we are blessed to have them here. we look forward to a happy and safe holiday. don't forget to tune in to fox's new year with bill and meygan. huckabee starts now. ♪ good evening, i am mike huckabee from the fox news studios in new york. what a year it has been and no one covered 2011 better than fox news. tonight our anchors and corpondant it is that brought you the news tell us how they covered the biggest stories of 2011. it is time to say happy new year and the whole idea of making a big deal of turning the calendar was ratherart ficial. but like other milestones that we use for navigation, at least this is rational. we'll right the wrong year on

letters and checks until we get used to the idea of 2012. this year and a presidential election year and going to be intense around fox news and the huckabee show. this might be a good time to reflectt on what has been a remarkable year and why we're optmistic about the next one. week after week, our show attracts of the most viewers of all of the cable news channels on the weekend show . we are grateful to you, our faithful family and whose good taste in television viewing is stellar. we hope it is because we have interesting guests who cover politics and cult and you are entertainment and even more . of course, you are going to see presidential candidates and congressman and bono and bradly cooper. >> can i interrupt. >> do you play? >> i played when i was 15 years old. >> classical base. >> it is not classical. is it stand up. >> no.

electric. >> i play rock-n-roll. you are like the serious. >> oh, now. just for a second. >> bradly cooper, this cool guy is in a classical music and i play jimmie hendricks. and hopefully you will see a side of him that you will never see before. you are going to meet people who are not famous but whose life stories inspire and touch and sometimes teach. my goal is to do it with dedicated civility because i was raised by an old fashioned southern mother who taught me, you treat others like you want to be treated. that makes things easier for me on whether how to talk to a guest on the show or do business. ♪ you know the change we promised was not enough. ♪ what would huck do? >> we know that on the weekend you are probably not watching television because you are trying to elevate your blood

pressure but dial it down a notch from the stretch of the weeks. we'll bring you the hot topics in a way that burns and nicely warms and as long as i am on the show, we'll bring muc from artist that you have known and loved. ♪ that's why they are loyal and true. >> and those you will love after you see them on our show. ♪ you know, in a world so divided by partisan and rancor. music is the universal language that brings people to a common harmony. we'll look back on the year that we are glad to let go of and the one we are looking forward to. we hope you will be with us for the entire journey of 2012. every week night they bring you powerful guests and hard hitting interview. we asked bill orile yesean hanity and gleta which one story was unlike any other for them this yearr.

>> biggest story of the year for me was bin laden getting it in the head all right. and it is personal for me. i live out on long island and in my community was a lot of people who work in the world trade center. a lott of financial people. and so one morning, they go to work and their kids say bye daddy and mommy and mommy and daddy don't come home. who is behind that? bin laden is behind that. so for 10 years, the guy gets away with it. we can't find him and then all of the sudden, the seals invade pakistan territory and they kill bin laden. and now to me, that is enormous . enormous story. number one i give credit to president obama and credit to sy chief leon panetta and great credit to the navy seals and i have never, ever been as angry as i am with a country, pakistan.

pakistan knew bin laden there. they knew. and all right we continue to send money over there. we need them, understand that with the afghan war and all of that. it crystallized so many things. justice was done. bin laden didn't deserve anything but a bullet in the head and dumped him in the indian ocean and good . we have to send a message to these people enough is enough. you are going to kill women and children and all of that, we'll come after you and if we don't shoot you in the head, we'll put you in guantanamo bay and if we think you know something it is not going to be easy for you. i am on board with all of that. so the bin laden story for me, story of the year, i feel good about it and i still this christmas season feel so sorry for the american families that lost loved ones on 9/111. >> the most important story of 2012 was charlie sheen. winning, just kidding.

besides getting bin laden, the most important story, these are transformative times. americans are suffering and people are losing their homes and people are un. getting to know the presidential candidates. you say you are upon not a lobbyist and she said you were. >> it is factuallly false. >> governing in a where your legislature is one-sided legislature i believe in the could you wantry who ever our nominee is and i intend it to be me is going to be prepared to stand up contrast themselves with the president that has drivenn america into the ditch. >> and having a really, really tough debate in 2012 will determine our future and our destiny. that to me is the most important story of 20111 and watch out for 2012. >> with the recent development in north korea, it is it for us on the record particularly important story what is going

on in north korea. as you recall. we have been to north korea three times. it was most recently in may. we went there with samaritan purse and frank linn graham. north korea had bad floods and weather and we went there to examine how extensive the famine was. over eye million people died from it. we got a unique chance to go out and talk to members of the north korea countryy side . until then, people when the media went to north korea there was little acess. but because we were there several times. the north koreans gave us greater acess. can you see how many people coming with us . the country has been very gracious to us. but it is -- we don't wander around with complete freedom. but they are gracious letting

us walk the field and see how samaritan's purse acess is used. to top the trip at all. was the fact we were able at 10:00 p.m. broadcast a live show from pyongyang, north korea. i don't think anyone else has done that and for us that exciting. it was hair raise we didn't think technically we could pull it off until the last second. i think on the record staff was thrilled to be the first ever broadcast live from pyongyang. that is the highlight bey are are from on the record. >> up next, fox news correspondants on the scene of biggest story of 2011 and the words that everyone wanted to hear. bin laden is dead . one man was on the air. happy days, everybody. this is the greatest. that this the greatest night of my career. the bum is dead.

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>> we are back look at 2011 and what a year it has been. they brought you the news from some of the most dangerous placos earth. here is steve and greg. >> governor, one of the most memorable stories for me and any year of my life was the arab spring, specifically the uprise nothing cairo, egypt. we were there where the egyptians battled with the police and army in the streets and demanding the overthrow of egyptian president hosni mubarack and on september 2nd things got tastey in tahir square. we hole would nup a apartment . there a fellow shelter. these doors are closed and outside, they are lighting the cocktails and use this as kind

of a bit of the a bomb shelter. all the while scream smash action going on outside and down in the front of the building. things got too hot there and that's when we decided to make a break for it and we got in trouble we were beaten and pummel would by pro mubarack thugs. we mad it to a armored carrier and ambulance and adding insult to injury we were held captive by the egyptian security for another day. mubarack fell and we survived and egyptians and others tasted a new freedom and later this year, we had a chance to go back. i met with the fellow who helped us out on that apartment. >> thank you very much. >> thank you from all of us for saving our lives.

>> good people, doing good things in a very bad world at times . >> hi, governor, this year we drove from one end of the u.s. mexico border to the another from brownsville, texas to san diego. trying to get a sense of the violence and every stop along the way we found it. beginning with the murder of a u.s. missionary nancy davis who was shot driving with her husband by cartel members who probably wanted their f-1 pick up truck. we found ghost towns where the authorities gave up seeded control to the cartels whose goal was to control the territory in the transport routes in the u.s.. we had to hire mexican guards in juarez where number of murders are higher than iraq and afghanistan. they found new murdered

civilians and police. we saw a corpse pulled from a creek as the family stood by in anguish. one of the guards we used was murdered. and we saw a sign of how out of the control the situation is getting in a mexican hunting lodge that offers armed escorts. a hunter walking with a rifle and guarding that hunter is another man with a rifle. they are moving beyond drugs and extortionful ordinary business. a casino set on fire by a gunman in broaddaylight and killed 52 people inside. we spoke to a mother whose son was burned to death. he keeps his ashes on a night stand and kisses them. they are scared off by the violence and evidence by the government to fight the cartel head on left 45,000 people

dead since 2006. there are signs of weariness from the mexican people. presidential elections next year could mark the start of a government retreat and further expansion of a violence and ruthless corrupting organization next door. >> what a year for politicings. we found out which republicans were jump negligent arena and which republicans decided not to. karl cameron has more on his year of the campaign trail. >> thanks, governor. happy new year, not a lot of time left on the iowa caucus. had you been available here folks thought you would have win the first of the caucuses coming up. it is a historically different cycle and year. a lot of the candidates chose not to run. mitch daniels and chris christ

yepaul ryan and donald trump and sarah palin . the absence of many of the republican luminaries who chose not to run is note worthy. as it is their absence from the campaign trail in states like iowa and new hampshire and south carolina compared to years past. your campaign four years ago in iowa dwarfs what the candidates have done. a great deal of that is because of the debates. we have had 13, and there is going to be a lot more as the campaign trail winds on in the rest of the states. that's shattered all record and provided the candidates an opportunity to communicate with votersses nationwide at the expense of the retail politics. and personal stuff that new hampshire and iowa provided the country for decades. it everadvertisements started late . there is not the air war we have seen in the past and

voters are delighted that they are not inundated with attack ads. it is a change and we head in the last couple of day in iowa and new hampshire, nonetheless with the normal. most notably in the early states as you well know, governor, voters will have not made up their mind and they will wait to get in the voting booths and that's why it is american politicings. we miss you. a lot of caucus goers would have been in the rooms for you. having said that your analysis has been terrific and happy new year. >> up next. wrapping up 2011. what is thishorty? uh, tissues si i'm sick. you don't cough, you d't show defeat. give me your war face! raaah! [ male announcer ] halls. a pep talk in every drop.

when we resolve to stop snacking and slacking. resolve to start reading and running. ♪ this year, resolve to help someone else, too. resolve to give to the american red cross. because the red cross provides hope, help and compassion, not only during disasters, but every day. donate to the red cross and give something that means something, before the new year. visit redcross.org today.

>>iver afternoon they debate the issuings and analyze the top stories of the day. wait until you hear what the folks on the 5 discussed. >> hey, governor. happy new year. there were so many stories to pick up but each of us have our own. new top story, sir. >> thanks for asking, my story is the rise of class warfare that is disguised as income

inec wit yehelps to reelect barack obama. >> various speeches and what not. >> that was a huge story domestically. but the arab spring has turned into the arab fall and the consequences and challenges and opportunities that come from that is a big story of 20len. >> kim what about you? >> newt rise kind of thic rise and a push for him to get out of the race early on and look at him he's on top and see if he can maintain the lead. >> yes. >> robert, my good friend and pal. >> demise of a once great political party. which is now hijacted by the right and mostly led by a few people . you will find that reasonable republicans are moving over to meet the demand and moving themselves out of the center

and making themselves unelectable . the republican party will rue the rise of the tea party. >> you buy this? >> no, i remember when james caravel said the death of the republican party has been called for more types than i can counsel. >> more than eight. and it is stronger and in fact there is evidence that it is. >> i have been to so many funerals for the republicans. >> one story is bin laden. >> i thought that was your story. you are switching because you are pro obama? >> no, i didn't. this is a problem 4-1 and no one will do anything pro obama except for me. >> i was pro -- and that is correct. but, but, do we have to say that is pro obama. it can be pro george bush. >> how about pro america. >> okay. da, da, da, da. that is a fight song for

college, sorry. go ahead. >> i hooled like to do mine. >> mine. i continuing is the story of the year is -- the obama economy. obama nomibs epick fail. unemployment agent. 13.8 million people are out of work. household net worth plummeted two trillion dollars. again another year down seventrillion since the recession started and then this one. if this doesn't tell you everything about what is going on in america. 44 million americans were on food stamps this year and bob, any way you slice it. it is 10 percent higher than last year and 40 percent higher than when mr. obama took over. >> let me just say that two trillion in loss. half of that is the value of your house on the jersey shore. >> home prices. >> home prices, you can't

blame that on barack obama. >> he just did. >> and as i said to you last time loost year of the bush administration. 4.5 million. >> million americans out of work. >> jobs lost . first yearr of the obama administration there was a net increase in jobs in the first year. not in the first year, but between, he is 100 percent right from midjanuary, mid2009 until the end of this year a few jobs were created and fewer americans out of work. >> i think one of the most constructive numbers, step back from the politics in one month, november 2010 and 2011. 310,000 people were so discouraged that they couldn't find a job and they designed're decided to stop looking. it not good they went prematurely to social security. i think it is better to allow

the free market to work and might mean government just backs off. >> when they lost with all due respect to your administration . when you lost four and half million jobs in a free market administration. >> 52 consectative months. there is no question that president bush was at the helm when he had the greatest financial crisis since the great depression. >> can i change my story until demi moore and ashton kutcher. >> before failed. >> what is the big story going to be. >> surprise. upset in the election. >> ooh. i give you that obama wins. obama wins and crushes who ever the republican. >> not going to happen. >> my guess generic republican beats obama. >> i think alex baldwin will try to get thrown off of the plane. >> or show. greg number one? >> i will continue to be

awesome. >> tough to do. and there you have it. all five top stories and predictions for next yearr. we are lookking forward to 2012, have a great year, governor. thank you very much. >> up next. triump over tragedy. >> no matter how bad the story may be and horrible the circumstances, if you look closelyy, you will find a silver lining. >> who does shepherd smith say is one of the heroes of the year. and then the biggest story of 2011, death of osama bin laden. [ mujahid ] there was a little bit of trepidation,

not quite knowing what the next phase was going to be, you know, because you been, you know, this is what you had been doing. you know, working, working, working, working, working, working. and now you're talking about, well you know, i won't be, and i get the chance to spend more time with my wife and my kids. it's my world. that's my world. ♪

with doctors dregenberg and honeydew. and we're here at the ul labs to demonstrate the do's... and don'ts... of holiday safety. ma ma ma me me. do water your tree every day. don't let your tree get too dry. oh! do make sure your lights have the ul mark. ooh ooh ooh! and don't use worn or damaged lights. oh! oh! ohh. are you okay, beaker? >> with three days to go for the caucus. the final poll shows mitt romney on top. 24 percent. mitt romney holding a two-point lead over texas congressman ron paul. paul predicted he will finish first or second.

newt gingrich is drop negligent polls after weeks of attack adand running neck and neck with rick santorum. and countdown to iowa and 2012. you are looking live at picture of new york times square. the new year is hours away on the east coast and revelers are staking out their space for one of the biggest new year's celebration. we are told a million people will crowd in by midnight. cuwatch it live in a approximate with bill hemmer and meygan kelly. back to huckabee. welcome back to a huckabee special 2011. there are some stories so big you remember what you were doing and where you were. we had one of those this year. on sunday night first of may. remember where you were when you heard osama bin laden was killed by seal team six.

you can bet geraldo rivera does. >> thank you. it the greatest night of the my professional life and words trickled in from internet and various sources on capitol hill and white house. that we had taken out the terrorist mastermind . confirmed and urgeent . bin laden is dead. multiple sources and osama bin laden is dead. and happy days, hope days, everybody. this is the greatest. this is the greatest night of my career. the bum is dead. the savage who hurt us . so grevously. and i am so blessed and privileged to be at this desk at this moment, his continued existence on this earth, osama bin laden's existence on this earth represented a continued humiliationn to the united states of america. the man responsible for the mass murder of so many

innocent men and women and children including friend and neighbors of mine finally gone and our long nightmare is over. i will never forget the thrill hat ran through my body when the news was confirmed that he died by a bullet of one of our warriors. so many who had died in 9-11 . 2011. it was exhilarating. part mardi gras and new year's eve. oh, happy day and there is a patriotism that this generation is not noted and expressed. but the usa. chantsful usa. patriotic. really a feeling. the fact that i was on the air breaking the american news to the american people is a great privilege and something my family and i will never forget. >> i am jennifer griffin in

washington. it is difficult to choose the highlights because i covered three of the biggest stories of my career in 2011. killing of osama bin laden after a 10 year manhunt sticks out in my mind and the seals found bin laden hiding in his bedroom, his wife identified him and both were shot and killed. and the u.s. flew his body in the arabian sea where it was wash wrapped in a white sheet and muslim prayers were sad and his body was placod a board and slid in the sea less than three hours after president obama addressed the nation. >> it was unlike any operation we covered. within minutes seal team 6 overtook bin laden and killed his son and obtained a mother load of intelligence from the compound it was the greatest single victory on the war of terror and providing closure

for american families whose lives were not the same after 9-11. it was a new kind of war without any lives lost. we broke the news that u.s. started bombing libya beginning the end of qaddafi. i traveled there on a historic visit to see up close the transformation of libya. days earlier, i witnessed the end of another war one that lasted a decade and leaving 10s of thousands badly injured. a million service members were touched by the iraq war. i areiched in baghdad with defense secretary leon panetta who over saw the end. he was there to end the iraq war. and back to you. and thousands of stories in studio b.

and governor happy holidays. and remembering all of the big stories that we covered. and the one that first came to our mind was a triumph over tragedy and incredible support network was the story of gabby giffords. the arizona congresswoman who in tucson, arizona, outside of the supermarket was having a meet and greet that congress people do in local areas and this is one familiar to our audience and ours as well as she was shot. it seemed at the time, there was almost no way to survive that injury. we learned a lot more any what went down that day. accused jared loughner and his cab ride before he killed the judge and five people . left gabby giffords wounded to the point where we were preparing obituaries but clearly we did not know gabby

giffords very well. she is live making nice progress along the way and that was an uplifting american story when she was there on the house floor and reintroduce had her moment back in washington. but within that story for me. the story of daniel hernandez, a young intern who went to work for gabby giffords just days before . as she lay there bleeding as the story goes. he held her head and comforted her and stopped the blood and tried to maintain order there. he's been a guest in our studio and we met him in washington and he's gone on to great things and this young man is very probably helped to save congresswoman giffords's life. >> i couldn't sleep because i thought about your hand on her head and the warm blood and the strength you had to remain so calm and switch over to the

next person. and have you had time to reflect on that and impact you. >> when i have a chance to reflect. i think of how much worse it could have been because of the shooter still had plenty of ammunition but also how many factors could have gone wrong with the congresswoman. and so reflecting on everything and realizing that a lot of things went right after something went so horribly wrong. >> it is it a honor to meet him and get to know him. our staff respects and admires him. so thankful that gabby giffords is fine and her husband is with her and we got to meet daniel hernandez. no matter how bad the story may be and horrible the circumstances, if you look closely, you will find a silver line you might find a hero. i think we found one in daniel hernandez and we on fox studio salute him. governor, back to you.

>> thank you, shepherd. the best mind in the business news. neal cavuto and lou dobbs. what is it about taking a first step that we find so compelling? is it because taking a step represents hope? or triumph? at genworth, we believe in taking small steps every day to keep your promises, protect what matters, and prepare for a secure financial future.

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every day folks in the fox business network are looking out for you and your money . the most teling and revealing story of the bast year from my vantage point near shut down of the united states federal government in washington. a drama that endured in much of the late summer. this could be the hour they either put this baby to bed or we fall out of bed. a lot of that having to do with huge differences between the parties of how to handle our fiscal woes. some interpert more spending and not a penny more. but in the end always coming to the brink what was most telling about the soap opera

how it was settled for pennies on the dollars. both pears to blame for talking big on getting spending under control and delivering little. what was revealing as we talk to congresswoman and senators whisking in and out of the hot capitol rotunda was the notion that they are coming a step closer to getting our finances under control. if i have of the people say we should balance the budget. >> he's turning it around and means if it means shutting down the government or risk default they don't want that >> neither do we. i don't want default or the government to shut down. >> if we cut spending for every dollar that we increase the debt limit over 10 years, we would erase the deficit. but did we do what we wanted? >> of course not. did we get everything we wanted of course not.

it is the first time we have seen a reduction in spending. >> what we realized then and reportod then was big talk about getting spending at least, give it a belt it didn't happen, not even close. we skimmed a little bit off of the top and ended up with trillions more in debt over the many years . i thought that was a metaphor. neither party able to do the gutsy things to do what is necessary. we have been brought to the brink and summer of 2011 what was most telling even when each party was. it couldn't deliver and in the end glossing over details that didn't remind the american people that there was a solution to our crisis. they were just moving on to the next crisis. hopefully things go better in 2012. have a great new year in the meantime.

>> to me, the biggest story was bank of america's failed attempt to make its customers to pay a fee for using debtit cards. don't get me wrong they can charge the fee but i don't have to be their customer. i cut up my bank of america debit card to send a message to the bank giant. chris, bring me my purse. give me that debit card. thank you. right here, right now. i am going to show bank of america just what i think of their fee. i know you are mad, too. less than two months later, the bank cave others who were charging the fee or testing it, they backed off, too. why? customers complained. it was not just me. on line petition and occupy

wall street protestors complained and when a bank marketer consume surveyed a third of the customers said they would leave their bank if fees took place. no one liked it . even the people who tried to defend bank of america looked embarrassed. i have e-mails from the bank what a valued customer and how much they will serve me. i will stick with the bank as long as they keep the fees to a minimum x. and i stopped using my debit card. i use a credit card with rewards program. you never know when that fee might come back. >> good evening and happy new year. one of the stories we covered on lou dobbs tonight. botched gun race botch

furious. that result in a death of u.s. border patrol agent briantery and 200 mexican citizens. the operationn allowed thousands of illegal guns to walk across the u.s.-mexico border and in the hands of the mexican drug cartel. that part of the story is widely reported. what is not often reported beyond this broadcast however is the motivation for the operation in the first place and the vast amounts of money. and hundreds of billions of dollars that flow legally and illegally across our border with mexico. mexico, you may be interested to learn is this country third largest trading partner in the world and half trillion in trade this year . much of the trade is in petroleum. we import 1.2 million barrels of oil in this country every day from mexico making mexico our third largest source of

oil. that reality influenced without a doubt open door policies with mexico that for decades refused to join the united states in the war on drugs. the mexican drug cartels themselves steal - stale mated the mexican government. but with the resource of the u.s. government partnering with war on mexico. the war on drugs could be one quickly. the obama administration campaign on multilateralism. but the challenges on arms and southern borteder they are unilatterist . beyond fast and furious, the obama administration is running a drug money scheme run by the drug enforcement operation without the knowledge of the mexican government. two ill conceive sting operation and more trouble for now embattled attorney general and the obama administration

itself. congressman are leading ulentless investigation in the frail fail would operation and who in the obama administration is responsible and who should be held accountable whether it be the attorney general or machine in the white house or otherwise . governor, we are going to be all over the story in the new year. you can count on it. happy new year to you and yours. we'll see you in 2012. >> out with the old and in with the new . what does 2012 have in store? we'll look in the future when we come back. [ female announcer ] find yourself sometimes cleaning up after your dishcloth? in this lab test bounty extra soft

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>> 2011 has been an exciting year and that is without a presidential election. now the race for the white house in full swing and the economy in limbo, what do we expect to see in 2012? i am joined by bret baier and steven hays . fox news contributor from the fox business network charlie. and bret, let me start wu. biggest story this year is going to be the presidential race. but before the race we'll have the primaries. this is going to be a different process because of the delegate selection. what is your prediction when

we see a nominee emerge? >> governor, you know the process better than most. and i think you are going to see a lott of things happen in early 2012 that could determine whether it is it a long drawn out race or whether it is it a fairly wrapped up early. if you see mitt romney win the iowa caucuss and then win in new hampshire, and now with the endorsement of nicky halle in south carolina and he wasn't expected to do well there and in nevada, you can paint the picture. where mitt romney starts to gather steam and delegates quickly if all goes his way. obviously there is another picture. a long drawn out battle. >> if he runs the table early on it will be difficult for anyone to catch up with him because florida is a strong state unless newt justt emerges out of those first two states better than we expect.

>> that's right. and i think you know, you look at the campaigns and the structure and organization and the money, and unless someone gets that slingshot out of iowa as you did, governor to compete in the other races, you could paint the scenario where mitt romney wraps up quickly. >> steven, if you had to pick who do you see emerging in the nominee. bret indicates mitt romney. but is newt in the running to pull it off or a surprise. >> sure, ultimately if i had a $100 and not $10,000. but $100 to make a bet right now i would put it on mitt romney. but i think bret describes to you what seems to be maybe the likeliest scenario and the way we are looking at it now . a number of thingings can happen. there is a quick conventional

wisdom that newt gingrich topped out and sliding down and he's never going to be able to stop the slide. im not so sure. talking to voters in iowa, over the last several weeks, you have people who are making strong defenses waserisherishh newt gingrich that he took money from fan yefreddie . not the type of arguments you would expect. but newt gingrich may come back down to earth. he may not win but come in a strong second and if that is the case he can go to new hampshire and continue to do well. jon hunts man could surprise it is a fluid race and what you say on a monday may not be true on friday. >> back this up and look at it with charlie. the economy is a big, big topic of the year, no since fdr was elected if the

unemployment rate was seven.2, is obama doomed? >> his approval ratings are getting crushed which is interesting. but the economy seems to be getting better. but i think there is an opposite is going on. usually when the economy is getting better, it shows up in approval ratings and unemployment is going down. the number is 8.6 and was at 9 percent. when that happens more people are dropping out of the work force. i think it is a question mark. i don't know if obama made the case about his next term. he doesn't have a lot of solutions. every time there is a plan to deal with entitlements or deficit and simpson bowles plan he is against it and that is wearing thin with the electorate. >> and his own democratic party. >> any possibility of a third party candidate. who might be on the right or

left. >> that is what scares the gop establishment here in washington and voters around the country in the republican party. they look at ron paul and said if he doesn't make it in the nomination and even if he wins in iowa and he could win in iowa just coming back from there he is organizationally structured to make that happen . whether the voters into that. if he does, you wonder if he can get the nomination and a lot of people doubt he can. but he hasn't totallyy ruled out in looking at a third party run. jon hts man was asked about it he said he is not going tompt a third party run even if it is buddy roamer or gary johnson has a potential in a close race to make a difference. >> you push those buttonos ron paul as hard as they could be pushed without knocking him out . really, i thought he just

wouldn't absolutely rule it out. >> i think it would be tough for ron paul to run as a third party candidate with his son senator ran paul in a position in the senate and kentucky senator, i think it would be difficult because of the conventional wisdom. we talk about conventional wisdom terps, a third party run from the right would hand the period see back to president obama. >> is there a likelihood of seeing a double dip recession. >> one question is europe. if europe blows up. they are putting band aids on it and if this train comes off of the tracks there is a good chance we'll get a double dip recession. we don't need a double dip recession for it to major impact the psyche of the american voters ands down with the american -- present

administration. not even a double dip. he has to have dramatic improve the economy and unemployment. what we have now is a malaise. in the 1970s, nothing seemed good. just plodding along and this country, people want more than that. and all right. bret, i want to go back to you. i think you have sat in the seat and talked to the candidates one on ne probably more than anyone at fox news. is there anything that surprised you that one of the candidates has said that rocked you back on the heels and i can't believe they said that and if so, how much will it hurt them? >> i was going to say herman cain said interesting things but he's no longer in the race and so it will not hurt him. i think back to all of these folks who came center seat. all of the candidates and we

went to florida to interview governor mitt romney and the most surprizing thing that happened in the whole time was that interview with governor romney in florida, where he you know, didn't feel comfortable with the questions, and clearly was written up about his tone and reaction to the questions i asked. >> do you still support the idea of a man date do you believe it was the right thing for massachusetts and do you think that a man dating people to buy insurance is the right tool? >> bret, i don't know how many hundred times i have said it. this is an unusual interview. let's do it again. absolutely. >> i think that affected that campaign and i don't know if it was that interview but at that time, they changed the dynamic about how his media out reach was going to go and it was a lot different than before that moment and that was a surprising thing.

>> bret steven and charlie. thank you for being here. thanks for watching on behalfful everyone here in huckabee, we want to wish everyone in your family a happy and healthy new year. i am mike huckabee good night and god bless.