extra special happy repeal day to medicine lodge, kansas. that's the best new thing in the world. wave of momentum. new gop front-runner newt gingrich quotes donald trump in new york. just right. scientists discover the most earth-like planet yet in the so-called goldilocks zone. pet pizzazz, check out a new holiday trend that's going toth. good morning everyone, i'm lynn berry, those stories and more are straight ahead on msnbc. we begin this morning with an empire state of mind. as gop presidential hopefuls

make the most of the final few weeks before the iowa caucus cusses. newt gingrich took his campaign to new york. the most recent republican front-runner reached out for some bright light, big city report. nbc's brian mooar reports. >> reporter: newt gingrich is on a role in iowa and new hampshire, but he spent the day in new york, hoarding the support of donald trump. >> i think one of the differences between my party and the other party is we actually go to people who know how to create jobs. >> it was a great honor to have newt up here. it's amazing how well he's doing. >> reporter: the former speaker is cultivating a tea party hour base that grew stronger over the weekend when herman cain dropped out which spells trouble for mitt romney. >> this translates politically on being out of step with the electorate on fundamental ideological grounds. >> reporter: in a new ad

gingrich echoes ronald reagan. >> working together, i know we can rebuild america. >> reporter: ron paul is taking a very different tone. >> what's up with these story politicians. not the bark, when it's show time, women perring like little shih tzus. >> some two-thirds of likely iowa caucus-goers can be persuaded to vote for another candidate. >> reporter: 29 days left and the gop candidates are cramming with their first big test. brian mooar, nbc news, washington. with the general election for president just 11 months away, some are accusing gop state lawmakers of trying to strip away voters rights. last night reverend al sharpton asked george gresham why republicans are making an issue of voter identification? >> what they can't deal with is they can't win with the issues. they know working people in this

country are starting to get fed up when you see the 99% movement, when you see working people of all stripes standing up together in 2008, there was something many of us thought we would never see, people stood up for hope, that people in this country said, despite the fact of color, we're going to go for color that work for us, that we can afford no longer to be stuck on the issue of race. we need to be stuck on the issue of class, of working class. so they can't beat us with the issues, sew now they change the games. they change the game. they change the rules. but i can tell you right now all they're doing in this country is waking up working people. they're not going to get away with it. we're going to arm our people to make sure they have what it takes to get vote. but we need the public to stand up. we need the public to stand up and say we're not going back to those old days again. >> all this week reverend al sharpton will present a special series called block the vote, an investigation of new voting laws

all around the country. don't miss politics nation with reverend al sharpton weekdays at 6:00 p.m. eastern, right here on msnbc, the place for politics. president obama travels to kansas where he's expected to get republicans to highlight the make or break moment for middle class families. yesterday democrats unveiled a scaled down proposal, one that includes a smaller surtax on the wealthy. nbc's tracie potts joins us from washington with more on this. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the president is hoping to put the pressure on in a speech today at a small town in kansas, the same place president roosevelt delivered his popular square deal speech, protecting the middle class. the president spoke at the white house yesterday saying republicans should not raise taxes on the middle class. but this payroll tax cut extension and the unemployment benefit extension he wants is going to cost $180 billion.

yesterday a senate majority leader harry reid unveiled how democrats want to pay for that, no payroll tax for businesses, fees from fannie mac and fannie mae. some republican leaders are signaling compromise, but other members still have an issue with that millionaire tax. we'll watch the situation because that payroll tax cut extension expires at the end of the month. >> tracie potts in washington, thanks. let's go to where thousands took to the streets in moscow, protesting what they contend was a rigged parliamentary election. demonstrators chanted against prime minister va lead mere putin after his party emerged with the largest share of seats, though the number was drastically reduced. the white house has serious concerns after reports of ballot box stuffing and voter list

tampering. mikhail gorbachev said yesterday he doesn't see democracy in russia's future. a raging fire burned a colorado buddhist temple to the grounds. frigid conditions made fighting the inforeknow a tough job for firefighters. they were able to contain the blaze but not before the house of worship was totally destroyed. a would weather front in texas produced the first snowfall as well as treacherous driving conditions in some past of the states. it caused several roleovers an smashups. the weather conditions led to several school shutdowns and power outages. cold weather isn't stopping the flow of traffic to one texas woman's home. judy klein has collected nearly 3,000 nativity scenes over a decade. tourists have even stopped by to get a peek at the holiday-themed

souvenirs from all over the world. her collection is so vast, her husband had to build a separate house for them. right or wrong, nebraska pet owners are adding color to their holiday celebrations. >> it's wrong. >> no, that's right. you're looking at it. these dogs have been taken to a spat that specializes in full body coloring of animals with pet-safe dyes or the lesser extensive stencils. that poor little guy. bill has your national weather. >> you said right or wrong. >> and you say wrong. >> we don't need polling for that. if the owners would do it themselves along with the dogs, maybe a little more respect. >> if you dye your hair red -- >> we want to dip the people in red. >> looks like an um pa lumpa.

good morning everyone. weatherwise today, a lot of active weather out there. fog in the southeast, rain moving up the appalachians into the northeast. cold air in the middle of the country. maybe a little winter surprise for people in the east as we go wednesday night to thursday. a snowstorm coming to the east coast. as we're looking at the map, the green is the rain, still very warm air xwifts all the way from front right up the east coast into maine. temperatures are very mild, in the 50 hs at this hour of the day. it is getting cloudy and damp in many areas including tennessee and kentucky. this storm system is going to stall out here along with all its moisture. this little area of low pressure near texas is going to head to the east coast. storms will develop and come up the eastern seaboard almost like a nor'easter type storm. that's why we're thinking some areas will get significant snow wednesday night into thrgs. if you're watching from connecticut, massachusetts,

factor that into your plans, the catskills, maybe poconos, too. this morning, the snow is confined well to the north up into canada. light rain in areas of northern alabama and mississippi, especially in alabama. as we go through eastern portions of tennessee, it's umbrella weather. central missouri, light snow on interstate 70. there may be some small slick spots. windchill, minus 18 in denver. that's very cold stuff. lynn, it looks like in the east this is the last warm day, although you'll need the umbrella to dodge the raindrops. >> bill, thank you so much. euro debt ups and downs. the business world loses a pioneer and amanda knox inks a deal to ink a book. your first look at the business headlines is straight ahead. a big hit a must-win and the heisman trophy finalists.

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the cold air is not that far away, it's going to take a couple days to move in. right now we're watching plenty of clouds, plenty of light rain out there along with drizzle over areas from d.c., philly and new york. steady rain around albany,

vermont and new hampshire. no ice or anything. it's just wet this morning. here is your forecast for today, temperatures getting up to 64 possible in philadelphia. and then the temperatures will begin to come down. we'll have a couple periods of rain throughout the day, a steadier rain will develop later this afternoon towards this evening for if big cities. we'll watch showers in atlanta, carolinas and possibly new orleans. cold air in the middle of the country, a chilly day for colorado and minneapolis. the cold air heads to the east along with a developing possible coastal storm. maybe snow? the east on thursday morning. >> bill, thanks so much. coming up, rosie gets ready to say i do and larry king gets ready for passing away. yes, this one is bizarre. plus bradley cooper's scoop on the next "hangover" movie. he says this one is going to be different. your first look at entertainment is straight ahead. you're watching "first look" on msnbc. -dad, why are you getting that? -that's my cereal.

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last night on "late night with jimmy fallon," jimmy talked about what remains after herman cain's recent departure. >> even though herman cain is suspending his campaign, he's launching a new website called thecainsolution.com. >> it's the only one that makes you click an "i'm over 18" button to enter. today is international anyone gentleman day. when people are encouraged to carry toy weapons and wear black masks. as i found out the hard way, my bank wasn't celebrating it. not good. this is cool.

microsoft is releasing a new xbox update that let's users control the device with its voices. as also reported, microsoft is making something that makes your new roommate hate you, a, brks, a, a, a, a, a, a. pause. xbox pause! >> tonight, jimmy welcomes actress sarah jessica parker, taylor swift. that's weeknights 12:35, 11:35 on your local nbc station. there's good news and bad news for you fans of "the hangover" series. bradley cooper says shooting will begin in september on "the hangover 3" acknowledging there were some problems with the second film, just a few. he promises this one will be a little different. he also says, however, this one

will be the last. during a taping break, rosie o'donnell told the audience of her "rosie" show she's getting married to girlfriend michelle rounds who she met earlier in a starbucks. the e news host and reality tv show announced yesterday on the tv show she decided to get a double mastectomy. 87-year-old talk show host larry king says when he dies he wants to be frozen into a state of suspended animation. do you know what that means, bill? he told a group of celebrities on an upcoming cnn special he wants to be frozen. he hopes he can be brought back to life when there's a cure form whatever kills him. >> i understand the concept, if you freeze, that you think maybe you could come back later after a cure, after defrosting. >> just for the record, i would never want that. >> i thought you had to be almost alive to do it.

once you're already dead, what's the point? >> we can't answer that question. i'm lynn berry, this is "first look" on msnbc. stay tuned, wait wa"way too ear next. newt gingrich trolls manhattan for cash making the obligatory candidate visit to trump tower. halfway across the country he was opening up a double digit lead in iowa. does newt have the money and organization to pum this off? two more deadly explosions in afghanistan as the world gathers in germany to discussion the future of that country. the question is, what does it mean for our troops when the afghan president says he'll need military support for another decade. three days after herman cain's pokey mon-themed farewell to the presidential race, the late night tributes are rolling in. how are you and your family grieving the loss of herman