held low. >> with us now mark halperin and national affairs editor from "new york" magazine john heilemaney are out with their latest book "double down." first of all "new york" magazine, man i read it early this morning, this newtown story is just absolutely gripping. make sure you get "new york" magazine and read that. but, the big, the big grabber here, john, i don't know if i can do this. take us into that meeting during debate prep where the president said to his staff that were trying to pull him -- i don't know if i can do this. >> one of the most extraordinary moments we've ever come across in our reporting in both of these books. the president had the disaster in denver. he come out promising to do better. his team thought he was improving. then he gets to the debate prep session that they are doing in williamsburg, virginia, 48 hours before hofstra debate. the research is saying people are willing to forgive one bad debate performance but if he screws up the second one we're in trouble. he gives a horrible performance in this mock debate on sunday. all the worst things in denver

>> but man, have you heard phil specter's christmas album >> mike barnacle, brian shactman, john heilemand in washington, sam stein is here with us. hi, sam. >> hello. >> all right. >> hello. how is your holiday season going, sam? >> going pretty well, i guess. how about for you? >> man, it's unbelievable. it really is. it's the best holiday season i've had. it's because you're here, sam. let's talk about this next year. >> let's look ahead. >> let's look ahead. >> let's be forward thinking. let's lean forward. okay. >> this year's session of congress will -- >> i'm sorry, go ahead. >> this year's session of congress will go down as one of the least liked, least effective in history sending the government into shut down and getting practically nothing done. >> it was fun. two good things. one it was fun. and two, they got 14% approval rating. >> it was not fun. >> here's the question, guys. will 2014 be any better? this morning we'll look at what's possible in the next year. >> john, let's start with you. if we go back over the last year we see a lot of promises at the inauguration that t

>> mike barnacle, brian shactman, john heileman.

. >> there's dinner with heileman. >> a barnacle breakfast. red sox to disaster in philippines. the ceo of getting images jonathan klein joins us to look back at the year's most memorable pictures. plus he's a congressman and she's a blogger. the duffies very busy and not to mention they got six kids. what? they join us next to talk politic, immigration and yes reality tv. mine was earned orbiting the moon in 1971. afghanistan in 2009. on the u.s.s. saratoga in 1982. [ male announcer ] once it's earned, usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation because it offers a superior level of protection and because usaa's commitment to serve current and former military members and their families is without equal. begin your legacy. get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve. avo: thesales event "sis back. drive which means it's never been easier to get a new passat, awarded j.d. power's most appealing midsize car, two years in a row. and right now you can drive one home for practically just your signatu