leaders of the gop presidential pack. can romney knock gingrich off his perch? >> he's a lifelong politician. have you to have the credibility of understanding how the economy works. plus this hour, clearing out occupiers. police in riot gear clear occupiers in l.a. and philadelphia resulting in hundreds of arrests. we have details right here. hi, i'm thomas roberts, great to have you with me. a big day in politics as well as on wall street today. that's where we start. dow jones skyrocketed at opening bell going up more than 300 point after the world central banks took action to avoid a credit crunch, similar to the one that followed the 2008 collapse of lehman brothers. let's go straight to cnbc contributor ron. break this down. follow the money for us and what this means for all of us. >> it's good news insofar as we may have had a lehman-like moment on the horizon in europe. central banks including our own federal reserve are effectively

flooding the financial global system with money, whether you want to call it dollars or euros. easing the funding crisis for european banks and averting a lehman-like situation. china also eased monetary policy. that's been very helpful. so, they're trying to contain the damage. it's a first step toward a larger package. >> ron, should americans consider this a loan or a bailout? >> neither. they should consider this a necessary action that keeps the global financial system from imploding the way it was possibly going to do in 2008-2009. it's not the confined of money you would consider a loan. this is highly technical stuff central banks do but they're flooding the world economy with money and they should view it as good news. >> it's a super surge for a wednesday, that's for sure. ron, thank you, sir, appreciate it. herman cain is calling it a character assassination. his candidacy reeling from the latest allegations revealed by ginger white, that the two maintain an on and off affair for some 13 years. cain talked about sacrifices as he kicked off a bus tour in ohio

today but what may be sacrificed is his presidential campaign. ginger white gave more details about her relationship with the former front-runner. take a look. >> our relationship was on and off for the last 13, 14 years. i've received gifts and money for the last 2 1/2 years consistently. >> did he ask for anything in return for that money? >> no. this was nothing -- this was not sex for cash. >> politico executive editor jim vandehei joining me now is the clock ticking now and everybody waiting for cain to potentially drop out of this race? >> well, you know, by his own admission in that conference call yesterday morning they're reassessing the campaign and now they've been wobbling back and forth about whether or not that means they're rethinking sticking in the race but no doubt he has to.

he has to know these allegations now, the latest ones, plus the sexual harassment allegations earlier, are going to continue to dog him. is it possible, is it plausible for him to overcome this scrutiny and get back to talking about issues that conservatives care about in iowa and new hampshire? it's hard to see how that happens. >> jim, if the cain camp has money and supporters rallying around him even after these latest allegations, does that give him the boost that he needs to maintain his stamina? >> well, i mean, that's what you need. you need votes to win in iowa and new hampshire. i do think there were warning signs even before the latest allegation f you look at his unfavorable numbers in most poll, they shot way up after sexual harassment allegations and poll numbers nationally and key states also went down. he's not been at the top since those other allegations. the latest one, for whatever reason, given that it's about an affair not harassment, has resonated more powerfully with a lot of social conservatives. you now have the mike huckabees of the world and saying enough's

enough. there's been so much of this. you have to address it. you have to be able to explain how all these women could be coming forward, making these allegations and lying about it, which essentially cain's contentious, that everyone is lying. the media, these women, all lying. >> politico's jim vandehei. in that riveting interview ginger white also talked about the future of cain's campaign. >> i can't make this stuff up. and, frankly speaking, i wouldn't want to make this up. >> should he end his campaign? >> that's something that he has to look himself in the mirror and ask himself. you know, last night i slept very well telling the truth. i'm not sure what's going on in his head right now, but it's -- it's unfortunate that any of this is going on. >> to be a good liar you have to have a great memory. let's get more on the latest surrounding herman cain with our panel this morning, ed rendell,

nbc political analyst and michael steele, nbc analyst and former chairman of the rnc. nice to see you. michael, i'll start with you. as i understand it, you spoke with herman cain. the pressure is really mounting on that campaign now. did he sound like a candidate to you who's ready to throw in the towel or somebody to carry on? >> sounds like someone who wants to carry on. he wanted to assess the latest revelation, if you will, and put it in the context of his campaign. but the other thing i think was important is also in the context of his family and how his family is dealing with this. and the impact it's having on them. and i know he's very concerned about that. and i think right now, you know, as others have said, he has to get this thing nailed down one way or the other because if you go forward, you've got to go for it knowing that it's always going to be a story line that's going to be beneath the surface of whatever subject you're talking about. and if you get out now, then you

save yourself that anguish and you give your family the reprieve of having to go through that process for the next six, eight, nine months. he's got a lot to weigh. he's weighing it. and as he said, he's reassessing. we'll see where he comes out. >> governor, as cain falls to the wayside, newt gingrich and mitt romney are squaring off. i want to play a dig from romney la night and newt's response this morning. take a look. >> the union leaders have not always been happy with me, so i can't be terribly surprised. but speaker gingrich is a good man. he and i have very different back grounds. he spent his last 30 or 40 years in washington. i spent my career in the private sector. i think that's what the country needs right now. >> i've been a lifetime citizen. i have worked every day since august 1958 to understand what america has to do to be successful. i've done it as a teacher, as a small business owner, as a public figure, and i'm now doing it as a presidential candidate.

>> this is a campaign. i want to stay focused, positive, focused on the president. >> give us your assessment of how each candidate is handling the closest rival to them zoom before i do that, i want to comment how ironic is it, thomas, that jim vandehei said that social conservatives are now more upset about this 14-year affair than they were about the harassment charges. >> right. >> at the same time, social conservatives seem to be flocking to the banner of newt gingrich, who has had numerous affairs while he was married and that doesn't seem to bother them at all. you know, you can't be fish for one and fowl for the other. they should apply a consistent barometer. if they're worried about herman cain, they should be worried about newt gingrich as well. >> but doesn't it mean for newt, though, if he makes a mess, he cleans it up, he eventually marries his mistress. >> i don't know if that's much of a badge of honor. but in any event, i'm not sure any of this should be relevant

for further discussion. but if the social conservatives are honing in on herman cain, they should also hone in on newt. i think the answer to your question is, what's going to happen? the romney forces and gingrich forces, obviously somebody has got to go after all of the weaknesses in newt gingrich's record. if they don't, he's going to continue to move up and move up and maybe steal this nomination. but i don't think it's necessarily mitt romney. rick perry is still out there with herman cain collapsing, if rick perry can do something to bring newt gingrich down, he has a chance to fill that vacuum, after all he's been through. i still think he has a chance. he has a lot of money. fy were rick perry, that's who i'd be focusing. there's a heck of a lot to focus on. >> we want to go ahead and check in with mike vie cara and take a turn to the governor's home state, pennsylvania, where president obama will be this afternoon. pushing his message to extend

the payroll tax cut in front of a key swing state crowd. nbc's mike live at the white house. republicans did well in pa in 2010 but the president really needs it come 2012 and is he can tenning the tax cut, that is a big issue right now. is it going to work there? >> reporter: you said it, thomas. it is a key swing state, the former governor's home, the only evidence you need behind that happens to be the 16th time the president has visited pennsylvania since taking office. the eighth time this year he'll be hammering home the payroll tax cut. he not only wants an extension of the existing payroll tax cuts which pays for social security and medicare and other entitlements but he wants to expand it. he wants to cut it in half from 6.2% to 3.1%. now, the question all along is, are republicans going to go ahead with this? everybody believes it's going to get loud, be messy, go right up to christmas. but eventually they'll find a way to do this because to pull the rug out from under taxpayers at this point is politically

untenable for republicans -- both sides, for that matter. last night mitch mcconnell, republican leader in the senate, said this -- >> the only reason we're talking about extending a temporary cut in the payroll tax right now, the only reason we're talking about extending unemployment insurance right now is because president obama economic policies have failed working americans. >> reporter: nevertheless, one of those policies was that payroll tax cut that the president agreed upon this time last year with mitch mcconnell. they want to expand that tax cut and mcconnell says they're going to go along with it. question is, how are you going to pay for it? it's going to cost $300 billion. >> let's bring back governor rendell and mr. steele. democratic nominees have won the state in every election year since '92 but saw the profile of scranton in the "new york times" today, hillary clinton country,

the working class whites. they quoted a teacher who voted for obama saying that if the right republican candidate came along, they'd vote for that person. what is president obama have to do to win these voters back, get them back urn the base? zooing he started with his speech on the jobs bill. i think he's been finding his voice for white working class voters in the sense of he's got to talk about economic fairness. he's got to talk about the disparities in the tax code where the richest companies in the world and the richest people in the world pay less in income tax, less percentage in income tax than working people do. he's got to talk about the fairness of that. he's goss to talk about what's happening with working class teachers and policemen and firemen being laid off. those are the things he's got to talk about. he has to bring that message and make it absolutely clear the different approaches of the parties. and if he does that, i believe he's got a chance to win those voters back and actually do better in that demographic than

he did in 2008. >> michael, pennsylvania is enticing for republicans. why wouldn't it be with an incumbent who's below jimmy carter's tracking numbers at this point in his presidency. do those types of ratings make blue-leaning states more available in the long run to republicans? >> yeah, i think it does. in fact, you know, this cycle you'd have virginia and north carolina, for example, back in play fort gop after losing them in 200. pennsylvania has always been a hot bed of opportunity as the governor well knows. and i think, you know, the fact the president is in pennsylvania now talking about what he wants to do is a good thing because that's pretty much what he's done for the last three years, is talk about it. that's why the numbers are the way they are in these states, including pennsylvania. because there has not been a substantive move towards job creation. so, this battle line is being drawn very clearly. certainly, sort of sitting around this idea of the payroll tax, the question becomes, when we get past the election cycle and it's time to increase that

payroll tax, are democrats going to start screaming, that's a tax increase and we can't do that as they did recently, or are we going to really try to deal economically with the substance of the problems eating at our economy and that's what voters want to hear and see. so, it's the combination now the president has to put on the table along with what republicans do once we have a nominee. >> governor rendell, michael steele, thanks for your time this morning. appreciate it. al gore, john kerry, john mccain all ran for president, they all lost but in a way they won. how these almost presidents made more of an impact not being in the white house. plus, breaking new details in the child sexual abuse case against former penn state coach jerry sandusky. one of his accusers say that sandusky abused him more than 100 times. details of the a new lawsuit. [ female announcer ] the humana walmart-preferred rx plan gives you the lowest plan premium in the country...

so you can focus on what really matters. call humana at 1-800-808-4003. ♪ imagine me and you, i do ♪ i think about you day and night ♪ ♪ it's only right ♪ to think about the girl you love ♪ ♪ and hold her tight ♪ so happy together [ male announcer ] when life changes, so can your insurances needs. use travelers free guide to better coverage to stay prepared. is your auto and home insurance keeping up with you? contact your local travelers agent, or call 800-my-coverage.

my feet and exactly where i needed more support. i had tired, achy feet. until i got my number. my dr. scholl's custom fit orthotics number. now i'm a believer. you'll be a believer, too. learn where to find your number at drscholls.com.

more than 200 occupy l.a. protesters were arrested when police say they refuse to leave the campsite that's shut down. city ordered protesters out days ago but many refuse to go and in a relatively peaceful showdown officers cleared the park earlier today. similar raids in philadelphia overnight where were officers arrested 52 occupy protesters. there are no reports of serious injuries. breaking new details to pass along this morning in the penn state case. the first sex abuse lawsuit filed against ex-penn state football coach, jerry sandusky, and this comes from a man who alleges sandusky abused him over 100 times in the penn state locker room, at the bowl game, at sandusky's house, the man is

not among the eight original named in a grand jury report and names university and second mile charity as defendants. that brings us to syracuse where there may be another victim in that sexual abuse scandal. the new york daily news says syracuse police are talking to a fourth man who says he was molested by bernie fine. but the scandal doesn't seem to be affecting the team's perform an. last night the number three orange beat eastern michigan 84-48 in their first game since fine was fired. afterwards head coach jim boeheim cautioned against a rush to judgment as the investigation continues. >> there's an investigation under way. there are no charges, there are no indictments, there is no grand jury. there is no action being taken. when that is done, then we will see what has happened on my watch. >> still the case is raising a

lot of questionses about how authorities in the media handle this story as syracuse years ago. a writer for "sports illustrated" joins me on set. pablo, we'll start with jim boeheim in syracuse but with breaking details from penn state, i wanted to start with you on that because this child or he's a man now, grown man, but coming forth with the new lawsuit saying he was abused over 100 times, having met jerry sandusky through the second mile charity. this person is not in the original eight victim count that leveled 40 charges against sandusky of alleged abuse. when might we get a better depiction of what the investigation has been able to cull since this story broke and more names, more people have come forward? >> right. this is part of the drum beat that's predictable at this point. i think two weeks from now there will be hearings for jersey sandusky in pennsylvania to see if a trial can go forward. obviously, the civil suit, which people expected, is a preview into what else is to come.

this is notable insofar as not only just another victim, but also one of the earliest victims on reported that we've now documented, taking place starting in 1992, before we thought it started in '94-'95. 100 times and suing for over $400,000. so, this is the next step. >> but we should find out more details in two weeks, on december 13th, i believe, the hearing is. >> exactly. >> when we talk about what's taking place with bernie fine and at syracuse, we're talking about the fact that this is just rocking that campus right now, but also jim boeheim has come out, he came out swinging in defense of bernie fine. you gave a tweet, though, or put out a tweet the other day, talking about boeheim and how he is dealing with all of this basically saying you think he has protested too much. what do you mean? >> i mean, the tone that was appropriate for jim boeheim at this point coming off the statement he made, which was basically putting all of his chips on the table in favor of bernie fine, was to come out and not be as smiling maybe as

smarmy at this press conference. he was the figure head, head coach of this program and seems like it was almost anticipating a bit too much the charges they leveled against joe paterno at penn state. he was saying, i'm responsible for everything that was under my control. clearly, his stance at this point is that he had no idea and anything adults do outside of the syracuse locker room is beyond his purview. >> when we talk about boeheim, do you believe this is something he'll survive as a head coach, given the fact that's the stance he took as a professional? >> at this point i don't think he should just because that chilling effect of insulting victims, calling them liars, extortion iss. obviously, investigations ongoing but that's enough for me at this point to say good-bye. >> pablo torre from "sports illustrated". we'll have more later this hour from a woman that worked along jerry sandusky at second mile charity. we are keeping our eyes on a mass strike happening in the uk right now millions of public workers walking off their jobs

in schools, hospitals and police stations. plus, making the case for mitt romney. why one republican says he's the party's best chance to beat president obama. ♪ ♪ ♪ when your chain of supply ♪ goes from here to shanghai, that's logistics. ♪ ♪ chips from here, boards from there ♪ ♪ track it all through the air, that's logistics. ♪ ♪ clearing customs like that ♪ hurry up no time flat that's logistics. ♪ ♪ all new technology ups brings to me, ♪ ♪ that's logistics. ♪ 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. [ coughing continues ] [ female announcer ] more pollution from power plants means more childhood asthma attacks. [ labored breathing ]

there's technology that makes the air cleaner, but too many plants don't use it. we can't wait. epa must update power plant standards to protect our kids. [ baby coughing ] if something is simply the color of gold, is it really worth more? we don't think so. chase sapphire preferred is a card of a different color. that's because you always get two times the points on travel, from taxis to trains, airfare to hotels, and all kinds of dining... from fast food to fine dining. and that's not all you get. there are expert advisors who answer immediately, whenever you call. and absolutely no foreign transaction fees. does your card do all that? apply today and earn 50,000 ultimate rewards bonus points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.

that's $625 toward your next trip when you redeem through ultimate rewards. so, why settle for gold when you can have so much more? chase sapphire preferred. a card of a different color. call the number on your screen or visit our website to apply. welcome back, everybody. if you are a poster board wooelding protest ers in manhattan, then you might not get why presidential hopeful mitt romney is leading in several polls. at least one "newsweek" columnist and harvard historian says if you want someone to yank the economy out of the dumps, a tycoon, is the man for the job. neil ferguson joins me from boston to back it up. you don't mince words in this opinion piece saying the country's nuts with populism. the people against the elite with urges for social and political system changes.

if that's where the country is in your estimation, why do you think anybody would be happy with a man that's in the middle, a relatively moderate mitt romney? >> well, i think because the solutions to our problems are too complex for populous solutions to work. mitt romney has shown that both in the private sector and in public office, he is not only highly competent but he has the kind of expertise we need. i was amused by "the new york times" piece trying to trash him saying he had made a great deal of money restructuring companies. it seems like the federal government needs that restructuring rights now. we need to turn the federal government the way he turned struggling companies around. i don't see other candidates, even with all due respect to newt gingrich, having romney's experience. that kind of experience beneed. the populous solutions won't work. >> this solution you say makes romney the most electable. you say he's the only candidate

that could beat barack obama. in a new gallup poll, positive intensity number, fell far below that of newt gingrich. the two were neck and neck in a hypotheticalal match-up. how do you break all that down about gingrich's electricitiabilielectricit elec against the man you say should beat barack obama, mitt romney? >> the challenge su have to win two very different contests here. first, you have to get the nomination. that means you need to get a republican base on side that's been energized by the tea party. it's clear that mitt romney does not ring many bells in that camp. but the trouble is, that the second contest is the one that matters. that's the contest against president obama. this time next year. on all the evidence that we have, if -- in a head-to-head, mitt romney has the best chance of beating barack obama,

particularly in the economy continues to do as poorly. republicans have to ask themselves, which do you prefer? do you want a candidate that's going to win next year or do you want to indulge yourselves by having a candidate who addresses your more activists, pop you louse sentiments. i think america chooses the likely victor than the congenial victor. that's why john mccain won four years ago. he had my support four years ago. he was the candidate most likely to get voters in the middle. are you to get independents on side, the floating voters on side. i don't think any other republican candidates are capable of doing that, though they can certainly win the nomination. the nomination is not romney's. i'm saying if you want a candidate to beat barack obama, he's the guy. >> neil, nice to see you. we appreciate you taking the time to be with us today. >> my pleasure. governor rick perry steps in it again, making two mistakes in

one sentence and, of course, we're keeping our eyes on the markets for you. right now the dow up roughly about 409 points. wow. we'll keep our eyes on that one. stocks soaring because major central banks decided to cut short-term borrowing rates to support the global financial system. help out the eurozone. bark we're america's natural gas and here's what we did today: supported nearly 3 million steady jobs across our country... ... scientists, technicians, engineers, machinists... ... adding nearly 400 billion dollars to our economy... we're at work providing power to almost a quarter of our homes and businesses... ... and giving us cleaner rides to work and school... and tomorrow, we could do even more. cleaner, domestic, abundant and creating jobs now. we're america's natural gas. the smarter power, today. learn more at anga.us. so i took my heartburn pill and some antacids. we're having mexican tonight, so another pill then? if i get a snack now, pill now? skip the snack, pill later... late dinner, pill now?

aghh i've got heartburn in my head. [ male announcer ] stop the madness of treating frequent heartburn. it's simple with prilosec otc. one pill a day. twenty-four hours. zero heartburn. prilosec otc is available at walmart's low prices. every day. every store.

12 hour hold challenge. apply fixodent once, and it holds all day. ♪ take the fixodent 12 hour hold challenge. guaranteed, or your money back.

♪ gives you the lowest plan premium in the country... so you can focus on what really matters. call humana at 1-800-808-4003. developing news out of great britain to pass along. some amazing aerials we're seeing now. everyone from teachers to hospital workers, walking off the job in protest over government demands that public sector workers work longer and contribute more money to their pensions. this is the country's largest labor strike since 1979. day two of vice president joe biden's surprise visit to iraq. he met with prime minister al maliki in baghdad earlier today. the u.s. vice president says his surprise trip marks a new beginning for both countries but anti-u.s. protests suggest both countries still face major diplomatic hurdles. mk hillary clinton making an

historic trip to myanmar, the first u.s. secretary of state to visit the southeast asian nation in over 50 years. later today she'll meet opposition leader and noble peace lawyer yet awning sang suh kyi. presidential politics it's not always the win that's true influences the future of our political system. the nominees who were elected president take up a bigger section in american history books but the men who came up short on their road to the white house can also leave a major imprint on our nation and its politics going forward. scott ferris joins me now, author of "almost president: the men who lost the race but changed the nation." this covers a lot of big names from the early 1800s to '08, 2008. so, what is it in your research that links big names like barry goldwater, al smith, stevenson, did they pave the way for other candidates to come after them?

>> good morning, thomas. thank you for having me. yes, they did. i think losing candidates have two important roles they play. first is, presidential campaigns generate a lot of passion, a lot of emotion. and our american democracy only works when losers consent to be governed by winners. at the end, losing candidate plays an important role healing divisions brought by the campaign. all of the people i profile in my book did that wonderfully well, calling for national unity and patriotism above party. the other way they did pave the way and provide a model, i think, for whoever loses next year is sometimes these campaigns have had profound impacts on american history. henry clay in a losing campaign resurrected the two party system, the wig party. al smith caused america to reconsider the role of catholics in our society. and then both barry goldwater and mcgovern really transformed the republican and democratic

parties. goldwater paving the way for conservative ascend ants of ronald reagan and george mcgovern laid the groundwork for the kind of majority coalition that put barack obama in the white house four years ago. >> when we see -- when you talk about bridge-building, at least postcampaign, we can see how barack obama brought in hillary clinton. they had a raucous campaign, a lot of bridge-burning. but you show how over history that's done, right to left, left to right. i want to talk about ross perot because a lot candidates trying to highlight big business backgrounds. this businessman made an impact in 1992. do you think we could see someone like him emerge again? >> certainly it could happen again. it's a modern phenomenon. we've had a lot of successful men in history and nobody thought to run them for president they were around. in the 1980s people would say, maybe we need a successful

businessman, lee iacocca, who declined. in '92 perot did run, with a lot of compassionate support. we thought we needed someone who knew how to create jobs, balance a balance sheet. he pafd the way for a lot of folks. after perot came steve forbes, donald trump, and now mitt romney. i think there's a hunger in america that people believe a businessman may be the answer to our political problems. so, another perot could emerge, and mike bloomberg, the mayor of new york is one of those people also as someone that could come in as a third-party candidate, clean house and get our financial problems in order. >> thank you for joining me. i appreciate it. in michigan today, all that's missing is the stroke of a pen and the state will have a long-awaited anti-bullying law on the book. you think the lawmakers who pushed hardest for this measure would be cheering for the governor's signature but many are not.

joining me now from lansing to join me, michigan state senator glenn anderson. nice to have you here. you were among the biggest advocates for an anti-bullying bill and yet you tried to get this measure voted down. why would you do that? >> well, thomas, i appreciate you having me on today. this bill falls far short of what we expected to have as effective policy. something that would really make a difference for kids in michigan. it fell short in three key areas. one of them is there's no reporting that's required to be sent to the department of education. so, there's really no way to monitor if this is having any effect on the safety of our kids. it has the district just reporting to itself. as we know, that will be of no value whatsoever. it also creates really a situation where you have a license to cyber bully. because it doesn't sufficiently address cyber bullying. as we know, social media and all

other forms of electronic communication, texting and twitter and the other things that are available for people to use, that that's becoming more of a problem now than even some of the other ways of bullying kids. it also fails to enumerate different groups of kids that to even mention them in the legislation. and i think we've all known -- we certainly would agree that those children are the ones most subjected to bullying. there's also f i could mention that i've created a website for people to get involved and make a difference in this. and itisneverokay.com. they could reach out and have an impact. a lot of our school i cans in michigan have been very involved in trying to get good legislation passed and this falls for shart. >> what are the odds the governor will sign this into law? >> i think he's likely to sign it into law but i hope he sends a message back to legislature that we we need to revisit this

issue, that we need to do something that will make a difference in those kids' lives. because right now, there's disparity all across the state of michigan where some districts have no policy, some have very good policies. we need to have some uniformity in the state so every child has a safe learning environment. >> michigan state senator glenn anderson, thanks for your time today. we appreciate it. coming up, the man who shot president ronald reagan making a new bid for freedom. and then who thought buying children's pajamas from walmart could be a dangerous undertaking? a new warning will have you thinking twice before you're picking up those pjs. first, a live look at the christmas tree here at rockefeller center. right now looking a little bare but in nine hours it will be fully decorated and lit for the first time this holiday season. it's a star-studded event with performances by tony bennett, justin bieber and more traffic expected to be a nightmare in the city today, not only because of this tree but also because president obama is going to be in town tonight as well.

oh, boy. 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. or creates another laptop bag, or hires another employee, it's not just good for business. it's good for the entire community. at bank of america, we know the impact that local businesses have on communities. that's why we extended $13.2 billion to small businesses across the country so far this year. because the more we help them,

the more we help make opportunity possible.

welcome back. here's a look at some other stories topping the news now. headed home but no doubt watching his back. since a day after maryland businessman gary giordano was released from an aruban jail, prosecutors want him locked up again, appealing a judge's ruling say there wasn't enough to hold him in the disappearance of robyn gardner. so far the body has not been found. the family says they're frustrated. at a hearing today, lawyers for the gunman who attacked president reagan three decades ago are fighting to get john hinckley jr. a little time away from the psychiatric hospital. jurors found him to be insane at the time of the shooting. he has been granted freedom to visit his mom's house but lawyers want two it or three more weeks worth of visits. the government argues he's capable of great violence.

watch out for needles in the kids jammies according to reports in georgia. customers found sirn guesses sold by walmart. a mom says she got stuck putting on the pjs and another woman got jabbed while looking at a package of bras. authorities say victims rbing checked for infections. turning back to the penn state sexual abuse case. a statement from a new accuser suing not just jerry sandusky but his charity, the second mile, as well. it says, quote,my hurting and have been for a long time because of what happened but feel now even more tormented than i have learned of so many other kids who were abused after me. now that i have told and done something about it, i am feeling better and going to get help and work with the police. lawyers for the second mile charity also wanted to dismiss a lawsuit filed by another plaintiff identified only as

john doe saying it lacks any basis in fact. that lawsuit seeks to freeze any assets that could be used to pay damages to sandusky's alleged victims. joining me is patty, who worked alongside jerry sandusky at second mile charity. it's nice to have you here to talk about your experiences. you worked at second mile alongside sandusky for ten years. explain to all of us, do you still work there? what was your reaction when you heard of all these allegations coming out against him? >> i no longer work with the foundation. as soon as i found out about it on that saturday, i pulled myself out of it. my reaction is i'm just devastated for all of the children that, you know, have been allegedly abused by jerry. and all of us that helped jerry with donations, volunteering,

sponsorships, just anything we did, we were there to help, you know, underprivileged children, children at risk. unfortunately, we played right into jerry's habit. >> patty, as you say, i recently left after these allegations came to light. did you or anyone else at the charity ever request jerry sandusky's alleged behavior or suspect him of anything before the arrests came down? >> well, no, we -- i mean, this is jerry sandusky. you know, this man is -- you know, he's a god to -- like, to everybody, you know, in the organization, the foundation. i never suspected anything because i can tell you this much, if i had ever suspected just a little inkling, you wouldn't have gotten me to be quiet. you know, i would have continued

by authority, authority, authority. but, unfortunately, you know, i did not see anything. >> police who have asked to see paperwork from the charity say documents from a three-year period have gone missing. do you understand why they would have gone missing? are you familiar with how after experiencing ten years of your time there, do you understand why a three-year chunk of paperwork would be missing? >> no, i don't because -- i mean, we -- we as volunteers, we had to be meticulous with your records, especially when we would do silent auctions or things that we would ask for donations at the golf outings and such. we really had to be meticulous with our paperwork and stuff, so i -- you know, it begs the question, why three years would be missing?

and i don't know if they're missing from the state college branch or the south central pennsylvania branch. i don't know what branch they're missing from. >> patty, we appreciate you taking time to join us today and your insights into the second mile charity. again, we thank you. it's time now for political side bar, a potpourri and as the texas governor would say, he stepped in it again. take a listen to what he said campaigning in new hampshire yesterday. >> those of you sitting in this hall, who are going to inherit this country, they're counting on us. those of you that will be 21 by november 12th, i ask for your support and your vote. those of you who won't be, just work hard. >> work hard. first, the voting age is 18. second, the presidential election is november 6th. governor perry brushed it off saying he's going to make mistakes from time to time. those mistakes don't sit well

for new hampshire union leader. he says the newspaper was considering endorsing him for president but decided he was, quote, woefully unprepared. and there's more? he did more than misspeak. he goes on to say, perry simply suffocated with one disastrous performance after another. he proved he did not belong on the stage. perry is also dismissing rumors of a staff shakeup as scuttlebu scuttlebutt, reports two were demoted. governor says, if they had, it would be news to him. spark cash gives me the most rewards of any small business credit card. it's hard for my crew to keep up with 2% cash back on every purchase, every day. 2% cash back. that's setting the bar pretty high. thanks to spark, owning my own business has never been more rewarding. [ male announcer ] introducing spark the small business credit cards from capital one. get more by choosing unlimited double miles or 2% cash back on every purchase, every day. what's in your wallet? this guy's amazing.

and it showed me the pressure points on my feet and exactly where i needed more support. then, i got my number. my tired, achy feet affected my whole life. until i found my number. i tried the free dr. scholl's foot mapping center. in two minutes, i got my foot map and custom number. i'm a 440. that matched up to the dr. scholl's custom fit orthotic inserts with the right support and cushioning i need. i am a believer. i'm a believer! i'm a believer. find your closest foot mapping center at drscholls.com.

good morning. well welcome back, everybody. lego building blocks have brought hours of chun to children around the world. it's bringing new job opportunities to central florida with a new theme park. legoland florida. joining me to discuss the new theme park and the impact it will have on the local economy

is adrian jones, general manager of legoland florida. mr. jones, great to have you with us. >> thank you. >> it brings this theme park to the declining market there, having a measurable impact on lowering the jobless rate. what is it like to get the project together. >> i think the cypress gardens when it closed three years ago was a big drop in the employment level. so this has made a big difference. >> when you talk about bringing a thousand job there, what does it mean for the people coming in under the legoland brand? are these jobs not just seasonal? will they be long-term staffing positions that would offer the other types of benefits you see in your corporation? >> absolutely. one of the things -- we've hired 1,059 people. we're adding more jobs next year

with the opening of our water park. we will be having about 700 full time. we have just over 300 seasonals, but we'll be adding the 250 next year. >> how ah it changed over the 80 years with lego trying to continue to chemoits brand fresh in a lot of people would say this is a brand that needed to be revived? >> at the moment, the lego brnd is doing very very well around the world. i think there's something worthy about the lego brick, the educational aspects, and the interactive nature of lego is something we bring into our theme parks. we use definitely with the type of rides and shows we present. >> i have to admit i was on the floor at my mother's house building with my nephew, so i think it's across the board that we can all relate to, whether adults or kids. adrian, thanks for your time. that will do it for me today. see you back here tomorrow 11:00

a.m. every week diehl morning. follow me on twitter. don't go anywhere. "now" with alex wagner comes your way. president obama has an uphill battle to dig himself out record low poll numbers, but then again things aren't set for the republican field. is the tea party cooling? and how is the u.s. stacking up against a world of unrest? joining mess is my panel. [ male announcer ] attention medicare beneficiaries.

time is running out to select your medicare coverage. the annual enrollment period ends wednesday, december 7th. so call now to enroll in a plan that could give you the benefits and stability you're looking for, an aarp medicarecomplete plan insured through unitedhealthcare. what makes it complete? this plan combines medicare parts a and b which is your hospital and doctor coverage with part d prescription drug coverage, and more,

all in one simple plan starting at a zero dollar monthly premium, beyond what you pay for medicare part b. this plan offers you benefits like an annual physical, preventive screenings, and immunizations for a $0 copay. you'll also have the flexibility to change doctors from a network of providers dedicated to helping you stay healthy. there's more. when you enroll in an aarp medicarecomplete plan insured through unitedhealthcare, your benefits could also include vision and hearing coverage, and prescription drug coverage that's accepted at pharmacies nationwide. the pharmacy saver program makes prescriptions available for as little at $2 at thousands of pharmacies. unitedhealthcare has worked with these pharmacies to get low costs for our members. enroll today and enjoy advantages like these for as low as a zero dollar monthly premium,

beyond what you pay for medicare part b. now is the time to look at your options and enroll. start getting the benefits of an aarp medicarecomplete plan insured through unitedhealthcare. but you need to act now. annual enrollment ends wednesday, december 7th. call unitedhealthcare today about an aarp medicarecomplete plan. you can even enroll right over the phone. or visit us on the web. don't wait. call now. president obama is making history, with cratering approval numbers. he's on the campaign trail this afternoon. the question is, can he win this thing? this is wednesday, november 30th, and this is "now." joining me is robert train many,

joann reed, and ben smith is here with us from politico. thank you for joining me today. the number is 43%, president obama's approval rating. the worst rating of president of any modern history, which is an important caveat. so keep in mind that harry truman holds the record with an abyss ma'am 22% rating in february of 1952 and not far behind him george w. bush bottomed out. that said what are to overstate the uphill climb that president obama has? >> no question. if you're a political consultant out there, you want your incumbent president to be at least at 47%. if he or she, he is not at 47% or higher, it's much harder to win reelection. the la