a.b. stoddard. because the bump came so late in the game, the final days, we haven't seen a tough examination of his record as we have seen with gingrich when he started to move a month ago. >> that's true. rick santorum, for those of us who have covered him for many years, he doesn't have a lot -- he's said a lot of things that would not shock conservative voters coalescing behind him. that's that. the question is at this point -- in defense of the media, he was at 3%, not even 9. really, really trailing, barely making debates for a really long time. he's going to face -- even if he has a surprise in iowa, which i long predicted he might have because of ground operation he's running, he's going to have a big struggle to capture momentum going forward and raise money quickly. i think what it says ultimately, says a lot more about mitt romney than it does rick santorum that he's the last person voters could flock to. that's why he's surging so late. >> back to my des moines guest, all the time you're

a.b. stoddard. charles krauthammer. a.b., the romney-gingrich fight, big debate tonight.well, it's interesting that romney wants to come out and thrash him so hard before the debate. i think that he will go after gingrich pretty strong tonight. we all anticipate that newt gingrich will have another strong debate performance. i don't know how much blood romney thinks he will draw. it's a week from tomorrow and he is running out of time. i was surprised how many thing he is tried to throw at gingrich. it looked desperate. use surrogates more and find one theme he sticks with, one positive about himself and one negative about newt. he was all over the map with the criticism. i don't know if that helps him. >> bret: charles? >> i would agree. i'm surprised he did it all on his own. he is setting himself up for the debate tonight. when you think of how well gingrich did last, in the two last debates in south carolina. in rebutting questions; particularly, in the last debate. he is good at rebuttal. romney has not shown himself to be that nimble. this could be another moment. s

a.b. stoddard, associate eder to of the hill. sindcated columnist charles krauthammer.u reaction to the debate and the fall-out from it? >> i thought the debate was over after three minutes. the gingrich answer. it was so interesting because it was a venue i think determined how it turned out. if youd a done last night's debate without an audience, it would have been different and probably the verdict would have been santorum had come out ahead on points. he scored heavily against gingrich and romney presenting himself as a guy reliable, implying that, actually saying gingrich erratic, romney is unreliable. what you have is semily a studio audience it has a -- essentially a studio audience has a huge effect. gingrich won the room by the end of the first round. after that, he had sort of psycholog call advantage. all the way through. >> bret: there is a sense on the ground when you talk to people in south carolina that this is shifting newt gingrich's way. do you buy that? >> absolutely. i think it's entirely possible he wins in south carolina. someone won in new hampshi

a.b. stoddard of the hill newspaper.b innuential conservative voice who is running for governor and leaf leave. >> one of the key figures who has not endorsed a candidate who helped and hurt themselves. >> governor romney avoided being a sensored or challenged by the other candidates . second tier candidates and jokeying in second position . governor perry had a nice presentation and not a lot of face time . rick santorum did well but mixed it up with ron paul and i am not sure how that will play out. >> the do you see it altering the race at all. and the dynamics of the race? >> certainlyy the fact that mitt romney did well and seemed to get through it okay and get us to tuesday where he seems unscathed. the fact that they did not land a punch with him, seems to make sure he's got a good commanding lead here in new hampshire. >> chris: explainn that to me. coming in everybody thought santorum and newt gingrich would go after him. he has a lead of 20 points. why didn't they go after him harder? >> it is a race for second

a.b. stoddard of the hill newspaper.nd paul gigot of the wall street journal and host of editorial report on fox news channel and fox news analyst juan williams. >> chris: bret, where is this race right now? >> it appears that the polls are wrong and two fresh ones that will be out and push the rear clear politicings. and to a double digit lead for mitt romney. >> chris: there is a new nb point of 15 points. and new rasmussen cane point lead. romney could win this going away. what i will say about this two demingings. what happened in south carolina, the mitt romney campaign made the mistake of leaving newt gingrich for dead. he was not dead and he came in south carolina and began to move it and by the time they realized it. they had stopped the ads that beat newt gingrich down in iowa and they didn't make that mistake. he came out with steam and pounded him and gingrich has vulnerability. they are not fair but they are not false and the result is what you have seen. gingrich is vulnerability. i don't think he is dead ye

a.b. stoddard associate editor of the hill. and syndicated columnist charles krauthammer. steve?i think it's been interesting to watch over the past couple of days, how much rick santorum has got an bump in places like south carolina, in places he has laid the groundwork for him to make a run. he has got an little bump in new hampshire. it's not a natural state for him. what is most interesting to see is how much he continues to emphasize social issues. we saw in the speech after the iowa caucuses that he said look, the national security is important. economy very important. but none of that matterles unless you have the values right. it's a peculiar argument for this time, this country, in this republican party. if you look at the cnn/times poll of new hampshire voters and how many people say the economy is extremely important or very important. 94% of voters say it's extremely important or very important. social issues, moral issues, extremely important or very important. only 34%. santorum as we have seen, has not backed away from talking about these things. happy tone gauge o

a.b. stoddard, associate editor of fai the hill. steve hayes. we traveled to a santorum event today.there was a lot of activity. i went to a ron paul event. a lot of energy. what is your take? >> the big question as the vote looms is whether this divided party is going to close ranks around the winner. and do it soon. when you look at the top three contenders you saw the energy in the ron paul event today. those people are so fired up to use a quote from iowa. four years ago. they are not going to let anything stop them from getting to the caucuses. >> bret: however, we should point out there were a lot of people in that room today. who actually weren't from iowa. >> there were a lot of. >> it is true. but typical ron paul supporters if they are residents of iowa, and they are going to bat the caucuses are not going to let anything stop them. the question is will the party go with mitt romney because he look like he will win and can beat obama and close rank in the establishment. will voters, significant amount vote for ron paul who people say can't win the nomination or will they go

a.b. stoddard of the hill newspaper.l gigot of the "wall street journal" and also the host of the "the journal editorial report" on fox news channel and fox news political analyst juan williams. brit, as we discussed with speaker gingrich he seems to have come out of south carolina with loot of momentum. seems to have saled. stalled. where is the race right now? >> until the poll is are dramatically wrong and there are two fresh ones out today which will push the real clear politics adjusted earlier today to a double digit lead for mitt romney. >> chris: the new nba mare rift poll, 15 points. >> and a new ra ras rasmussen t lead. one is i think what happened in south carolina is that the romney campaign made the mistake of leaving newt gingrich for dead after his fifth place showing in new hampshire. he wasn't dead and he came into south carolina and began to move and by the time they realized that he was coming they stopped the ads against tim and stopped all the stuff that had beaten gingrich down in iowa and they didn

a.b. stoddard, columnist for the hill. good afternoon to both of you. >> hi, craig. >> michael, let's start with you. newt gingrich wiping out a 12-point lead by mitt romney in florida. he did the same thing in south carolina. his momentum now giving him more momentum. how likely at this point that romney loses florida, and what will that mean for the race going forward? >> i think this would be the contest that would wipe the slate clean because up till now, folks have been saying romney is still the proverbial front-runner but if he should lose florida, a far more diverse state than was south carolina in terms of those who come out and comprise the primary electorate, this would be a very significant setback. you know, craig, here's the state of the union address last night. i'm convinced mitt romney made the decision to release his tax returns yesterday, thinking he would get buried in all the coverage of the state of the union. and instead, it seems to have played directly into the hand of the president who was prepare

a.b. stoddard is a columnist from the hill. you see that number from the folks in new hampshire who did not support mitt romney, a lot of them would not be happy to see him get the nomination. what does that tell you? >> tells me there's going to be a turnout issue come the general election on the gop side of the aisle if mitt romney continues forward and captures the nomination. passion plays a big role when it comes to turnout and passion is going to be lacking on that side of the aisle. >> and a.b., i want to show some of the numbers regarding what people wanted most in new hampshire from a candidate. 56% whose priority is that the candidate beat president obama went to mitt romney. you see the number there. we're highlighting 56% say this. i'm intrigued by that because you look at arguments and the debates going on, but reality is you have a core group of republicans who say that is their priority, not the fiscal situation, not taxes, not spending. it is that number to beat the prosecute ez. >> that's what i find whenever i

a.b. stoddard's joining us now, associate editor of the hill. singing because i respect you more than karl -- [laughter] but i have to ask you what's going to go beyond florida. nevada and maine this week, and then you have colorado and minnesota next. do these additional states, do they still matter in this race? >> they do. um, this is a chance in the february for particularly ron paul and rick santorum to organize in some caucus states and pile up some dell gates. -- delegates. it is a nice long month for people who are not good debaters, february 22nd, that's not a benefit for newt gingrich. and as you know, since it's sort of a quieter month, not a huge contest as significant as florida happening in february. it's a good chance for mitt romney to attract more money and more endorsements and more momentum from a win that we are expecting in florida. so it is, it's a month that looks good for, excuse me, for mitt romney and not so good for newt beginning retch, although newt gingrich is looking forward to contests in the south in mar on the 6

a.b. tad car stoddard of the hl newspaper. and neil of the new hampshire institute of politics.elcome all of you. >> welcome. >> chris: is one of the key political figures in the state who has not endorsed a candidate. let me ask you who helped themselves last night and who hurt themselves. >> governor romney helped himself by putting a good case for himself but also by avoiding being chat reppe chaly the other candidates. i think actually governor perry had a nice presentation but didn't have a lot of face time. i think governor -- i think rick santorum did well though he mixed it up to ron paul with a touching scenion a point where i'm not sure how that the react the next dumb of days. couple of days. >> the institute of politics help sponsor the debate. do you see it affecting the race the next 48 hours? >> the fact that romney did well and seems to have gotten through it okay certainly will get us to tuesday where he seems unscathed. the fact that they did not land a punch essentially with him seems to make sure that he has got a good commanding lead here in new hampshire. >