we don't need your service. >> mitt fired up. >> i know that the speaker would like to say we shouldn't have any negativity. if you can't handle the heat in this little kitchen, the heat that will come from obama's hell's kitchen will be a heck of a lot hotter. >> newt boils over. >> i object to lies. i object to the negative smear campaign. you can say who is the leader. >> it's getting hot in here. >> if you don't get out, i'll drag you out. >> anyone for dessert? we'll have much more on the latest washington debacle coming up. but we begin with the holiday hearth turned hell's kitchen in the race for 2012. mitt versus newt. the contestants sharpen their knives. less than two weeks before the iowa caucuses. as the contest heats up, newt gingrich's temper is flaring like a grease fire over those negative ads in iowa. >> i don't object to being

outspent. i object to lies. i object to negative smear campaigns. and i object to things that the candidate himself refuses to support. his comments today are palpably misleading. clearly false. and politics in its worst form. >> well, newt knows all about that. but up in new hampshire this morning, mitt romney told msnbc's chuck todd that his rival better learn to take the heat. >> i know that the speaker would like to say, look, we shouldn't have any negativity. look, if you can't handle the heat in this little kitchen, the heat that is going to come from obama's hell's kitchen will be a heck of a lot hotter. we have to show that we as a republican party and as a candidate, that we can stand up to the barrage that will come from the obama world. >> did you hear that? mitt romney just dropped the h-e-l-l-hockey sticks. and poor newt, he guess he wishes romney would put his oven

mitts back on. guess what else. the little sioux chef in the corner is beating them both. ron paul up top with 28%. gingrich falling to second. romney now in third. folks, this goose is far from cooked. let's bring in our panel right now. democratic strategist julian epstein in miami and in washington, republican strategist sherry jacobyist. good afternoon to both of you. >> the very latest polling has ron paul running away from both romney and gingrich in iowa. but given that few expected romney romney to win iowa, isn't this in effect the next best thing for him? >> well, i think it is probably relatively good news for mitt romney because it puts some distance between him and newt gingrich. but ron paul is never going to be a republican nominee. and i think that his supporters would, if they don't get ron paul, they would vote for barack obama which means they have no business operating in a republican primary.

if they support him being a spoiler running as a third party candidate. so also you have to remember the caucus voters are very small percentage of republican voters in iowa. so it is a strange situation. it makes it difficult. but in no way, shape or form shows that ron paul is a threat in materials of the nomination but he is a threat in material of being a spoiler. >> you've repeatedly made the point that newt gingrich has more baggage than the airlines. now your brilliant phraseology is being used in a romney ad. take a look at this. >> do you know what makes barack obama happy? newt gingrich's baggage. newt has more baggage than the airlines. >> how do you react to newt now playing the victim and crying about all these horrible ads? i thought it was newt gingrich who was the originator of bringing poison into politics. >> yeah, well, at thanksgiving time we talked about him as a stuffed bird. i think at christmas time what we want to say is these are the

ghosts of christmas past for newt. whether it was kissy face with nancy pelosi, whether it was the cry baby antics when he couldn't get off air force one with president clinton from the front door. the fact that everybody who worked closely with him in the leadership when he was speaker now pretty much detests him. i think the one ghost that is really going to cook this bird is the dishonesty issue. i'm not talking about how he spun the fannie mae/freddie mac issue. he claims to have laid the ground work for the major budget deals in the '90s that led to surpluses and economic growth. there were three budget deals as you remember. i hope reporters start to dig on this. three budget deals. 'knee 93, '95, '97. in '95, gingrich tried to shut down the congress. he lost that fight. in '97, the final deal, that's when gingrich was talking about letting medicare and medicaid wither on the vine. every sim report showed that clinton won that as well. so the three deals that gave us

prosperity in the 1990s and which led to record surpluses were all fights that gingrich lost and clinton won. >> it never would have happened without a republican led congress sfwhx the press pulls that string -- >> there is a problem though, isn't there? with the great historian. he is something of a revisionist on just about everything, isn't he? >> no, he's not, martin. and i think that just saying it, having the of two you say it over and over again doesn't make it so. >> sorry, it's not me just saying that. >> we never would have had balanced budgets or welfare reform had it been been for a republican majority congress in the '90s. it was newt gingrich that brought us that. in many of the cases we had to have bill clinton kicking and screaming and coming to the table. then he took credit for it because he had the big mega phone. i was there. i remember it. i'm wondering why my party wasn't doing a better job taking credit for these surpluses. it was because bill clinton was a master at taking that big mega phone and standing on the stage and taking credit. it never would have happened without the republican congress led by newt gingrich.

>> according to sherry, bill clinton had nothing to do with any of this. >> it's silly. and i don't think anybody really takes that history that seriously. '93, not a single republican vote. that led to surpluses. '95, everybody knows newt tried to shut down the government and he lost that fight. he went after medicaid and medicare. remember clinton's famous speech. save social security first. the fact of the matter is that newt gingrich is such a revisionary historian that he doesn't even see that the major issues that occurred in the 1990s in materials of setting the budget are budgetary house in order, getting economic prosperity going, getting us back into surpluses. he lost all those major fights. it is not just me. these are republicans. there is a reason the senior republicans and the leadership are publicly saying they not only dislike him but many are saying they detest him.

this isn't an argument. this is historical fact. >> let's agree to disagree on the history. but now bringing things forward to what's happening in washington, the candidates are still trying to stay above all of this. romney romney would hardly touch it this morning. newt gingrich, he is throwing everyone under the bus. here's what he said earlier today. >> obama is so inept as a president and the congress is so dysfunctional as an institute. we are lurching from failure to failure to failure in a way that i think the american people find very, very disheartening. >> i'm sorry, but isn't this the man who let the government shut down completely for something like 23 days? >> i guess i don't know what your point is. we're addressing what's happening now. >> my point is this. that newt gingrich said just now that congress is so dysfunctional as an institution that we're lurminging from

failure to failure. what i'm asking you, does that not sound a little bit rich coming from a man who single handedly shut down the government? >> what i would say is that i would disagree with him somewhat on that point. >> you would. schlep. >> i think congress is work have the way it is supposed to. there was some missed communication between mitch mcconnell and john boehner. however, the house is a little bit unruly. it is supposed to be that way. the fact is, they won't pass a bill that the senate wanted. whether senate democrats or senate republicans. they have to go to conference. now republicans because they didn't have this big unified voice themselves didn't get the message out there. i don't think it is unreasonable. i think the public will realize that. to expect congress to stay in a conference. that's not unreasonable at all. our founders designed it this way so that the senate could be aloof and arrogant. they have to get reelected every six years and it is supposed to be the house that's very connected to their constituents. >> i have to get to you comment though on the richness of newt

gingrich condemning the congress. please. >> it is the pot calling the kettle black. newt doesn't see the bigger picture here. don't take my word for it. every poll has shown obama has won this debate. they think that the house republicans are letting a tax cut expire is absolutely unacceptable. the senate republicans, it is not democrats. senate republicans are saying that as far as the house goes, the inmates are in charge of the asyl asylum. we don't need family and friends to give us gifts when we have republicans handing us these huge christmas gifts the way they are. thank you, republicans. >> cheri, the "washington post" -- the "washington post" is running -- cheri, the "washington post" poll. it shows that 94% think that john boehner is to blame for the impasse. only 6% blame the president.

clearly the president, according to this poll at least, he is beginning to win on this. isn't he? >> until he takes off for his $4 million vacation so he can get in touch with his inner 1%. then he might lose it. i think that this fight is not over. and republicans have lost the message because they weren't speaking with this huge unified voice. it is like herding cats. this is one time whenner they aren't just going to answer to their leadership. if they did, they would be accused of just falling in line and doing what john boehner ordered them to do. so this is the way the institution works. we're watching the sausage be made. they have to come to conference. it is not unreasonable to expect a small group of republicans and democrats from the house and senate to get together and hammer out an agreement over the next few days. they can do that. and it is -- >> that's all -- >> cheri -- >> it's all inside baseball. the big picture. >> to stay here and work it out? >> if i can finish my point. it is inside baseball. the big picture is the public

overwhelmingly and the senate republicans blame the house republicans for letting the pay roll tax holiday expire because they want to pursue special interests riders on this legislation. >> julian epstein and cheri, i wish we had so much more time. but as you know, the 160 million americans wait with baited breath. thanks so much for joining us. next, even john mccain has seen enough of boehner. >> it is harming the republican party. it is harming the view, if it is possible any more of the american people about congress. [ male announcer ] tom's discovering that living healthy can be fun. see? he's taking his vitamins. new one a day vitacraves plus omega-3 dha is a complete multivitamin for adults. plus an excellent source of omega-3 dha in a great tasting gummy. one a day, gummies for grown-ups.

it's like having portable navigation. a bluetooth connection. a stolen vehicle locator. roadside assistance. and something that could help save your life - automatic help in a crash. it's the technology of five devices in one hard-working mirror. because life happens while you drive. this holiday, give someone you love an onstar fmv mirror for only 199. visit onstar.com for retailers. have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before.

when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

i ask for unanimous consent that we bring up the bill to extend the tax cut for 160 million americans. you're walking away just as so many republicans have walked away from middle class taxpayers. >> the scene on the floor today as house members existed the room, despite dmabds from democrats for an up or down vote on the bipartisan measure to sentence the pay roll tax holiday. after that the president placed a call to speaker boehner urging him to reconsider and allow that vote. the season's greetings befitting speaker boehner's house. congresswoman debbie wasserman schultz is a democrat from florida and also chair of the dnc. i'm delighted to see that she joings us now. >> good afternoon. >> i don't think any of us could do better than today's "wall street journal" saying the gop leaders have somehow managed the remarkable feat of being blamed

for opposing a one-year extension of a tax holiday that they are surely going to pass. this is no easy double play. now, i have to ask you. you've been in the congress a while. is this because speaker boehner can't count or is it simply that he is now utterly powerless because the congress is run by extremists, many of whom arrived as you know, a year ago and will pursue their agenda even if it ruins the lives of 160 million americans. >> well, martin, this is a classic case of the tail being allowed to wag the dog. this is speaker boehner caring desperately about clinging to his office. about making sure that they do as much as they can to cow tow to the office and not caring about the 160 million americans who will have a thousand dollars more taken out of their paycheck if they don't go back to

washington, join democrats in the house in supporting this bill that the senate passed 89-10. we cannot let december 31st come and go and allow this pay roll tax cut that barack obama has proposed and the american jobs act to expire. it is inexcusable. indefensible and playing politics with people's lives and republicans need to stop it. >> can you understand why people are confused? because at one motel, speaker boehner appears to agree with mitch mcconnell that a deal can be arranged with harry reid. the next minute he appears to have a second head or a second face. and he is going and with these extremists within the congress. who is this man? who is the speaker? >> look. just look at the clip that you showed at the outset of this interview. steny hoyer, the minority whip was trying on the floor today as the session opened to simply introduce the senate bill so that we could take it up and pass it. and they wouldn't even let him

speak. the republican speaker pro temperature pointed by speaker boehner walk off. wouldn't even acknowledge there was a member asking for floor time. trying to introduce a bill to fight for the middle class. they clearly showed the callous indifference to the middle class today. and then over the last day or so, to add insult to injury, mitt romney, one of the leading candidates for president, refuses to even say whether or not he thinks that the republicans in the house are doing the right thing. where is the leadership? this is a guy running for president. >> you know with romney romney his mind will change over the next 24 hours. >> still, if you're running for president. >> let's talk about what chuck schumer pointed out. he said something interesting to rachel maddow. the committee put together by speaker boehner. take a listen to this. >> of the eight members of this conference committee, the sham

conference committee that speaker boehner appointed, five have issued statements against any pay roll tax cut. >> this is a ludicrous sham. five have already made up their minds on the issue. and there is no one else at the table. >> it's a total sham. the house republicans have opposed a pay roll tax cut extension all year. they have had all year to bring the bill up. try to make sure we can extend it and not allow this 11th hour down to the wire nail biter to occur for the 160 million working families that are going to have a thousand dollars come out of their paycheck if we don't take up this bill. we need to do what our leader nancy pelosi and the democratic caucus did when she sent the letter to speaker boehner urging him to call the house back into session so that we can take up the senate bill which passed 89-10. senator dean heller from nevada has said the house republicans are doing the wrong thing. senator snow has said the same

thing. >> scott brown. >> senator scott brown said the same thing. senator richard lugar from indiana. these are all conservative republicans who say that we need to pass that two-month extension so that we can sit down and negotiate and make sure that we don't put 160 million americans in jeopardy. >> we'll speak to one of the happened picked gang of eight for their story. stay with us. we'll have much more ahead. [ male announcer ] it's simple physics...

a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and celebrex is not a narcotic. when it comes to relieving your arthritis pain, you and your doctor need to balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen,

naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion.

midnight december the 31st looms, the threat of taxes going up for some 160 million

americans still hangs in the balance. indeed, unless something changes in washington, 2012 will begin by putting americans even further in a hole. for more on this, let's go to nbc's mike 56 heira at the white house. while he waits for congress to act, the president did his part today by going out and doing a bit of holiday shopping. meanwhile i'm sorry about. this i watched eric cantor at yet another press conference offering warm words, inviting the president to come down and reach a deal. this from the same individual whose conduct over the last year has virtually ruined every attempt at compromise. what is the president supposed to do in these circumstances? >> something tells me that you and the majority leader are not going to be and gifts this holiday season. >> it's not just me, mike. you've got 160 million americans who are very, very upset. the "washington post" has a poll on its website saying 94% of

americans agree that it is speaker boehner who is responsible. that just me, mike. >> reporter: i think the white house is reading some of those same polls. they are very confident they are on the winning political ground. no question about it. and on the winning policy ground as well for that matter. the president today was letting it be known by his press secretary, called speaker boehner along with the senate majority leader harry reid. the message to speaker boehner was you need to take pup senate bill. you need to give it a clean up or down vote. in the meantime, the speaker reciprocated saying, we need your help again. the speaker saying, call the senate back. we are at a stand-off at this point. that really shows no sign of any opening at this point. i would be interested to hear what luke has to say on that front. >> hand it over. loo luke, it's all yours. what do they have to say? >> reporter: they're sticking to there strategy of saying speaker boehner has appointed the conferrees, they're here in washington ready to work.

they're here willing to work on vacation. extend it for a year, not for two months. the problem is that today, in terms of the optics, it was very poor for house republicans. number one, the morning started off with an editorial in the "wall street journal." slamming the house gop for their move saying they should pass the two-month extension because president obama has the upper hand. then on top of that, you had more senators coming out. bob corker of tennessee who is close to the leadership saying they need to get this two-month extension going forward. it is bad for the party. same thing with john mccain. so you're not really seeing if you will this messaging war from the republican side. gaining any traction. that was what the thought was. the republicans could stay here and say president obama is out in hawaii on christmas vacation. harry reid is lord knows where. we're here trying to work. that's not resonating with the american peel. the folk are saying the senate did its job. how come we can't do have get

this two-month extension? on top of that, the fact that mitch mcconnell is not out front and center right next to john boehner saying, let's come back and -- >> that's a surprise. >> right. let's have this year-long extension is really hurting the gop. the senate has washed their hands of it. >> absolutely. luke russert and mike viqueira. i will send a card to the majority leader. thank you very much for joining us. thank you. coming up, this time of year, we are thankful for lines like these. stay with us. >> i am the coke brothers' brother from another mother. and proud of it.

for a hot dog cart. my mother said, "well, maybe we ought to buy this hot dog cart and set it up someplace." so my parents went to bank of america. they met with the branch manager and they said, "look, we've got this little hot dog cart, and it's on a really good corner. let's see if we can buy the property." and the branch manager said, "all right, i will take a chance with the two of you." and we've been loyal to bank of america for the last 71 years.

just cover your bases. bring her the all-natural sugar in the raw and the all natural, zero calorie sweetener stevia in the raw. then learn that she doesn't drink coffee, just tea. it's only natural. yes. but lately we've been using k-y® intense™. it stimulates arousal so the big moment is... (announcer) k-y® brand intense™ - intensifies female satisfaction.

tis the season and the candidates running for president have sure given us a lot to be jolly about. each speech, each debate, each commercial chock full of stuffers. here they are. this political season's top lines. come on, mom, let's go! even sarah palin's kids look like they need an explanation for a family holiday run amok. >> i've decided that we are going to continue onward with celebrity "the apprentice." mitt romney made it official. he is running for president. >> pawlenty is dropping out of the 2012 presidential race. >> put in my 9-9-9 plan. >> she told me that her little daughter took that vaccine, that injection and she suffered from mental retardation there after. >> don't blame wall street. don't blame the big banks. if you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself. >> go get a job right after you take a bath.

>> the third agency of government, i would do away with education, the -- commerce. let's see. i can't. the third one, i can't. sorry. oops! >> no, no, i came here to speak. hold on a second. hold on a second. i'll let you speak. >> stop the hateful stop the anlt gay politics. >> i'll tell you what. >> $10,000? $10,000 bet? >> i'm not in the betting business. >> oh, okay. >> i have never sexually harassed anyone. >> bring it! >> amazing grace will always be my song of praise ♪

>> let's get right to our guests now. ana marie cox, correspondent for the guardian with us from minneapolis. msnbc political analyst karen finney, former communications director from washington. here in new york, msnbc political analyst michael eric dyson. professor at georgetown university. it's been quite a year. before we start, i want to play a bit of sound. new sound from newt gingrich confronted by a gay voter in iowa. take a listen. >> how do you plan to engage and get the vote of gay americans and those who support them? >> i think for those, the only issue that really matters is the definition of marriage, i won't get their support. if that's the most important to you, then you should be for obama. >> professor dyson. here's newt. he wants to spend poor parents with children to orphanages. he wants them to work as janitors. he said speaking spanish is the language of the ghetto. he wants gay people to vote for the president.

who does he want to vote for him? >> i mean, he is appealing to people ruled and reined by bias against the vulnerable peel of manager. this is, tis the season to be folly. this is an extraordinary repudiation of everything that's good and healthy about this country, openness, tolerance, diversity. let's include everybody under a big tent. he is excluding people. he is kicking them to the curb. who has the unabashed temperature airport to say don't vote for me. go vote for obama. that's ludicrous. >> have you heard a candidate say go vote for the other guy? he doesn't even try to make his case. he doesn't even try to reach out to the guy. explain it to me. >> it is the kind of disgusting political thuggery we see time and time again from the republican party. what do they do? they attack immigrants, the war on women. that's what they do when they find themselves in hot water. they blame the other guy. it is their fault. they take it out on those

individuals. and clearly, newt knew. 46% of a poll in august, 46% of iowa believe in same sex marriage. so newt is not going for their vote. he's figured out that 45% who disagree, that's who he wants. he is willing to say, poor kids have bad quote/unquote habits, all those other horrible things because that's who he is trying to pander to right now as he sees the nomination slipping through his fingertips. >> indeed. i note the glee in your voice. gingrich was on with bil o'reilly last night. i want to play you a bit of an exchange over newt's idea to arrest judges that he disagrees with. if you look at o'reilly, he took him to task on this. listen to this. >> you came off as impeerious in this. people have that impression that if you were the president, you would do what you want to do. and people will go, whoa, wait a minute.

>> even bill o'reilly cannot seem to hide his disdain. how soon is it newt the fox news analyst? >> he said that he actually just can't stop the has been of being a fox news analyst all the time. that's why he said he would get the nomination. he waunlt saying that as the candidate. he was saying that as an analyst. it is saying something when you've astounded bill o'reilly with your arrogance. if his jaw drops with your arrogance, you are really up there like in the stratosphere as far as that goes. and it's true that is a ridiculous policy. and people on the right have said that as well. it is the policy in a dictatorship. not the policy of a free democracy like we have. and i'm not sure if newt wants a free democracy. newt wants to be the king of newt-opia. >> he used to work for fox news. he was in their employ. and their biggest star of all just now treats him with

contempt. >> it is deserved. bravo for bill o'reilly to call him to account. to say to newt, you are not, you know, and karen finney is right. this is political thuggery. this is gang sta rap of the first order. i love snoop but this is a campaign -- >> don't offend snoop like that. >> let me not associate snoop dogg with newt gingrich. here is the kind of gangsterization. and the kind of disdain for every day people. i don't like what you do. therefore i will remove you. i will dispatch you. i will use my political office to impose out the restraints that i enjoy as the president. this is extraordinary. and it is scary as a matter of fact. >> karen, have you seen anything like this since the 1990s when newt was in congress? >> well, gee, let's see. saying that he was a mean s.o.b. the first day he started to go up. like i said, this was a guy who went out and attacked bill

clinton on the day clinton was burying his mother. come on. that is not a good guy. >> remember, he is the man who decided to tell his, one of his wives that he would be ending the marriage and she was very seriously ill as well. that's never troubled newt. >> it hasn't troubled newt. i do want to in all seriousness go back to the larger point. i've written about this idea of thug politics and political thuggery. i think we do see it time and again from the republican party. what do they do? they go after gay people, immigrants, women's rights, and people of color time and time and time again. all, each of these groups ends up being this sort of target that they use to then try to anger their base and appeal to fears and bigotry and try to get votes. it is shameful. >> karen finney, ana marie kofl. we have to take a break. stay with us. we'll be right back. ♪

[ daniel ] my name is daniel northcutt. [ jennifer ] and i'm jennifer northcutt. opening a restaurant is utterly terrifying. we lost well over half of our funding when everything took a big dip. i don't think anyone would open up a restaurant if they knew what that moment is like. ♪ day 1, everything happened at once. ♪ i don't know how long that day was.

we went home and let it sink in what we had just done. [ laughs ] ♪ word of mouth is everything, and word of mouth today is online. it all goes back to the mom and pop business founded within a family. ♪ when i found out i was pregnant, daniel was working on our second location. everyone will find out soon enough i think that something's happening. ♪ ♪ ♪ you want to save money on car insurance? no problem. you want to save money on rv insurance? no problem. you want to save money on motorcycle insurance? no problem. you want to find a place to park all these things? fuggedaboud it. this is new york. hey little guy, wake up! aw, come off it mate!

geico. saving people money on more than just car insurance.

as the pressure under the circumstances month to sentence holiday, president obama delays his holiday to call speaker boehner and urge a vote or risk hitting millions of americans right in their pocket books. we're back with our panel. professor dyson, i want to start with you. it is crucial, is it not? the. the president holds the line on this. there are rumors everywhere that he may fold. >> no, you've got to stand up. you've got the people. you've got the bully pulpit. your poll numbers are rising. people now say you're more popular than you've been in quite a while. they've predicted that he would win against anybody he would face in the election in 2012. so please, president obama, hold the line. the bully pulpit is yours. tell the american people that

you are for them and prove it. let boehner, cantor and mcconnell. it sounds like a law group or the supremes rejects. come to you and try to figure out what they must do. do not compromise with them on this. use your authority to reinforce our priority as american citizens. that's what he must do. >> anna marie, some people are saying the president is so affected by the idea that 160 million americans will have their taxes go up. that he may feel that, and so empathetically decide to move toward boehner doufl agree it is crucial that he stands his ground now? >> i think it is. it is hard to understand how he could reach a compromise that would be more satisfactory than it was in the senate. the pay roll tax cut they had, even this them temporary one is paid for by a fee increase that republicans like. so it is really weird that the house republicans are just refusing to engage on this. i think the president has all the cards on his side. this is not, this is a tax cut. this is what the republicans are

supposed to be for. i really don't understand like what the optics are supposed to be for boehner. i think this is where we're seeing how the tea party, the neophyte tea party doesn't understand how government works. i guess they don't want it to work. >> karen prork if he issor dyson says that the president is clearly winning on the message. ooze how does he win this in practice? how does president obama keep this from going the way of so many other battles as it was slipping through his fingers? >> here's the thing. to what she was just saying, a lot of these people in congress, it is not just that they don't get it. they don't care. they were elected on the idea that they were going to come here and just blow the place up. so they are perfectly happy if they go with it. so -- >> even at the expense of 160 million americans? >> apparently so. and the problem to this point, to his credit, the president has felt like, gee, when you're negotiating with somebody like that, i don't want the american people to get stuck in the

middle. in this instance, the way he does this, he does have the message. he has the issue on his side. and now is the time for him to go back in there. he has john boehner up against a wall. now is the time to go back in there and say you're going to do what i want. and i'm not going to do key stone just because, guess what, key stone happens to be a client of none other than grover norqvist. we won't do what he wants to do. we won't do what these freshmen want to do. we're going to do what the american people want. he should push hard, very hard -- push back very hard. and i think take the message to the people. get the people going back to the members of congress. as the poll you showed earlier shows, americans know who it is that's raising their tafls. it is the republicans will. >> professor? >> i think she is right. he has to stand his ground. he has to say, look, this is for the american peel. the optics are his. the other side is hearing with their ears -- hearing with their eyes. he has to speak the language that all of us understand. i'm defending the poor and the working class and the middle

class and together as americans, we can redefine this fight. boehner is on the wrong side. you're on the right side. stand up and say it clearly and unapologetically. >> professor, ana marie cox, karen finney, thank you for joining us. coming up, how do house republicans respond to the pay roll tax cut? [ female announcer ] where will you be when you have to change your pad? now with stayfree you don't have to worry. inspired by athletic wear, only stayfree has thermocontrol to wick away moisture. so you're dry and comfortable up to 8 hours. stayfree. i took some steep risks in my teens. i'd never ride without one now. and since my doctor prescribed lipitor, i won't go without it for my high cholesterol 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. see? he's taking his vitamins. new one a day vitacraves plus omega-3 dha is a complete multivitamin for adults. plus an excellent source of omega-3 dha in a great tasting gummy. one a day, gummies for grown-ups.

much has been made of this do nothing congress. and poll after poll make it increasingly clear, republicans are losing political ground. indeed, collateral damage that the "wall street journal" described today like this. given how mcconnell and house speaker john boehner have handled the pay roll tax debate, we wonder if they might end up re-electing the president before the 2012 campaign even begins in earnest. with no shortage of outrage, it

is the house republicans who may be the biggest villains of all. a republican from new york is among the eight members of the committee selected by speaker boehner to resolve the grid lock and save 160 million americans from seeing their. are you happy to be part of a group of freshmen republicans who have chosen to hold 160 million americans hostage? i'm one of eight republican who's are fighting as much as we can to give the american people relief and to give them the insurance they will have, as we voted for on december 13 with democratic colleagues as well. a full year's worth of pay roll tax holiday. for our medicare patients, our seniors, and the doctors who serve them.

two years of relief from the sort that now hangs over them as doctors await more than 27% cut in reimbursements which will make it hard for a lot of them to afford the care for the seniors. why could the house not follow the senate in the way speaker boehner expected it to happen? why could not that happen? >> speaker boehner is right with us. the president himself called for a one-year pay roll tax holiday extension. we agree with him. the year is not over. we have ten days in which to work. millions of americans are going to be working, martin, across the holiday season. i have done it myself many times. i'm a doctor and i am more than willing to be here. >> as you say, you're a doctor. here's the equation. you can keep the patient alive for two months during which you can develop a treatment plan going forward. or you can simply let the

patient die. and what's happened, what has actually happened is that speaker boehner wouldn't even allow a vote in the house. you let the patient die. 160 million middle class americans are at the worst christmas present they could be given by this government. a $1,000 tax increase. for some people, that will kill them. >> you have my vow as one of the conferrees that we are determined be to let the american people go through to january 1 without knowing they will have relief. what we are fighting for is the longest term relief we can provide them with. it is just common sense. i was on radio this morning in the hudson valley. and one of the fellow citizens with whom i was speaking said we're doing the right thing. he agrees with pay roll administrators. with the national association of wholesaler dealers and many

other organizations including as far as i know, the national federation of independent businesses. small business people who say, we can't deal very graciously at all with a mere two-month pay roll tax extension. ? doesn't that mean that speaker boehner can say whatever he likes. it is you and your cohort freshmen who are now running thing in the house. >> the house majority. responsible for this ill pass, has nothing to do with the president. >> we're here, martin, to solve the problem.

that's it. here to be partisan. we're not here to obstruct. we are here to serve. we voted for a terrific bill on december 13th with democratic colleagues for a full year, a full year of payroll tax relief, for two years of reassurance to medicare patients and doctors, for a full 13 months of extension of unemployment benefits as -- as served by the federal government. we voted to lift burdens on our small businesses in terms of depreciation on investment in growth. we voted for the keystone excel pipeline which fortunately still remained in the senate amendment, and that is a point of commonality. so we are seeking to work effectively. >> i'm so sorry that i have to cut you short. we're running out of time. thank you you very much for joining us. >> thank you. >> we'll be right back with a very special seasons greeting. i habe a cohd.

yeah, i toog nyguil bud i'm stild stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't un-stuff your nose. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus liquid gels fights your worst cold symptoms, plus it relieves your stuffy nose. [ deep breath ] thank you! that's the cold truth! easy. name some things that aren't on your list. jumper cables, camo anything, a power drill -- ooh! [ male announcer ] the only place to go for every guy on your christmas list with great deals throughout the store. walmart. ♪ with quarter inch holes and blueprints for the coming year? those of us with doers on our lists. and because it's always better to give than to guess, we can take these last few days of shopping and our holiday budgets a lot further. ♪ more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. there's still time to give a new project or two. pick up your home depot gift cards online or instore.

when i got my medicare card, i realized i needed an aarp... medicare supplement insurance card, too. medicare is one of the great things about turning 65, but it doesn't cover everything. in fact, it only pays up to 80% of your part b expenses. if you're already on or eligible for medicare, call now to find out how an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company, helps cover some of the medical expenses... not paid by medicare part b. that can save you from paying up to thousands of dollars... out of your own pocket. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans... exclusively endorsed by aarp. when you call now, you'll get this free information kit... with all you need to enroll. put their trust in aarp medicare supplement insurance. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. the prices are competitive. i can keep my own doctor. and i don't need a referral to see a specialist. call now to get a free information kit.

plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. and the advantages don't end there. choose from a range of medicare supplement plans... that are all competitively priced. we have a plan for almost everyone, so you can find one that fits your needs and budget. with all medicare supplement plans, there are virtually no claim forms to fill out. plus you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts medicare. and best of all, these plans are... the only medicare supplement plans endorsed by aarp. when they told me these plans were endorsed by aarp... i had only one thing to say... sign me up. call the number on your screen now... and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan. you'll get this free information kit... and guide to understanding medicare, to help you choose the plan that's right for you. as with all medicare supplement plans, you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts medicare, get help paying for what medicare doesn't... and save up to thousands of dollars. call this toll-free number now.

it's time now to clear the air, and every day at around 3:59 i always thank you, our audience, for being with us for the hour and recommend that you stay with dylan who provides some of the moest honest economc insights. my introduction to dylan always finds a way to trump everything that i say. dylan, are you there? please pay attention as i put some evidence before you. >> as always, there's this moment, dylan, where is he going to take it? >> i couldn't help but notice. >> you're a man of genius, one never knows where it's going to go. >> thanks for the compliment. >> i think martin and dylan were lovers and have since fallen out. again, that's interesting. what about your own recording, how is that going these days? >> i'm not doing anything at the moment. i'll let you know. >> all right. >> would you let me play with

you? i do alternative percussion, you know. >> dylan ratigan is here to take us forward from a bunker in california. dylan? >> first of all, it's not a bunker. >> apologize. >> it's a closet, by the way, that was built for maria shriver. >> i'm happy to report that dylan is back from his travels. he went west. he went north, but he's finally back in his extremely large studio. >> so much space. i might play a little basketball at the next commercial break. listen, martin no, reason for you to be ashamed of your shortness. the fact of the matter is -- >> i'm not. >> no, clearly you are. we're proving that tall and short people around the world can get along. >> i don't think that's particularly revolutionary, but i'll tell you what, stretch, take it away. >> all the smart dudes come to this show, him, you, you're all the say. in mathematical terms you you in a plus and a plus equals a -- >> mitt romney. >> i am not your lover, dude. >> fine. >> do you carry