the republican nominee? i ask in the context of this. we had a new national poll this week, we asked republican voters, who would you vote for under no circumstances, which republican would you never support? you, sir, topped that list. 43% of republicans could not support you under any circumstances. does that number suggest while growing in popularity you can grow enough to win the nomination? >> no, it done meesn't mean tha. those aren't permits number but

was you might say what about the young people coming into voting now? how do i do? exceptionally well. what about independents? exceptionally well. what about the willingness of the democrats to vote for me. what surprises me is really, you know, parties are supposed to try to build, and the republican party would like to build so they don't have to fight for elections. i have young people i have independents and democrats come my way. why wouldn't they ask me a question and say, what is it it they like about you because we like to build our party but they never do. what they want to do is say i don't count. lock me out and say, if elected it's a fluke. we don't want your people in our party. we have a close-knit party. if there's new, young, energetic people come in, that's bad for the party. i don't really understand that. i don't understand their rhetoric of building the party and then saying we don't want ron paul's people coming in because they might take over the

party. well, what if we have an influence? what if we believe in liberty, peace, prosperity and sound money? what's so dangerous about that? >> some of the young people i was struck about it last week, a lot like it was for president obama in 2008. they support you, not necessarily the party. a lot say if you don't win the nomination, they had like you to run as an independent, third party candidate. would you rule that out, sir? >> well, i have no intention of doing it because i'm concentrating on doing very well in these early primaries. i don't have plans to do that. it doesn't even cross my mind as planning to do that. >> but you don't say never? >> i'm not an absolutist to say nothing. i'll never do this, i'll never do that. when i left congress a long time ago i had no intentions of coming back. if i said i'm never coming back to this place, 12 years passed, i ran again. i don't think it's good to say absolutely won't do anything. >> if you look around the

internet, because you are now rising in the polls, you are being taken more seriously. not only by your rivals for the nomination but a lot of things that have come up in past campaigns but are being regurgitated like they are for speaker gingrich, for governor romney and some are outrageous statements that have shown up in newsletters s under your name under the years. order was restored in los angeles when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks. i know you have said this is not you, this is someone writing in your name. but i want to give you an opportunity, because this is making it on the rounds, how do these things appear unyour name? >> everybody knows i didn't write them. everybody knows that is not my position. it's 20-some years ago and that's the best they can do? and they have to discredit me on that rather than talking about the federal reserve and the foreign policy and the welfare and the debt? no. it's something -- i was a publisher of a letter and they

appeared, they shouldn't have appeared. but you know, it was just not me that wrote them. i have disavowed them. so you'd think after 20-some years, but nobody's going to believe that stuff. people who know me it can't possibly be true. >> congressman paul joining us new hampshire. appreciate your time. >> thank you. >> thank you. in a few minutes, another republican risking everything on iowa. we'll ask rick santorum about a big endorsement he picked up today. big changes in the storm that dumped 2 feet of snow on new mexico. the latest forecast next. [ nadine ] buzzzz, bzzzz, bzzzz, bzzzz,

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welcome back. kate bolduan's here with the latest news you need to know now. >> the war in iraq formally ended as u.s. cloolors returnedo u.s. soil. as u.s. troops returned with the command flag taken down when they left baghdad. and still that weather, highways are reopening from new mexico to kansas after a huge winter storm left behind two feet of snow. forecasters say the worst is over, so good news there. the system has turned into a rainstorm stretching from the gulf coast to the ohio valley. tomorrow, the rain reaches the east coast and the big cities along the i-95 corridor. the commute should be fun. those cigars are giving the

orange bowl a bit of a headache. public officials -- public health groups want bowl officials to cancer the sponsorship deal with the miami cigar company. the health groups say college aths lettics and smoking should never mix. watching the orange bowl? >> probably watch the bowl. what do you think? >> will you smoke a cigar while watching the orange bowl? >> i will not. we have first amendment rights. i do think a lot of kids will be watching that. >> i look flood ed into it. you think the normal tobacco fda restrictions apply. they do not apply to cigars. >> there you go. news you need to know. tonight we have a warning that washington's budget cutters may be leaving the country at risk to bioterror attacks. dr. sanjay gupta will be here. we'll ask rick santorum about the significant endorsement he

picks up in iowa. the video with the third highest number of hits, rick perry's commercial, faith made america strong, take a look. >> i'm not ashamed to admit that i'm a christian. you don't need to be in the pew every sunday to know there's something wrong in the country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate christmas or pray in school. this was the gulf's best tourism season in years. all because so many people came to louisiana... they came to see us in florida... make that alabama... make that mississippi. the best part of the gulf is wherever you choose...

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welcome back. a sense of what we have coming in the next 30 minutes.

rick santorum picked up a big endorsement in iowa. why he hopes it will change some minds. the republican establishment may not like the truth. like it or not, that's why ron pauls a forces to be reckons with this year. just as the united states gets out of iraq, could war with iran be over the horizon? a sober warning about your health. a new report says washington's budget cutters may be crippling the country's ability to respond to new disease outbreaks and bioterror attacks. dr. sanjay gupta is with us tonight. what cape abilities do we stand to lose? >> we're talking about preparedness in response to lots of different things, including some of the things we've seen this year, natural disasters, like the tornadoes in joplin, the flooding, the red river valley, but also things like h1ni, it cost a large amount of money $8 billion to respond to and of course the concerns about bioterror attacks. the good news is, john, is that we are better prepared for a

potential bioterror attack than we were ten years ago when the funding really spiked after 9/11. over the last three years the amount of money available started to decrease and we're seeing effects of that as well. the report was detailed, john. they got into the specific city level, for example, they talked about 51 cities that had funds decreases. they wouldn't be able to distribute vaccines, to track v viruss or pathogens or test these things. someone described it to me trying to train new workers in the middle of an outbreak or a problem which is what these public health people are worried about. we'll wait too long before we ramp up again. >> some of the risks are hypothetical, hard for people to wrap their minds around them, people have seen the movie "contagion" what effect could a scenario like that have on patients? >> with "contagion" specifically they talked to folks at cdc, talked to bioterror experts to

say, es this a plausible scenario and the answer came back, this was possible. obviously, it was a global pandemic and, you know, it was frightening to see unfold in the fictional movie obviously. but that's the big concern. but i'll give you a real-life example, john, something you and i have talked about, listeria, not as sexy, as you will, as contagion, but that was helgds held up as auction ssuccess. 30 people died as a result of the outbreak. they want time prove abilities to track the pathogens fast, get the food off the shelves quicker. the concern is if you take away funding you're not as good as doing exactly that. >> good to see you. see you tonight on "ac 360." gloria borger's out on the campaign trail in iowa. two weeks from tonight, 14 days before that state's kick-off caucuses.

gloria, you met with the state's veteran republican governor, terry brandstad. what he had to say about expectations for the first contest. >> i will just say that we've always said there are three tickets out of iowa. it's all about expectations. who beats expectations? it's not just about ron paul. it's about who else beats expectations. does somebody else beat expectations? does, let's say, santorum come in a surprising second or third? that could be significant. or does romney come back and come in a strong second, let's say? that could be helpful to him in new hampshire. >> interesting, gloria, he mentioned potential of rick santorum surge. we'll speak to senator santorum in a moment. first thing he mentioned, it's not just about ron paul. is governor brandstad a bit on the defensive? >> you think so. you think i was being spun a little bit, john? look, they -- clearly hearing what republicans are saying in states other than iowa which is, if ron paul wins they basically consider him not to be

electable, doesn't that make the iowa caucuses irrelevant? and of course the governor of the great state of iowa was saying to me, we're not irrelevant. we are the ones who ended up making barack obama the democratic nominee so we're very important. and even if ron paul were to win and, dby the way, john, he thins that's a possibility, even if ron paul were to win what about the others? this will also determine their place in the race. you know, mitt romney, rick santorum, perry, gingrich. i was getting spun a little bit there. >> a little bit. >> there's some truth to it. >> that's his job. he wants to -- his cherished caucuses he wants to protect them. two weeks out, this is when it gets interesting and fun, the tv ads, talking to the senior party leaders out there. what do they expect this fight, this contentious fight among the republicans to come down to? >> well, you know this, john, better than anyone, it comes down to organization in iowa.

1774 precincts, you have to know where your voters are, identify them and you have to get them to the caucuses. that's one of the reasons, for example, newt gingrich has been having a lard time capitalizing on his own surge. he went up in the polls but he didn't have the money to put out ads or a lot of ads, he's gone positive but he hasn't responded to the nextive ads and he doesn't have the organization to identify his voters at this point. he's having conference calls with potential voters saying, press one if you want to be a precinct chairman whereas other folks, like ron paul, have been out here organizing. one republican leader said to me, you know what? ron paul has taken a page from barack obama's play book, he's gotten out there and he's identified new people to bring into the caucuses. that's what paul was telling you earlier. and this republican official said, you bet he has. and that's good for the republican party. >> fascinating.

two weeks to go. gloria borger in the center of the action in des moines. see you tomorrow. it's time for the second-most popular political video this year posted on youtube. you make the selections by watching them. last april's white house correspondence dinner when the president was being professorial. >> some people now suggest that i'm too professorial. and i'd like to address that head on. by assigning all of you some reading that will help you draw your own conclusions. others say that i'm arrogant. but i found a really great self-help tool for this, my poll numbers.

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important day in iowatoday. a pair of evangelical leaders endorses rick santorum for president and dropped a hint they'd like some republican opponents to give up. rick santorum joining us live from davenport. senator if you look through the field here, you're one guy who hasn't had at least a mini surge yet. bob van der plats ran the huckabee campaign in 2008. is this enough? >> certainly a big help. we've had other endorsements, too, but this is certainly the strongest endorsement to date of a leader of an organization and someone who has, as you mentioned before, ran the huckabee campaign in iowa. we feel very good today that the conservatives are starting to coalesce behind our candidacy.

we felt that momentum for the last couple of weeks, as i think i told you when you were here in iowa and continuing to see that momentum pick up. we've picked up a big talk show host in northwest iowa, sam clovis and hopeful for more endorsements later in the week. >> i'll go to our poll, the poll's dated but it does show you one of the dynamics of the race campaign. support among iowa evangelicals for president, gingrich gets 29%, ron paul 17, mitt romney, 15, rick perry, 13, michele bachmann, 11. this poll, which is admittedly a week or so old, you're down at 5%. you say you're on the upswing. is it enough, and why is it, why is it, huckabee got a big clunk of vote last time that propelled him to victory. why is it so split this time? >> you have other candidates vying for it that have ledge ma legitimately good records. being able to win in a tough

states, having experience on the campaign trail, not making mistakes that have plagued her campaign. we just say, you know, look, there are legitimately good choices here for us to make and as conservatives, we think we're the strongest one to run the campaign and when we do get, as we are, i believe getting the surge we'll be able to hold on to it and take it to victory in the just here in iowa but also, most importantly, against barack obama in the swing states that we need to win in order for us to win the presidency. >> you mentioned the bob van der plats runs a christian conservative group in iowa today. done wildman runs the american family association endorses newt gingrich. that has to sting a bit. >> no, look, there's all sorts of groups out there that are going to be weighing in. you know one that matters right now for us is we have to win iowa. we hope to get the endorsement of the next group in new hampshire and going on from there. national leaders will be all over the map-we've gotten

support from national folks. but they don't matter. what matters is iowa and the people here are focused on this race, paying attention, and we're going to like what they have to say. >> the governor, terry branstad told gloria borger he views the campaign as three tickets out of iowa. he says you have a chance of the three. >> i feel very confident our campaign is on the rise. governor brandstad told me early on you can't buy iowa. you've got to work it, we've done it, we've done -- we had 349 town hall meetings which we'll finish at the end of the week. >> top three finish? >> you know, i'm not predicting any order of finish. we're going -- look, we're in the bottom right now of your poll. you're telling me top three finishes. we're going to do better than everybody else projects. we're focuses on trying to win in iowa. >> two weeks from tonight we'll know the answer. appreciate your time tonight. >> thanks, john. >> a question for the republican

establishment. if ron paul is such a fringe out of the mainstream gadfly, what are you worked up about? ? iowa, veteran gop players worriworry a paul victory would doom their caucuses to obscurity. congressman paul gets the attention of his rivals. they say his world view keep u.s. troops at home and out of other countries' affairs is naive and dangerous. >> just the power of his statement from the standpoint of allowing the mullahs and a mad man to come into possession of a nuclear bomb and somehow another we should not care about that. >> here in washington, republican party regulars can't fathom the thought of paul as a major play somewhere voice in the nomination process. they look in the gop field and think, well, remember this? >> three of these things belong together. >> i know the answer. ♪ three of these things are kind of the same

one of these things just doesn't belong here♪ >> i got it already. >> with a smile, tonight's truth. one reason congressman pauls a force this cycle, it's not easy to say he just doesn't belong here anymore. after ten years in afghanistan, eight in iraq, more and more americans are war weary and the giant budget deficits here in washington when paul mentioned them he gets more mnods when he says it's time to pull back, focus at home. four years ago it was routine to see gop rivals roll their eyes when he launched into his trademark attack on the federal reserve. now, well ron paul was against the fed in bailing out the banks. before that tea party cool. my money says he's too isolated, too anti-wall street for most republican regulars. that will suggest he will influence the nominating process but in my view, not likely to win the prize. truth is establishment and his rivals could learn a lesson or two from dr. paul. above all, he is authentic at a

time most americans view politicians as poll driven pand panderers. the authenticity test, governor brandstad gives paul credit. >> a consistent record of voting against the spending and wants to radically reform the whole budgeting process in the federal reserve and all of those things, and a lot of people, especially a lot of young people, feel the country's going the wrong direction, we need new leadership. >> young people referenced there is important. paul's appearances on college campuses almost always standing room only. and his young supporters are internet and social media savvy. and much like barack obama four years ago, this campus loyalty to paul is more about the person than the party. >> if i didn't get my civil liberties i have to find another way. >> if ron paul doesn't win the nomination should he run as an independent? >> i believe he'll get the republican nomination. >> that's one reason paul gives the establishment headaches. it is uncertain he won't run as

an independent or as a labor therrien. this chart from "the washington post" shows the paul third party, using the polling data would cost republicans an election they have a shot at winning if they get a one-on-one against the president. would paul do that? probably not. just the threat should remain the establishment to be a bit more polite to the congressman and his supporters. with us to add their perspectives, james carville, former george w. bush speechwriter, david frum and susan molinari. you know ron paul. he isn't as far out there this cycle as he was last cycle. >> that's absolutely true. >> with the new proportional rules we could get to tampa and ron paul could be to this republican party what jesse jackson was to the democratic party in '80s. >> a genuinely nice guy. when you see him on tv you think he's going to be so out there

and some of his views, his social views are an anathema to most republicans. but he is consistent, sincere, and that does resonate this year, and clearly when it comes to not his isolationist policies but his economic policies, the timing wasn't right for years ago. it is right this year. as a romney supporter and a lot of the areas the republican party, governor romney and others are right there with him. >> why? >> look, republicans and young people, young people you references we're in the middle of this terrible, terrible depression. people want an explanation. and ron paul has something that sounds like an explanation. it's not an explanation. it's exactly the wrong way to go. you're right, it has dragged the republican party toward him but in a dangerous way. he's got the republican party arguing for higher interest rates in the middle of a depression, he's got the republican party saying we need a monetary policy that repeats all of the disasters of the 19th century. his economic message is one that

says we should be more indifferent to the difficulty office the bottom 80 of the population. give him too much credit, it's not just a bad foreign policy message, it's a destructive domestic policy, too. >> james carville, he says he's not thinking about it. do you see any possibility his supporters could convince ron paul to go the third party route? >> 76 years old, he's run for president any number of times probably figures this is his last time. i couldn't tell you. but certainly he gives them something, he gives the republicans at leaf as long as he's in there something they don't have and that's access to energy among young people. it's been a disaster for them for a long time now. and i think david frum hit it on the head, he gives people an answer. by and large it's the wrong answer but tell me why iraq and afghanistan were the right answer, i guess he'd say and that gives him a lot of energy, if you will. and the guy is anything, he's a

pleasant man. i don't know him personally but i've been on television with him a few times and he comes across as someone who is genuine, says what he means and means what he says. it's a in some ways if you don't pay attention too much to what he says it's refreshing. >> the that authenticity thing important, because when i was in iowa a lot of people said they were for herman cain specifically because he is not ale poll tegs and thinking of ron paul, because -- >> well, one thing that ron paul will take into consideration now is that he is not in the united states senate and what he does is an independent candidate and what the repercussions would be and to maintain a republican senate or house, and some of the fallout would fall on his side. >> a lot of people think that if president obama is re-elected rand paul will be there shortly. >> we don't want another professional politicians leading a political dynasty and that is why we are turning to the paul

family with the political dynasty with the fund-raising operation. >> you want it to make sense. i have to move on. >> and now, let's talk about the political dynasties here in the democratic party. >> and 11 months up, and the president's approval rating back up to 50%, but one of the things making the rounds especially criticized on the liberal blogs is if you watched "60 minutes" sunday night you did not see it, but you saw the president rating himself in historical content. >> i would put our foreign policy for the first two years with the exceptions of johnson and fdr and lincoln against tert we have gotten done in modern history, but when it comes to the economy, we have a lot more work the do. we are going to keep on at it. >> he is especially lucky, james carville he said that last part, because the first part even if

you believe it to be true, and shouldn't he be keeping that to himself right now? probably, but you know, honestly, he does have remarkable legislative accomplishments and some pretty good foreign policy accomplishments. i mean, now, look, the politicians tend to give themselves a lot of credit and in particularly a election year and valid, but i would suspect that his people could argue that the case is pretty good if you go back to look at the totality of the record, but you are right, i was wincing until i saw the last part, because people do not feel like, i mean, this has been particularly, and a particularly difficult time and it is hard to talk about the economy when you are an incomet bent and we could not talk about it until the beginning of '96 and the recovery was a long way under our feet by that time. >> and give him some advice on that? >> well, first of all if he is so interesting to put not only in a debate b tow pbut to put t

reference of more like other president, and in terms of israel this is the most ambivalent republican president in my life on israel and the jury is out on iraq and is there a civil war brewing now that he has pulled the troops back and the world economy teetering on the brink and there are still some real foreign affairs such as china and the yen. >> i suspect he will be more humble. >> and this youtube is not any of the prominent candidates for president, but who is it? next, don't go anyway.

we've saved people a lot of money on car insurance. feels nice going into the holidays. ohhhh.... will you marry me? oooh, helzberg diamonds. yeah, well he must have saved some money with geico. reminds me of the gecko mating call. really? how does that go? shoo be doo be doo. geico. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. selling fishcakes from the back of his truck, and in 1942, of course, they were sent away. after the war, as a japanese coming back from camp, he started a little store on main street in seattle. of course they needed some money, and bank of america was the only bank who would talk to my father. and we've stayed with bank of america. we have four stores now, three in the pacific northwest

and one in oregon. my parents would not believe how popular it is now.

will be giving away passafree copies of the alcoholism & addiction cure. to get yours, go to ssagesmalibubook.com. welcome back. kate bolduan is back with the news you need to know. >> hey there to the you, again. the u.s. has learned that they have been in touch with south korea and the officials following the death of kim ill jiang and we a are told that mourners are passing by a glass coffin containing jim jo ining body along with his son there. and we are told that iran is playing a dangerous game to ensnare the middle east. in an exclusive interview with our correspondent barbara starr, we are warned that u.s. does not want to get into a new conflict

or risk nuclear arms, but they are ready just in case. >> i'm satisfied that we are, that the options that we are developing are evolving to a point that they would be executable if necessary. >> general dempsey is visiting with the u.s. troops around the world and including several holiday uso stops. and finally, the moment you have been waiting for. youtube's number one political video of 2011. almost 17 million views so far and probably not a name you have heard before. this happened in iowa this february and in front of a packed iowa house of representatives. here is 19-year-old college student zach walls' impassioned speech against a proposed iowa constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. >> as a sixth generation iowa and rayed by two women, my biological mother told her grandparents that she was pregnant and that the artificial insemination had worked and that

it was not until i was born and broke down to my cuteness that they admitted to having a grandson, but not once have i been confronted by a individual who recognized i was raised by a gay couple and the reason is because the sexual orientation of the parents have has zero affect on the content of my character. >> yes. >> and it is the power of democracy on youtube. >> and despite the impassioned speech the amendment passed in february, but clearly, he made quite an impression on youtube. >> yes, and stay with me, as this is the moment that you might have certainly missed a humbling moment that came to newt gingrich because of again a question from iowa at a campaign stop. >> do you feel like you are enough to be a little bit more humble to -- >> well, first of all i work very, very hard and i need your