weather. the went. like storm that blasted the southwest heads east, threatening to make a mess from north carolina to maine. attack mode. mitt romney promises a more aggressive campaign as he lose is ground in the polls. and smart alec. find out why actor alec baldwin is booted from a cross-country flight. this is the "cbs morning news" for wednesday, december 7th, 2011. good morning, everybody. thanks for joining us. i'm betty nguyen. this morning, the prewinter storm that hit parts of the southwest is moving east and some areas could get up to 6 inches of snow, with others getting a lot of heavy rain. winter weather advisories are posted along the virginia and

west virginia border and also for parts of pennsylvania and new york. this is the same system that hit new mexico where near zero temperatures are expected today. as the storm moved east, there was rough weather in texas, arkansas, and illinois. the snow, ice and strong winds made highway travel dangerous. >> lots of wrecks. lots of sliding into curves and breaking the tires off their beads, cars rolling over on their tops. >> little rock, arkansas, and nashvill nashville, tennessee, could get an inch of wet snow today. now to politics. mitt romney has unveiled what he calls his closing argument, promising a more aggressive campaign. and president obama is also on the attack making it a pitch to the middle class. tara mergener is in washington with more on all of this. good morning, tara. >> good morning to you, betty. republicans are trying to keep the president on the defense over the weak u.s. economy.

in the meantime, mitt romney is ramping up his campaign as newt gingrich surges in the polls. mitt romney is battling to take back his lead in the gop race. >> now it's time to make our case to the people. >> reporter: and in arizona tuesday, he promised a more aggressive campaign ahead of next month's iowa caucuses including a new wave of tv ads and appearances. the former massachusetts governor is trying to catch up to newt gingrich who now holds a double digit lead in iowa in a cbs news/"the new york times" poll. >> this election is really going to be a fundamental choice about what path america is going to take during this century. >> reporter: today, romney will join is rivals in washington for the jewish conference. the president himself has been hitting the campaign trail this week. yesterday in kansas, he laid out his case for re-election. >> the philosophy is simple. we are better off when everybody

is left to fend for themselves and play by their own rules. i am here to say they are wrong. >> reporter: the president blamed republicans for the growing gap between the rich and poor and promised to continue fighting for ordinary americans. >> this is a make or break moment for the middle class and for all those who are fighting to get into the middle class. >> reporter: republicans fired back, insisting the speech was just another attempt to distract from the president' failed economic policies. and mitt romney is the latest candidate to decline a debate moderated by donald trump. so far, newt gingrich and rick santorum on the only ones who is agreed to participate. apparently there is concern donald trump will make the debate all about him. by moving to the front of the republican pact, knew gingrich has made himself a target. recently, mitt romney said gingrich has spent 40 years as a washington insider and ron paul is airing this hard-hitting

commercial in iowa. take a look. >> newt gingrich renewed his support for an individual mandate a key tentative president obama law. >> support for an individual mandate? folks, don't ask me to explain this! everything that gingrich railed against when he was in the house, he went the other way when he got paid to go the other way! >> he is demonstrating to be the very essence of the washington insiders. >> it's about serial hypocrisy. >> now to a surprise turn in congress. unnamed republican sources say house republicans will propose an increase in medicare premiums to pay for the cost of renewing the payroll tax cut. president obama is pushing hard for the extension. most republicans are refused to pay for it by raising any texas. by the way, today is the last day to join, switch, or drop your medicare drug d prescription plan. former illinois governor rod blagojevich today will give what may be the most important speech

of hi inrecording -- prosecutor want him to serve 15 to 20 years in prison. faa ghar randy babbit has resigned. he was arrested saturday night in virginia on drunk driving charges. babbitt says he doesn't want anything to cast a shadow on the work done by the faa. iran says the u.s. spy drone it claims to have shot down was flying deep over the country not over western afghanistan as u.s. officials said previously. unnamed us ofgs say the top secret drone was part of a cia fleet of aircraft that has been spying on iran for years. on the cbs "moneywatch,"

upswing in the stocks in europe. asian markets got a jolt today on more optimism the eu will get a handle on its debt crisis. each closed up close to 2%. today, wall street gets the latest on consumer debt. tuesday, stocks were stuck in neutral most of the day before a late day rally. the dow gained 52 points, while the nasdaq was down six. citigroup is slashing 4,500 jobs worldwide, that's about 1.5% of its work force. the bank says it's all part of its effort to trim costs. the cuts will be made over the next few quarters. bank of america will pay $3.15 million to settle claims by merrill lynch customers they were misled by investments and mortgage-backed securities. ba acquired merrill lynch during the meltdown in 2008. the second such settlement in a week' analysts predict more to come. gm thinks it knows why fires

have been breaking out in its electric they have chevy volts. coolant leaks may be the cause. the government is investigating, but the transportation department says the vehicle is safe to drive. gm is offering refunds to dissatisfied customers. verizon is about to take on netflix. the telecom giant is planning to launch a new service that lets customers stream movies and tv shows over the internet. the new service could be rolled out as soon as next year. netflix shares almost 5% on the news. and if you think your tweets just die in cyberspace, well, think again. the library of congress has struck a deal with twitter to archive every public tweet that is billions and billions. betty, that means getting a cool tour of an animal e.r. just saw a dog get a huge tooth pulled or checking out the dallas world aquarium. who knew they had a tropical

rain forest? those will live forever. you'll be happy to know only public tweets are used and nothing protect or private will be archived. i hope you don't tweet any of our conversations. >> if those are the best you can find, i better step up my tweet game. are you on twitter? >> i am not. no tweeting for me. >> settle to being facebook friends then. thank you, ashley morrison, in new york. just ahead on the "morning news," a not so sweet study of children's a cannonball run usi a real cannon in california.usi l. plus a a real cannon. ♪ [ spa lady ] i started enbrel. it's clinically proven to provide clearer skin. [ rv guy ] enbrel may not work for everyone -- and may not clear you completely, but for many, it gets skin clearer fast, within 2 months, and keeps it clearer up to 9 months. [ male announcer ] because enbrel suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections.

serious, sometimes fatal, events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. if you've had enough, ask your dermatologist about enbrel. this was the gulf's best tourism season in years. all because so many people wanted to visit us... in louisiana. they came to see us in florida... nice try, they came to hang out with us in alabama... once folks heard mississippi had the welcome sign out, they couldn't wait to get here. this year was great but next year's gonna be even better. and anyone who knows the gulf knows that winter is primetime fun time. the sun's out and the water's beautiful.

you can go deep sea fishing for amberjack, grouper and mackerel. our golf courses are open. our bed and breakfast have special rates. and migrating waterfowl from all over make this a bird watcher's paradise. so if you missed it earlier this year, come on down. if you've already been here come on back... to mississippi... florida... louisiana... alabama. the gulf's america's get-a-way spot no matter where you go. so come on down and help make 2012 an even better year for tourism on the gulf. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home. yet another alleged victim has come forward in the penn state sexual abuse scandal. the man says that former penn state assistant football coach jerry sandusky abused him at the age of 12. a preliminary hearing for sandusky will be held next tuesday. at least six of sandusky's ten accusers are expected to testify a new study out this

morning, says many cereals for kids are loaded with more sugar than dessert snacks. the report says the biggest offender is kellogg's honey smacks with one cup containing more sugar than a twinkie! and a cup of quaker oats cap'n crunch had more sugar than three chips ahoy cookies. that was one of my favorite ones. well, only 1 out of 4 careerealt the federal guidelines. oops. the popular myth busters tv show had an accident, shall we say, while firing a cannon for an episode of the show. it happened in dublin, california. they hit a cannon ball but it was a bit off. it smashed all the way through a nearby house leaving holes in the door, the walls, and then through the window of a minivan outside. luckily, no one was hurt. well, actor alec baldwin got

in a dispute with a flight attendant on tuesday and kicked off an american airlines plane. according to fellow passengers before takeoff from los angeles, baldwin refused to stop playing a word game on a cell phone. melissa mccarty of our station kcbs in los angeles has more. >> reporter: on the same flight alec baldwin was kicked off, oscar de la hoya. >> alec baldwin was turning off his devices. i don't know. he got a little angry. that's about it. >> reporter: in new york, passengers on the flight tonight react to their celebrity-caused delay. >> who was that? >> alec baldwin. he looked a little bit intoxicated to me. >> reporter: actor alec baldwin says he is addicted to his favorite word game. after being removed from an american airline flight, he took to his twitter account to say a flight attendant on american reamed me out for playing "friends" while we sat at the gate not moving. they say he made a raucous.

the actor's rep says he left his seat to ask for the attendant's name to file a complaint. it was then the crew asked him to leave. baldwin then unleashed an all-out rant, tweeting about the airline's bankruptcy status, saying it will be the last american flight he will take, tweeting there is always united. in a calmer tweet, he says, now on the 3:00 american flight, the flight attendants already look smarter. passengers on board join the twitter game. michael wolf from mtv said on an american airlines flight at lax, alec baldwin removed from the plane. we had to go back to the gate. terrible that everyone had to wait. the actor's rep released this statement. he loves "words with friends" so much that he was willing to leave a plane for it. >> that was melissa mccarty of kcbs tv reporting. the rock 'n' roll hall of fame class of 2012 is out. ♪ >> oh, yeah. guns n' roses lead the pack.

the l.a. rock band who found the greatest success in the late '80s made it on their first nomination. also on the class is the beastie boys and red hot chili peppers and laura nyro. they will all be inducted next april. congratulations. straight ahead, your wednesday morning weather. and in sports, the competition heats up over free agent albert pujols who may become baseball's 200 million dollar man. ed lipitor, i won't go without it for my high cholesterol 200 million dollar man. and my risk of heart attack. why kid myself? diet and exercise weren't lowering my cholesterol enough. now i'm eating healthier, exercising more, taking lipitor. numbers don't lie. my cholesterol's stayed down. lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. it's backed by over 19 years of research. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems

and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications, or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. [ man ] still love that wind in my face! talk to your doctor. don't kid yourself about the risk of heart attack and stroke. if lipitor's been working for you, stay with it. lipitor may be available for as little as $4 a month with the lipitor co-pay card. terms and conditions apply. learn more at lipitorforyou.com.

here's a look at the weather in some cities around the country. time now for a check on the national forecast. the latest satellite picture shows cloudy skies and showers in the east. light snow is falling in the lower mississippi valley and it's clear on the west coast, but later today, there will be rain showers from new england to the southeast. it will stay muggy and warm along the coast. behind the system is colder air. the rest of the nation has mostly sunny skies except for a few snow showers in the northern rockies. in sports, number three syracuse remains unbeaten in college basketball. playing at home, the orange got 15 points from dion waders and hung on against marshall. syracuse got its ninth win, 62-56 over the thundering herd.

and in chapel hill, barnes had 17 points as the tar heels more than doubled the score against evansville in a 97-48 victory. in baseball, big papi david ortiz is expected to stay with boston. the red sox slugger didn't find many suitors in the free agent market. espn reports he will accept salary arbitration for next year, a deal likely to be in the 14 to $15 million range. and the miami marlins are trying to make their big off-season splash bigger by signing number one free agent albert pujols. speculation is the deal for the three-time national league mvp could be worth, get this, a whopping $200 million or more over ten years. the marlins have already signed two other all-stars, shortstop jose reyes and closer heath bell. when we return, another look at this morning's top stories. and remembering pearl harbor 70 years on.

i'm good about washing my face. but sometimes i wonder... what's left behind? [ female announcer ] purifying facial cleanser from neutrogena® naturals. removes 99% of dirt and toxins without dyes, parabens or harsh sulfates. so skin feels pure and healthy. [ female announcer ] from neutrogena® naturals. ready, go! so skin feels pure and healthy. sears super saturday is on! all treadmills are on sale, like 40% off this nordictrack, plus a craftsman 200-piece mechanics tool set is 50% off. come shop the early preview. real deals. real savings. sears ready, go! sears super saturday is on! 60% off coats, sweaters and fleece for the whole family. 50% off all heated blankets, throws and flannel sheets. come shop the early preview.

real deals. real savings. sears on the camp overnight.. tearing down tents. team coverage on the arrests and injuries to police. a mythbusters mishap. a canon careens through a bay area neighborhood. how a show stunt went horribly wrong. actor alec baldwin, goes head to head with a flight attendant. the game that got him kicked off a plane. and.. more frosty temperatures.. and a spare the air alert.. your chilly forecast. join us for cbs 5 early edition ... beginning at 4:30. brea,,,,

on the "cbs morning news," here's a look at today's weather. a slow moving storm system will keep things muggy and warmer than normal along the east coast. the northern rockies and parts of the mississippi valley are getting some wet snow and stagnant air is in the northwest. here is another look at this morning's top stories. the winter-like storm that hit the southwest is headed east. snow is expected today at higher elevations from virginia to parts of maine. former illinois governor rod blagojevich is expected to speaking at his corruption sentencing hearing today. prosecutors are asking for a 15 to 20-year prison term. this is the 70th anniversary of the day that thrust this country into world war ii, pearl harbor day.

on december 7th, 1941, japan launched a surprise air attack on the u.s. navy base in hawaii it sank morning a dozen ships, including four battle ships and killed more than 2,400 americans. today, the ranks of pearl harbor survivors are dwindling fast. sandra hughes has one man's story. >> reporter: survivors of the "uss arizona" were given a hero's welcome at the pearl harbor memorial. here to commemorate the 70th anniversary, four generations of don stratton's family. back then, he was a fresh face 19-year-old sailor on board the "uss arizona." >> i headed from my battle station which was about five ladders up. >> reporter: but he couldn't do much against the onslaught of bombs. then the "arizona" exploded. >> the ball of fire went about 600 to 700 feet in the air. i was burned over 65% of my body. it's been a long time. rest in peace, ship mates.

>> reporter: more than 1,100 men were killed and many still entombed below this memorial. of the 334 "uss arizona" survivors, only 35 are known to still be alive. there are more who survived on other battle ships but one by one, they are passing away. the remains of a sailor who survived the attack on the "uss utah" and died this year, were interred under water. the dwindling number of survivors make this an important anniversary. >> the first time i came out here, i was 19, knowing that he was 19 at that time, being there, same age. i mean, it's a life changing experience. >> reporter: it took a year for don stratton's burns to heal, but he didn't lose his fight. he reenlisted and went back to war. what do you say when people call you a hero? >> they are still out there. >> reporter: they sacrificed

something he'll never forget. sandra hughes, cbs news, honolulu. >> they are all heroes. this morning, on "the early show," how to protect your smart phone from a hack attack. i'm betty nguyen. and this is the "cbs morning news." through the night. prevacid®24hr prevents the acid that causes frequent heartburn all day, all night. go to prevacid24hour.com for a $4 coupon. but my nose is still runny. [ male announcer ] truth is, dayquil doesn't treat that. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms, plus it relieves your runny nose. [ deep breath] awesome. [ male announcer ] yes, it is. that's the cold truth! [ male announcer ] yes, it is. [ growling ] captain, one step at a time.keep going! come on, snowy. look! did you ever see a more beautiful sight? captain! it's just a mirage. - snowy? what is it, boy? - [ barks ] what do you see? [ yipping ] [ woman announcing ] just like snowy, your dog's one of a kind. overactive imagination and all. [ barking ] long live your buddy.

long live your dog. [ tintin ] snowy! purina dog chow. see the adventures of tintin, only in theaters.

1. come on! >> look at that. in washington, d.c., they lit the christmas tree at the u.s. capitol last night. house speaker john boehner flipped the switch to light up the 65-foot tall sierra white fir. it will stay lit through new year's. all over the world, kids are writing letters to santa letting them know what would make them happiest this christmas, but little girl in north carolina got her wish a few weeks early. reporter stacy davis of cbs affiliate wral has the story. >> are you guys all ready for christmas? >> yes! >> reporter: mrs. henderson's second grade class thinks they are in for a treat. bethany arnold's mom has come to read them a holiday story.

>> i think i put it on last. i have no clue what i am doing. >> reporter: little do they know the real treat is getting dressed next door. it's bethany's dad! >> my cookies and hot chocolate, where are they? you see, for the past year, wendall arnold has been suiting up in iraq. in fact, he has only seen his family 22 days out of the last two years, and that prompt his daughter to write this letter. >> dear santa, my name is bethany arnold. my daddy is in iraq. could you bring him home for christmas? that would be the best gift of all. >> reporter: so mom and dad hatched up this surprise. >> ho, ho, ho! >> reporter: dressed dad up like santa and buy presents for all of bethany's all excited classmates. but in the end, don't have a gift for her. you can already see she is looking a little left out. >> you know what? i think santa came just for you.

>> reporter: then an elf explains she is the only one who gets to sit on santa's lap and she must tell him what she wants most in the whole wide world. and, without hesitation -- >> santa, for christmas, i want my dad to come home. >> reporter: then he silently holds up a small heart that she had given daddy before he left for iraq. she puzzles over it and then gives him a big hug of thank you. then she finds out she will want to give this guy a much bigger hug. >> daddy! >> reporter: just like santa, daddy checks twice to make sure he got everything on this little girl's wish list. >> are you happy? you sure you don't want something else? you got everything you needed? what are you crying for? >> i'm just so happy that you're home! >> reporter: just so happy that daddy is home for christmas. stacy davis, wral news, franklinton.

>> that is the sweetest story. coming up later on "the early show," president obama kicks his re-election campaign into gear. will the public respond to his call for fair treatment of american workers? then a live report from iraq where the last forces will soon depart. and the royals night out in london, all for a good cause. that is the "cbs morning news" for this wednesday. we appreciate you watching. i'm betty nguyen. have a great day. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com