you don't work for gerson, do you? he's a project manager at nasa.d to this problem. i think it's time for you two toead on out of here. dr. corvin, your country needs you. put a sock in it, sonny. you can't fix it from down here, and you can't get a team up to speed in time. that satellite's dying. it's gonna come back. my only hope is that, uh... whatever it doesn't burn up in the atmosphere lands on gerson's house. i'll give you two a little bit of career advice. stay away from gerson, as far as possible. apparently the buzz on you is correct. d what buzz is that? you're not a team player. that's why you washed out at nasa. get out. we have to brush up on your hospitality skills. [sighs] i think i have a solution for your problem. thank you. frank corvin. so how long s it been, frank? probably not long enough, bob. ha ha ha ha. still haven't lost the corvin charm, have we? would you care for a cup of coffee? sure. sara? no, thanks. miss holland here tells me you're up to speed on our little problem. we've got one sick bird. apparently, there's som

joining us is david goodfriend, krystal ball, and michael gerson.you. you look great. kind of holidayish and cheery as we end the year. david, let me start with you. highs and lows for you in 2011? >> well, i would have to give as my high point this last go-around on the payroll tax fight. it really laid bare what the house republicans really stand for. they would rather stop relief for the middle class and give tax relief to the millionaires. that's who they really are and they were finally exposed. as for a low point, i think when the entire field of republican presidential candidates and the entire leadership in congress failed to say a word about the end of the iraq war, a war that president bush started, that just proved to me that their hatred for president obama is greater than their love for the troops. and that is the bottom line. they want this man out and they will stop at nothing. so that was, for me, the biggest low point. >> i get to render a verdict on each of these now before i pass the baton. i love it, although the idea that the pa

. >> michael gerson, exploring newt gingrich's mind, an interesting place to be. good to see you. >>> a high-voltage battle is being waged on capitol hill over regulating our nuclear power plants. >>> the supreme court has agreed to rule on arizona's controversial illegal immigration laws. a decision that blocked some of the tougher aspects of the policy from being implemented. the obama administration is challenging the arizona law in similar measures in three other states for infringing. ♪ [ female announcer ] we never forget the nearly 12 million cancer survivors in america today... and the countless lives lost. we owe it to them to protect funding for cancer research, prevention and access to care. congress, make cancer a priority and give millions of americans what they need most. try bayer advanced aspirin. it's not the bayer aspirin you know. it's different. first, it's been re-engineered with micro-particles. second, it enters the bloodstream fast, and rushes relief to the site of your tough pain. the best part? it's proven to relieve pain twice as fast as

will, michael gerson, david brooks, and today the "national review" itself among others are essentially sticking their heads out of the window and screaming, i'm scared as hell and i'm not going to take this anymore. can they stop newt? that's our top story. can they stop newt? >>> plus, who knew? w.h.o. is the 50,000 watt station that dominates iowa and the host to see if you want to win the republican nomination is simon conway. tonight we'll simulcast with him. we'll be on his show and he'll be on hours. and find out what voters are really thinking in iowa. >>> also, two days ago, we gave you the obama campaign's many projected paths to victory. well, tonight, what state does the republican nominee have to take back from obama to win the white house? we'll ask the "hardball" strategists. >>> and the american war in iraq is officially over. after nine years, 4,500 american lives, and thousands of wounded, was it worth it? >>> and let me finish with my thoughts on whether the republican big shots can stop the stampede toward newt. >>> we begin with the republican establishment and thei

i am elliott gerson executive vice president of the aspen institute. thank you all for coming this morning. we are delighted to have you here. we are absolutely thrilled to be presenting this program today with our wonderful partners, the "pbs newshour" and intel corp.. it's been part of an ongoing dialogue that we have been conducting with them that we began in 2009 with the goal of bringing together washington and national thought leaders to take a hard look at some of the most pressing questions facing the united states today. questions about what the coming century will bring for our country and whether innovation will continue to power our economy and bring us prosperity. questions about our role as the world's leading innovator, which is frankly in jeopardy, and questions about the future as we are building for our children who will inhabit a fast-paced, ultra-connected world that is both interconnected and highly competitive. we use new technologies that we today could hardly fathom that will relate to their friends, to their colleagues, to thei

then there is this comment from michael gerson, former aide to george w. bush. so adultery is not disqualifying for high office but it can reveal character trait that has might be recklessness, selfishness and compulsiveness are relevant. do personal failings matters to voters in iowa or not? >> certainly newt gingrich has had two failed marriages, but he has and i the question remarkably well. usually it would be hard to overcome. he he has said legitimate question to ask. i repented for that. i think voters so far have seemed in large part to accept that. he has kind of navigated that mine field better than i've seen another candidate do. >> ron paul has devoted following in iowa to say the least in a very sturdy and deliberate organization that is vital to that unique caucus process. did he suffer a setback or maybe a near debilitating setback during the thursday night debate. what do you think? >> i think ron paul's performance in the thursday night debate was the only notable performance where he hurt himself. all the other candidates didn't much to hurt or