and please remember, the spin stops here because we are looking out for at this very hour we are one week away from all important iowa caucuses. the republican presidential contenders are crisscrossing the state today as they attempt to rally their supporters. with only 7 days to go an old memo has surfaced that could shake up the dynamic between gingrich and romney. that memo pend by the house speaker, that he once supported mitt romney's healthcare plan. gingrich wrote in april of 2006, quote, the health bill that government romney signed into

law this month has tremendous potential to affect major change in the american health system. we agree entirely with governor romney and massachusetts legislators that our goal should be hundred percent insurance coverage for all americans. the gingrich campaign denies this was an endorsement of romney care and says there are several passages in the memo in which the former speaker krirt sizes the initiative. meanwhile, gingrich continues to fight in iowa and released a bold new campaign video talking about general george washington's crossing of the delaware river. >> the revolution was set. how big a gamble was it? that night as they began to get in the boats, they were told that the password was victory or death and they meant it. they were prepared to give everything for freedom. surely most successful country

in history, we can do what is necessary. we can be in the spirit of general washington and the americans who fought for it. we can go out and get the vote out, make the argument, stand up for freedom. >> joining me in the studio with the latest on the rat race from the white house from the fox business network stuart varney and nicole. stewart so far, this is last week, he has compared himself to reagan, fdr after pearl harbor, is it smart move to compare himself washington crossing the delaware? >> i think it's irrelevant and who compares himself to who in what time period. eventually it will be utterly irrelevant. come november the issue is prosperity, how do we get back to prosperity? how do we reverse qours?

that is what is relevant come november and that will be relevant in the disciplining of this year, not whether he can compare himself to george washington. that is political infighting that last couple a of weeks at most. that is it. >> so to get back, washington going back across the delaware to where the good times are, whatever. you know history better than i do. >> it's just passing. is it slightly bad taste, nicole? >> i enjoyed the video. with george washington crossing the delaware. it was a three minltd video. it was quite moving. i philadelphia got the chills as i watched it. i found it moving. good advertising, good marketing and talked about 30,000 troops

down to 25,000 troops and taking the plunge. i thought it was effective. that is something that would stick with me. i am certainly looking to each part throughout the campaign. as to stuart's point, 2006 iser rel irrelevant. we talked about it being interesting. politics change. >> i think it's more than that, nicole. he does come out for the individual mandate in that memo. it's called newt's notes, whether he brought it or somebody else. he comes out with the individual mandate. except he disagrees with romney to this extent, he things only people earn over $54,000 a year should be responsible for the individual mandate. now, that to me, the individual mandate has been the thing that

has driven the tea party protests for the last couple of years. it's been the biggest single issue and newt seems to be on the wrong side of that. >> if newt is the candidate come november, i'm sure obama will bring this out and maybe i am to be a flip-flopper. >> never flip-flopped. that is before. >> to come bear himself to george washington, i think he is framing the election in the right historical terms because it is a big deal. if we don't reverse course. we follow the money. we know if we don't change course, america is serious financial trouble, i would go so far to say we will go bankrupt. so by framing it in revolutionary terms, i think he is doing the right thing. >> like we're superpower number one again. we try to compete against nations and countries around the world and we talk about china

and research and such. you want america to be number one. we wanted americans to have jobs. we want prosperity. we don't want big government spending. we want it be bright for americans. this video make you feel like things will be right. >> i agree with you. this is a consequential election. >> china will be the world's leading economy in 2016. in other words, the next president it's going to be grover cleveland. that the last time a president presided over number would in the world economy. who is the guy that does those tedious documentaries on pbs with the stills and the music.

ken burns. why do a three-minute george washington tribute. why not say, next guy is going to be the grover cleveland of the 21st century. >> what is with that? >> the election is in november of next year. it will be about growth or no growth. prosperity or more of what we've got. we divide the cake or grow the cake. that is what it's going to be about. why shouldn't it be framed in knows terms? >> what is washington cross the delaware got to do with it? >> this is like george washington. if i could pull any person out of the hat to get elected. that is a good one. it's politics, remember? you don't remember what they

said two weeks ago. >> exactly. newt coming out and in support of the individual mandate in 2006, if someone came up with a memo of general washington supporting the tea act.... >> oh, come on. get out of here. [ laughter ] >> so newt in iowa, numbers are about half of where they were a couple weeks ago during the christmas break. >> he really had a top spotted but this is like a horse race. he certainly has a lot of experience and we'll be watching all of our candidates very closely. in the end the republican candidates is the republican candidate. >> all these votes in january, they are not not winner take all.

they are apportioned. this race is going to last a lot longer. if you don't have a clear winner doesn't that invite a new candidate? jeb bush? and for convention terms. if there is no out and out winner by the springtime, that inviolates a draft politician. >> it would be difficult to step in last minute and take over the country and try to take it from president obama. very difficult. are you thinking of running? >> exactly. newt be get third of the way across the delaware, marco rubio will have to do it. >> do you think it was stretch? >> no, i'm looking forward to

it. the long longer the better. coming up, ron paul continues in the polls. what does it mean in the future of the caucuses. and so-called second care candidates are hoping to shock nw iowa. who could surprise us in the polls. steve forbes has p

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much of focus heading into next tuesday is on mitt romney and newt gingrich. there are some onlookers that expressed concern about what a ron paul victory in iowa would mean for the future of caucuses. national review editor, rich larry wrote that iowa caucus goers are protective in the process. if they delivery victory to ron paul, nobody should take them serious again. according to my next guest a victory in iowa is by no means requirement for the nomination. joining me now is fox news contributor, michael varone. your column had a terrific column. they have done goofy things for decades and should be relatively relaxed for a ron paul victory? >> it has been more so in the

democratic caucus goer. one of the reasons is democrats attract a lot more people in their caucuses. in 2008 you had 119,000 people voting in the iowa republican caucuses. that is in a state of three million people. that is a pretty small sample, trying to poll these individuals people that are going to the caucuses is looking for needles in a haystack. you had twice as many people participating in the democratic caucuses. that helps the state democratic party, what a closely divided stated in partisan terms. i'm surprised that the republicans don't seem to be doing more to try toy to attract people. the evidence in some of the polling is that the ron paul folks don't identify as republicans. they may not be registered as republicans though they can register at the caucus.

>> you are right when you talk about the numbers. i think by comparison, in 2008 a week later, a quarter million people voted in the republican primary in new hampshire how the out of a state population of a million so it's more representative of general opinion. thinking here, we've had all this analysis, like heavy snowstorm ron paul will win as you said his guys are motivated and they will get to the polls. does, as rough lowery suggest a ron paul victory say anything about iowa or the republican party or it something we should pay no attention to? >> it says that the ron paul, if he wins there in this hypothetical, is able to get a lot of people to do an unnatural thing which is to show up at political caucus. most people don't do that. those that do are particularly interested politics motivated,

lots of reasons. paul, if he is going to win this thing or show up or double his percentage that he got four years ago, i think it's a sign that his message -- what is it capital punishment for the federal reserve? i guess it's not that dire. his criticisms of federal reserve in a period which we've gone through a financial crisis has gotten more adherent. one thingly be interested to see is what effect the publicity that will be given to some of these newsletters that went out under his name is going to have. some of that stuff is pretty rancid material. i wonder if some of his youthful libertarian type followers are going to stomach that. >> it's fascinating to me that he doesn't seem that bothered about the content of those newsletters nor do his

followers. surely what is going to happen if he does win, the media would attempt to hang ron paul around the neck of the republican party as somehow being an expression of kind of widespread republican derangement flirting with 9/11 truth and anti-semitism and all the rest. that is the danger. it doesn't impact ron paul supporters but whether it's hung on the republican party as a whole? >> i think you are right about that present kicks. i am not sure how much credibility to suggest that ron paul whoever it was that wrote those newsletters is typical of republicans around the country. the attempts to smear the tea party movement is nazis and so forth fell short that what was

intended. there will be that effort. such polling as we have suggest that his percentages are considerably less in larger primaries such as wouldn't you mentioned in new hampshire where you have 1.3 million people. south carolina where you've got five million people and 500,000 plus turn out presidential primaries in florida where you have 19 million people. we'll see if he can keep that up. i think that iowa may find itself be discounted in ron paul wins. people will say this is such a thin electorate that they can out number the people that go for any candidate. until iowa and republicans are getting more larger representative group of people, one might add a younger group. median age was nudging up towards 60.

that sounds like a party that hasn't brought any new people in various operatives are bringing back folks that did it last time. >> this would finish the iowa caucus if paul wins? >> buchanan won the new hampshire primary, no reason to take it so seriously. four years later it was important as ever. >> i think ron paul fell into the category of the impossible candidate. i would put past buchanan in the same category. impossible in the sense that they weren't going to be the republican nominee for president anybody that you put up in a one on one race against pat buchanan or ron paul was going to get the nomination. i think with that kind of situation right now. it's obvious whoever wins the iowa caucuses is going to win it with a plurality, nothing like

an absolute majority. i think there is no evidence to suggest that ron paul is close to 50% in any state or jurisdiction in the republican contest. >> that is probably true. i don't think that state has been invented. >> what are the chances that a second tier candidate will shock the nation. steve forbes has his predictions. violence erupts in shopping centers around the world next week. week. you'll never guess beyon [ male announcer ] sometimes a hint is all the wrapping a gift needs. wait a minute...i... [ laughs ]

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march toward iowa continues tonight. we've discussed newt gingrich and ron paul.

it's the so-called second tier candidates that are hoping to surprise everyone with a stronger than expected result next tuesday. while an all out win for perry or bachmann or santorum, a second or third place finish would go a long way as the primary season continues in new hampshire. joining me no to discuss the likelihood of what is going to happen, perry supporter steve forbes. what these guys are going through in iowa and new hampshire is very familiar to you. in a sense, the battle for those second tier guys is the battle to secure the conservative support. bachmann and perry and santorum fighting over the same people? >> they are trying to be the non-romney. the press wants that. they are going to narrow as quickly as possible. in iowa where you have a fluid

situation, you have this polling that is does not get all of the people that attend the caucus, you don't know who is going to show up. you could get a surprise. third or good fourth place for perry would put him in the running for number two. gingrich has been severely wounded by those ads. ron paul, that is a separate universe, romney and who else. rick perry, we have very exciting race especially when you come to south carolina. >> you have been involved with tax proposals which are the most dramatic of the heavyweight candidates. he has come up with flat tax which is basically something is that post soviet eastern europe, albania has 10%. >> some get down to 10%. hong kong started 60 years ago

but decade and a half, central and eastern europe most of the countries have adopted variations of that. >> outside the eastern bloc you have british commonwealth. >> jamaica. >> do you seriously think there is a market for that now, a clear simple dramatic reformation of fax fax system? >> especially in the united states, when you take the tax code and rules that come from it in united states, nine million words. it's a cesspool of political corruption. a serious candidate who gets the nomination i think you'll see widespread for it. people treat the tax code like the weather, something you talk

about but can't do much about unless you are al gore. we have to put up with it. they think there is real chance to do it. it will catch wildfire. you had an indication of it year ago when the president redeficit reduction commission, even though they didn't come out with a flat tax, they came up with rates that are lower today. there is foment for it more than there was ten years ago. >> one thing you you go around small towns in new hampshire, it's a v fairly small town where the post office is closed and the general store and the gas station is closed but they'll still be an h&r block shingle or tax preparation firm. in other words, people are nothing need professional help to prepare their taxes. that is not true in most of the

rest of the developed world. the do you worry if romney or gingrich were to get the nomination that they are too incremental, too cautious and bepeople oath of the irs will grow more and more? >> gingrich came up on out with a flat tax. you could take the old or new code and perry does the same thing one. the one i worry about is mitt romney. when i ran on 1996, he took ad at his own expense in boston papers trashing the idea. he's got a 59-point proposal out now. god only has ten. i wonder if he understands the concept. i think the other candidates understand the simplification. another thing perry has going for him is the flat tax is

deregulation. he is really understands that. $1.7 trillion monstrosity will weigh on the american people. it takes the spirit out of the american people. one of the things that could get perry back on track again it's not just numbers and economy. he understands what coolidge referred to is intangibles. people have optimism and take risks for the future. >> just to put that in context, taking the equivalent of the g-7 economy and tossing it down the toilet each year just in compliance with federal paperwork, $1.7 trillion. >> when you get true tax reductions, we had 1980 reform the growth of the united states exceeded entire size than the third largest economy in the world, west germany. one of the things that europeans don't like to hear when we got

incentives, u.s. growth rate went 50% higher, we surpassed them. big economy and big growth. >> fiscal conservative is still with us, steve forbes. coming up, mass chaos and violent brawls break out in shopping centers around the world. violence was all caught on tape. all that, great ameri

in the past several days, chaos and brawls have erupted in shopping centers across the country and much of the turmoil was caused by this, the new nike air jordan sneak they're was released. last night we showed you video of shoppers in indianapolis rushing the entrance when the sneakers went on sale. people were knocked over and stepped on. in georgia, a woman was arrested because she left her two young children in the car to try and get her hands on a pair of the coveted shoes. not all of the shopping fights have been about the new kicks. in minnesota, it took police more than an hour to get them back in order. melee was not just confined to the u.s. in london a teenager was killed and a 2nd person seriously wounded while shopping on oxford street. joining me is reaction dr. karen

ruskin and to be newt contributordine. did there are several pieces of what is going on. one aspect what is going on. we are such a culture of impulsivity and what we want when we want it. those aggressive impulses that act upon fulfilling that inner id. >> okay. deneen, that is kind of psycho analytic view of it, i guess positive view we're giving into our inner id. is that the beginning of it? >> we are witness ago moral breakdown in our society. if you look what is happening. this behavior is deplorable, you have young children who are

inundated with the negative influences they see on a regular basis, music video, hollywood movies, video games and they are mick go this behavior and it's detrimental to society. >> and you said surrendering to behavioral impulses but in the end a pair of shoes is a pair of shoes. do corporations such as nike bear some blame. they have tried to distance themselves from the riots but they make shoes and invest with significance beyond footwear. air force one nike is most iconic model. it celebrates african-american culture. it proudly displays the colors of the african-american flag. swoosh has a luxury material --

they are telling these guys. this isn't just about shoes. this just isn't about something to cover your socks with? >> i don't believe, mark, that nike is to blame. i believe that it is so important for parents to educate their children to take ownership of their own behavior. we are such a culture of entitlement. if i want this, whether i can afford it or not, i'm going to get it. in addition to that, what i find very fascinating, in a culture where how you view yourself and others view you could actually have something to do with it. it does with these tangibles of what we own, that is playing a role as well as, do you know one in eight adults has anxiety. that shows up in children, too. think about the anxious feelings i must have.

and urge and impulses is fulfilled i feel as though i'm not okay. these are several of the components. >> that makes it sounds deneen it's a surrender to emotional impulses when you there is a rationality behind this. i got this direct from hannity makeup department. that is how authoritative it is. a member of the hannity family bought these shoes, $180, they are now worth between $300 and $520. so its better investment than gold. instead of going back to the gold standard like ron paul wants, we should go to the sneaker standard, close down the federal reserve and peg the dollar for sneakers. the market is driving this as well as people's subconscious urges. >> the other point, nike is not their responsibility. it's up to individuals to be

responsible with their behavior. they are selling sneakers. but this is an economic issue. unemployment is high. we have a black market for these sneakers. they retail for $180. the stores sold out very quickly but resold online for hundreds more dollars than paid for originally. >> karen, to explore that argument, it's individuals. at the mall of america, people who worked in the store said they were terrified. in post prosperity culture, regardless, aren't we're going to end up in a world, less money they have the more they want it. malls are going to be targeted in this way more and more in the future? >> actually, mark, i am concerned about what i'm seeing. if you combine an already existing problem which is poverty, which is worry about what it is that we don't have

financially, combine that with the need to get money. the only thing you can think of that you can do is get the pair of nike sneakers, for example, so you can make more money. that is real prime example of a person feeling completely with what else they can possibly do. the hope is for people to realize that need isn't beyond out of concern or compassion for others. that need and that impulse and that worry and fear regarding financial, we become a mob thinking mentality rather than that overpowers or thoughts and concerns for people working in that environment and others around us. >> that is fine thought to close it out. the other she is yet to drop. thank you very much. let's check in with shannon bream.

what is coming up on the record. >> the iowa caucuses as you know are one week away. front runners are going on the attack, mitt romney and newt gingrich taking big swipes at each other today. one candidate is getting ready to drop out. that candidate will join us live to tell us why. and governor jon huntsman is going to talk new hampshire. that is all coming up next, on the record. >> sounds great, shannon. don't go anywhere, the great, great, great american panel is great, great american panel is up next. 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. no matter where you want to go, one step at a time is the only way to get there. go to genworth.com/promises.

tonight on our great american panel hearing was the senior spokesman for hillary clinton's presidential campaign and founding partner of hilltop solutions. he is from redeye, andy levy and online producer and opinion writer of the washington times, carey is back. that is how good she is, she is in my book. she is page 373. tim tebow, great guy for praying in front of the crowd. bill maher has some sport with this particular quarterback after the denver broncos lost to the buffalo bills right on christmas eve. this is what bill maher had to say, while jesus just him bad

and christmas eve somewhere in -- what do you make of this? >> you can imagine all the critics that tim tebow is going to lose some game or going to have a vial remark just like that. i tend to wonder listening to tim tebow. god doesn't care about football games. he is with him to bring out his talent. god is bringing out the best in him, more than anything else. >> he is actually praying in public. if you remember the sermon on the mound, jesus admonishes the people attending not to pray in public like hypocrites and make a big song and dance about it. to go into thy closet or

whatever the king james version says and pray in private. in a sense, when you make a big deal in public you are asking for something like this, aren't you? >> you ought to be able to pray however you want. i'm a big miami hurricane fan so i'm anti-tebow but he has a right. bill maher, there are plenty of reasons to criticize him, but this isn't one of them. some of the prech preachers that are criticizing huntsman or romney for their faith. >> so this is vial? >> it's not good for the public. >> what do you think? >> it's great for his ratings. bill maher tweeted this for one reason to get a rise out of people. so why give him the satisfaction. bill maher is a comedian. whether you think it's funny is a separate story. bottom line he a comedian.

people need to stop being outraged at comedians. part of their job is to say things that are outrageous that may cause you to be outraged. you got to draw a line. he is not a politician. he has a show on hbo. he's a comedian. who cares? >> i'm with you on that, andy. i think a comedian should be able to say what they want and. except, we live in a age of politically correct comedy. it's amazing how many guys say something to be interpreptd a little phobic, a whole bunch of comedians come down on them. woe, maybe he want too far. dennis leery has been attacked by comedians in the last few days for saying something about muslims. the freedom ought to be

everywhere. >> you have to remember, too, comedians are going into the political sphere. we have seen jon stewart, probably the most watched individual in terms of how kids are watching them taking his political commentary very serious, gee, when does commentary and comedy cross over into something serious? how often is it going to influence people? >> you have both ways. we're being told jon stewart is the new walter cronkite or whatever. when they venture down this path they it's the same thing. >> we talk about the culture wars. >> if you are a comedian and doing a stand-up show, that is one thing. but bill maher, they are trying

to influence political discourse so there is a certain agree of responsibility. >> i put jon stewart in a separate category than bill maher. a lot of ways, he a funny. in the job he does. bill maher that tweet was tacky. it's like, satan and hitler in there and say something about tebow. that is outrageous. >> how about the point i made earlier. comedy, stand-up comedy, it's edgy and biggest punch of pansies. >> i agree. >> i can't remember who it is. comedian tweeted a couple months ago, a joke, hey, what's the name of that favorite conservative comedian. my response was, he assault guy that keeps his mouth shut when you talk about politics because he wants to get jobs. so i totally agree. there is a the definitely a double standard. i think bill maher says what he

says and most of the time is stupid and not funny and leave it at that. >> tim tebow presumably everyone is going to be on board publicly praying every time it goes his way on the field? >> he can practice his faith however he wants. it shouldn't be an issue. if he wants to do, that is great for the people that follow him. perfect. wonderful. it shouldn't be something we're all talking about. >> i kind of feel like if tebow did exactly what he did but image stead of after games, instead of praying to god and thanking jesus christ, if he thanked allah, the people that supported him suddenly wouldn't. >> remember if it was all the people were attacking him right now would keep away, exactly.

this man can be putting out his faith. >> that's right. >> you have to know which way the football field is orientated lots more. lots more with our great american panel. i was going to throw the football, who has the football? tim tebow has taken the football to pray over. that is what it's come down to. more straight ahead with

we continue now with our great, great american panel. nancy pelosi the champion of the 99% has been spending her christmas in a $10,000 a night

hotel suite at the exotic four seasons hualala and historic oopala. $10,000 she spent the last two christmases. this is the people's champion. she represents the 99% woman of the people. mo, $10,000 a night, is that persuasive when you championing? >> i would say good for her. if you got that kind of money and stay in that hotel, great. i actually wish there were more people like her who can afford those suites fighting for the 99%, fighting for the little guy who can't afford that. that is the difference between her and some of her critics. people like mitt romney who i think could probably afford that

who is not fighting for the 99%, he is fighting for the 1%. i think it's good to have people out in public life who are standing up for the little guy. >> spent about $17,000 last time she came around to hawaii with the police escorting her around. that is what some people are questioning. by the way, this the same woman when she was speaker of the house, about $2 million was spent in two years when she was taking air force aircraft to and from her district for essentially travel. so i'm curious how much taxpayer money she spends. if she spent money from her own bank account for her own trip to hawaii, that is fine, but i'm curious how much tax money she spent this time. >> first of all, i think she would probably spend that money on security wherever she went.

if we're going to go in fox alert every time a politician does something hypocritical, there will be know shoes, it will be alert after alert. beyond that i kind of think it's her money, if she wants to spend thiatd way, who cares. >> here is the macro point. if you are worried about where this country is headed. you might think we may end up in american situation we have a ruling class that live very well they have $10,000 suites and private planes and profess to be champions of the poor and motorcades through impoverished towns handing out various government drafts. you have a massive swamp of poverty underneath and no middle-class. in a sense, a woman who is worthy think of fifth of billion

dollars being provided with a government plane with government expense staying at $10,000 a night, there is something latin america american about that. >> i think your point is right. they have to spend money to security nowhere she is. you have to look at a lot of security. >> but no other country in the world in which the equivalent of the speak are of the house has a private plane. >> let me say this. the difference is nancy pelosi is fighting for some sort of equity in our tax system so that the wealthiest americans are paying their share and not average americans aren't the ones -- that the budget problem isn't being balanced on the back of average americans. >> did she earn her money legitimately? that is the difference between the latin american model. if she made her money before she

got into congress and she made it legitimately through business or inherited, it's her money. she can do what she wants with it. if she traded her public office for favors to make this money, that is separate problem. i don't nib anyone has said that >> kerry, these whole bunch of new regulations, all these new laws in california. golden state announced bans of cough syrup, bans of minors using tanning beds, banning the teaching of gay history. ban the sale of beer mixed with caffeine and booster seat use up to age 30. [ laughter ] >> it ought to be 30. >> look. you to go one of those websites, stupid laws from the 1800s.

we get a big kick out of them. wow, what were those people thinking. you can't wear a hat on tuesday. while we're laughing at those people, i can guarantee you, 50 years from now we will be laughing at ourselves with these ridiculous regulations. i happen to do a blog post that san francisco bans... and every other month, they ban this. it's ridiculous. >> also they are not going to let kids use tanning salons. i think any parent that takes kids to the beach should be arrested. >> thanks a lot guys. great panel. i'm going to be here tomorrow gh