>> we're going to bring vanilla ice back again for dave briggs. >> and this is a fox news channel special presentation, your money is primary, now, neil cavuto. >> neil: this is the scene right now in greenville, south carolina, and this is tommy's ham house they call it. a must-stop for anyone who wants to get the voters support in south carolina and become the next president of the united states, and this is the joint where they do it as they he say, and quite a joint. the apparently it's known for all things pork. their menu reads like a cholesterol nightmare, but it sounds like delicious stuff. and now they're featuring a bacon sausage pancake combo

for $4.75. it's not really bad. but the state itself is not really doing that well. at this point, nearly 10% unemployment and that is a big, big issue that makes south carolina, perhaps, more typical of the rest of the nation and the prior states like iowa and new hampshire and 9.9% unemployment right now, exactly what it was when president obama took office. meanwhile, the very latest we have for you. the weather could be playing a role in south carolina, showers and thunderstorms are expected and some could be quite severe especially in the northern part of the state. the poll closes at 7 p.m. eastern time. newt gingrich today blasting what he calls the arrogance of the romney camp for demanding the release to all related documents to his ethics probe when he was speaker of the house and he says that romney needs to release his tax returns first. meanwhile, markets around the world of course, keeping a very close eye on what's happening in the presidential

race and how it moves along and the saudi stock exchange up better than 1%. to the aforementioned tomorrow's ham house in greenville, south carolina, this is a more conservative part of the safety and probably benefit a newt gingrich than it was let's say a mitt romney, but that's not a given mu, but that's generally the rule of thumb. a quick footnote as well on south carolina, as mitt romney is addressing the troops there. and maybe we can pick up some audio from this, and guys, hear this? >> this is a campaign about taking america back and making-- (cheers) >> in washington, there are a lot of people to choose from, but i'm the only guy who's from the real world and i'm going to fight to put america back to work. (cheer

(cheers). >> neil: all right. that's of course mitt romney at tommy's ham house in grenville, south carolina, and this is an important battle for mitt romney, he had been leading and the newt gingrich surge and that surge surprised a lot of folks and the question, does it continue to exist. the speakers numbers are sometimes erratic and he's peaking at the right time and many think that this state was a gimme for mitt romney, a little more than 72 hours ago and very much in doubt today and that would-- by some estimates leave him wounded going into florida where he's polling much better, but you know how this goes, it's a slippery slope. about 450,000 people expected to be voting in south carolina and that would be double the number who voted in new hampshire and in new hampshire doubled. 115,000 or so voted in iowa. of course when we get to florida, it will be double that again and let's not get ahead of ourselves, let's go to snort jim demint, a mon who's endorsement anyone

wanted. you decided not to back anybody for the reason of trying, i guess, to stay above the frey and to also watch this race closely, still that way, not backing anyone? >> no, i'm not. a there's a lot about the candidates i like and neil, i'm keeping my focus on the senate. if we don't have a conservative majority in the senate, it doesn't matter who is in the white house, we're going to continue to lose ground. so, that's my focus, and i feel good about a lot of the candidates, i'm hawpe for nem to stand with me on issues i'm working on, such as balancing the budget and some of them have done that during this campaign. and so, it's going to be close. it's really interesting race. and i think people saw some things in the debate that they like and didn't like about the candidates, and that changed things in the last few days. >> neil: and change with conservatives, too, who i guess were galvanized more out of what they're hearing from newt gingrich than so far out

of mitt romney. i might have taken a leap to say that greenville is conservatives than other parts of the state. but it is a strong hold. >> greenville is my hometown and it's conservative, i think, in a common sense way, they, very much fiscal conservatives, and very worried about the spending and the debt. and i think romney is saying the right things, neil, and there's no request about that. but i think what they saw from newt was some fight. and when i would travel around the state and around the country, what i hear from people is just thanks for fighting. they know there's some powerful forces in the media and in washington that are pushing our country over a cliff and they want to make sure whoever we elect as president is ready to stand up and fight some pretty powerful people. >> neil: you've fought some powerful people within your on party, senator and ticked a lot of them off by saying they were being timid in this budget battle and spending cuts that they offered and spell it out in your book.

the reality is, is that it seems like, neither side wants to risk doing anything to upset the apple cart here, so, they're going to be conservative for the rest of the year. in other words, not come out with any bold numbers or big cuts so we're going to be sitting on this for about a year. am i getting at that right? >> well, i think you're right, but i think the strategy is not going to work, because if we don't have a clear contrast with obama, a different direction, a different attitude. i don't think we're going to beat him. because he's a great salesman and i've called him the world's best salesman of socialism and i believe that's true. we need someone who can sell free enterprise and prosperity and help americans understand that when we're free pass a nation, and when we're decentralized politically, that everyone's going to be better off. so, i think we've got a cheer contrast if we just bring it up and i think our candidate, whoever our nominee is, is going to be the the one who captures that energy and is

willing to be forceful and bold about the positions that they take. >> you know, a less serious issue, this sounds like a menu out of heaven for me and i'm looking at it and maybe my doctor wouldn't slip over, but it sounds delicious, what do you make of the timing of these guys getting there? minutes apart and supposedly first gingrich is going to get there and then romney was going to get there. romney gets there close to an hour ahead of time and we don't know if he's going to stick around for when gingrich gets there, what is that all about, do you know? >> well, every election that i've been in for the house and the senate on election day, we've gone through-- >> what do you eat when you go there? >> i usually don't get much to eat, maybe a cup of coffee, but it's really where, you have to go through that and there are conservative voters who come out and if they're happy with you, it's a fun experience, if they're not

happy with you, you're going to be sorry you showed up. >> yeah, and senator, thank you very much. very good, very good having you, i think you're just peeking around there, and we're seeing carl cameron at tommy's ham house and he's just finishing breakfast, so we couldn't go to him earlier. what's it look like. >> i'll well, neil, we were here and here on time. the problem is mitt romney came 45 early and gingrich campaign staffers it's obvious why he did that. they're asserting that newt gingrich that mitt romney was chicken and didn't want to be here at the exact same time that newt gingrich was, even though their schedules both side it was at 10:45 and everybody recognized yesterday when their duelling schedules were in conflict that was likely to happen. lo and behold the first time one of the candidates showed up early and we didn't have the intersection of two candidates and you can see from the crowd here, neil, this place is mobbed and tommy's ham house, tommy

stevenson in his owner and he's 70 and weeks seven days a week, and for more than a quarter ham house it's mostly been a republican weigh station and not a lot of democrats come here, the patrons do, but the democrats haven't been here near as much as republicans have, so, newt gingrich put it on the schedule first and mitt romney decided he wanted to come here yesterday and supposed to have been this great train crash of the two campaign teams as they rolled down the track in through south carolina and on to florida, but mitt romney came early and so, that didn't happen. romney, able, made brief remarks and kind of hard to hear and what he said was very telling, that he needs their vote and hopes he'll win in south carolina, but it's on to florida where he needs their votes and hopes to win, but then he talked about states even beyond that. and mentioning nevada, and the caucuses that follow into february, and because mitt romney recognizes that a setback, coming second place

to gingrinewt gingrich. experts both current and fast, g.o.p. officials are saying that the gingrich surge looks real and as a consequence, mitt romney is aware that there's a distinct possibility they'll come in second and already begun to extend his campaign plans well beyond that which some had whispered around him that he could run the table at the outset. ground game is significant in three ways, first a bit of a proxy war going on in the palmetto state and folks outside don't understand. nicky haley, the governor, is supporting mitt romney and popular, but taken some hits on the first year of her administration. and newt gingrich picked up the endorsement of the speaker, and it's going to be a battle to the last minute, neil. >> neil: carl, thank you very, very much. and we'll be going back to carl when newt gingrich shows up and it's interesting we'll have a battle at the ham

house, newt gingrich and mitt romney, romney gets there 45 minutes early to avoid, i guess, the clash, but to also, maybe, take early dibs on who got there first. all right, we've got bob mcdonnell joining us, a big romney supporter. it's nice having you, but. >> thanks, neil. >> neil: i noticed in comments last night, appears to be a shot at the former speaker, maybe it's just me, sir. where you said of mitt romney let's elect a man of character and decency. were you making indirect reference to the speaker? >> no, not at all. i actually followed at that with a great washington quote about the character of our nation, and the importance of traditional values and supporting those values like supporting veterans, being pro-life and pro family and i was just vouching as a special and fiscal conservative, i'm vouching for mitt romney's credentials and endorsing him and same to south carolina to help him as much as i can.

i think he's the best leader at the right time on spending and leadership and that's what we need to america. >> neil: you talk about governor, fiscal conservative vrs social conservatives and religious conservatives, the lat are might have a parole, particularly the female component of that, with speaker gingrich, maybe not, maybe the economy trumps all. what do you think? >> well, i think your last point is exactly right. this was a kitchen table pocket book election, people are very concerned about this incredible deficit and the debt that this president has run up, the largest in american history. 30 months over 8% unemployment, that's unsustainable and gut wrenching, and mitt romney has a proven record of governor of massachusetts in the private sector. running the winter olympics in 2002, of getting things dob, over 100,000 jobs created in the private sector, so, you

know, what we got wrong with president obama, is we got a splus of rhetoric and a deficit of result. people want to get things done. and that's what governors do and one of the reasons i'm supporting governor romney,'s he a can-do conservative. >> neil: you don't feel you've hooked up with someone in trouble, and i say that in the polls and-- >> no. >> neil: a hot trick, could be 1-2 with the only victory in new hampshire, what do you think of that? >> well, i don't-- you know, some of those, with the proportional representation in the votes coming out of these states, neil, it's not a winner take all. while one person may win, it looks like in iowa they're going to essentially split the number of votes, so, mitt romney is still clearly in my view the front runner and i think he's going to do very well today. everywhere i've been with him, the last 24 hours, great crowds, a lot of enthusiasm.

here is the test, in the south carolina, i think they're going to votes for, the person they best believe can beat obama in a debate in november, and to me it's mitt romney and that's why i decided to support him and he's going to get this done. >> neil: all right, we shall watch closely. governor, thank you, thech. bob mcdonald, his key victory in new jersey that sort of set the stage for what would be the mid term republican blowout. so he was the guy that began all of that. and meanwhile, another guy creating some sensation not only this state, but across the country. ron paul could finish third, but keep in mind he keeps amassing delegates along the way and influence, ron paul next. ♪ you and me and the big old tree ♪ ♪ side by side, e, two, three ♪ ♪ counthe birds in the big o tree ♪ ♪ la la la [ male announcer ] the inspiring story of how shipping giant can befriend a forest may seem like the stuff of fairy tales.

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>> all right. from greenville, south carolina, this is tomorrow a's ham house, mitt romney showed

up to avoid i guess a mano-a-mano on the menu here and newt gingrich was supposed to show. keep in mind, that newt gingrich is going to show up when he said he would show up and mitt romney 45 minutes early. so the confrontation is avoided and people might be looking for a little, i don't know, ali-frazier. and let's go to columbia, south carolina where ron paul is. congressman, good to have you. >> thank you, neil, good to be with you. >> neil: how important is this state for you? >> well, it's very, very important, but it's not do or die. you know, we expect to pick up some delates as we've continued to do so and we'll continue on. >> you know, it's interesting, it is a proportional vote, and along the way, a proportional vote, even if you're second or third, nothing wrong with that, you've been very, very

consistent. and you could amass quite a few delegates whether or not you get the nomination and certainly you have a powerful voice. >> right. >> neil: i know you want that nomination, but let me ask you about this process and the extremes. you've seen the leaders go up and down and now, recertified, showed santorum won, not romney. south carolina where romney was winning, he might lose. what's going on within your party? >> well, i don't think the message is very clear. i have a very clear message, but i'm challenging the status quo and the rest of the candidates are part of the status quo and the rest of the parties aren't happy because they don't see what difference they're going to make, so their numbers come and go. if you look at ours, not too long ago, we had a significant group of people interested in what i was doing and a precise definition of what government should be doing, but the ceiling was eight or nine%, yeah, he's doing okay be, but

it's a ceiling and now it's shifted to about 17 or 18% and now they're conceding, you know, it's over 20% and if you include independents and democrats, our percentages are much better and not too long ago there was a poll done where i was up against obama and i was equal to romney in that. >> and i agree and-- >> you've been a remarkable phenomena and i always think you're like a thin rodney dangerfield. does that bug snu. >> i think a lot of people think that, and certainly, john stuart thinks so, you know, this whole idea. and somebody told he me from the last debate i thought i did rather well, and they went down the number of times they mentioned the other three candidates in the review of the debate, and it was, now, like 80, 90 times, depending on which it was, i was mentioned one time in all of the discussion of the debate

after it was over, now, you might argue, i didn't win or some people argue that i did. >> you had the-- and more than one mentioned on all the stations and-- >> and they had these all out. >> thank you. >> what's going on here, and succeed in business i'd like to know. >> neil: more after this. so, this is delicious

okay... is this where we're at now, we just eat whatever tastes good? like these sweet honey clusters... actually there's a half a day's rth of fiber in every ... why stop at cereal? bring on the pork chops and the hot fudge. fantastic. are you done sweetie? yea [ male announcer ] fiber beyond recognition. fiber one. hey, i love your cereal there-- it's got that sweet honey taste. buno way it's calories, right? no way. lady, i just drive the truck. right, there's no way right, right? have a nice day. [ male announcer ] 80 delicious calories. fiber one. this is mary. who has a million things to pick up each month on top of her prescriptions. thankfully, her walgreens pharmacist recommended a 3-month supply. now, mary gets 3 refills in one and for 3 months she's done.

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>> all right. governor nicky haley arrived at tommy's ham house in south carolina and missed her choice not for breakfast, but for president. mitt romney has come and gone and she's under pressure in her state and some people elected her are disappointed she threw support behind mitt romney, newt gingrich very popular in that neck of the woods and he's expect today show up shortly so that could be an interesting meeting.

and we'll see. but that's the scene right now. at tommy's ham house, when the newt arrives, we will go there. and by the way, a quick apology. ron paul. i was unaware of the time we had with him and that hard break came as they say in in this business and he was gone. that was my fault and i apologize for that. we always love having the congressman on and hate interrupting someone in mid sentence my bad, my bad. here is someone i don't mind doing is the same thing to, he's got a lot of money. ken langone, home depot out of florida. ken, always good having you on. >> thank you for having he me. >> neil: i was thinking of you in the stuff over mitt romney and the tax returns and releasing them and maybe he's afraid because, hey, going to show he has a lot of money which we already know and that he's paying, maybe, 15% on it and that it's all over the world. what say you? >> what say i? he's paying his taxes.

the law says what you say and you pay it. by the way, neil, i'm here in florida for the winter and you ought to come down to the beach. i continue to be a new york state resident and my wife and i continue to pay the high new york state taxes and i think that governor cuomo is giving our money's worth. but back to mitt. mitt romney ought to feel good about what he did and how he did it and ought to be willing to show and i think he will show his tax returns. eventually, i wish that our current president were more forth coming four years ago than he was. i'm full full disclosure, mitt has nothing to be ashamed of. he did it great job, a fabulous business record. he did an incredible job with the olympics in utah. and i can only tell you first and if you want proof of his management, i've never-- i'm very active with the campaign and essentially raising money and i've never seen a better organized

campaign ever. if this is what he's going to do as president, we're getting the things we need, but you-- you did say that he should release his returns, the guy you originally-- >> look. >> originally the guy you wanted for president, chris christie, you all thought-- had a candlelight vigil outside of his house. >> did have a candlelight vigil. >> neil: you did indeeindeed. you're supporting mitt romney, by the way, as the governor, get your tax returns out. >> right. >> neil: do you think there's any damage the longer he waits? >> no, no, it's a one-day story. whatever comes out, it will come out. look, let's-- we ought to get this all put aside for the moment. what do we need now? we keep talking about who can beat obama? beyond that we need somebody who does beat obama that can walk into the white house the first morning after the inauguration and start the process to fix everything that's got to be fixed.

we are headed into an enormous financial crisis. and every day 10,000 people turn 65 years old. and every single day. our state pension funds are virtually wussed. we are keeping interest rates at incredibly artificially low rates. they have to go up. and we've got all kinds of social problems. we've got, our educational system, our public education system is in complete fragmenttation and disrepair. we need somebody who can manage. when i said the obama administration is a failed experiment, what i mean is, he had no experience whatsoever in leading or operating something. anything. >> well, but now, the administration is saying, look at the numbers that are at least getting better he. they might not get back to the level they were, in terms of jobs when we are running in november, but, but the trend is our friend, the steady job growth, it's steady, slow, but

steady, retail sales are picking up, industrial production is picking up and they're saying that and the market, the wind at their back and guys like you are wrong as heck. >> let me tell you something, neil. based on my direct experience, i talked to my partners who run the truck leasing company, things are slowing down and pushed back orders for manufacturers for equipment. everybody i talk to says it's okay. at home depot, it's okay, it isn't booming, we need a thriving, growing economy to bring the unemployment level down to a rate that's what we need. you know, neil, this 8 or 8 1/2% is fictitious. arbitrarily we say if you stop looking for a job, you're no longer out of work. help me out. how do we get from, i can't find a job, i'm going to stay home and watch neil cavuto, so that means i'm not