. >> reporter: in san francisco, ali racemous, ktvu channel 2 news. >>> now to the race for the white house. and at this hour the front runners for the republican nomination are going head-to- head in iowa. tonight's debate just got underway. it is the first debate with newt gingrich at the top of the polls. he faces former front runner mitt romney as well as rick perry, rick santorum and ron paul. this is the first of two final debates in iowa. the second will be held next thursday. >>> newt gingrich is defending himself tonight over remarks he made about palestinians. the jewish channel released footage of the interview on youtube yesterday. it shows the former house speaker calling palestinians a quote invented people because they never had a state. palestinian officials say they're offended by gingrich's comments but a spokesman for gingrich says he stand by his remarks and supports a negotiated peace agreement with israel and palestine. >>> the congressional standoff with the payroll tax cut was one subject of the weekly address today for president obama. >> congress cannot end t