let's bring in our panel, political contributor and democratic strategist hilary rosen and former gingrich spokesman, rich galen. rich, how big an issue are these memos where gingrich complimented romney's health care plan back in massachusetts? >> i think they're much bigger than the court filings on his divorce and that kind of business because it's very difficult for a candidate on the road, one of his opponents to talk about that. this is right in everybody's wheelhouse on the end of the pond, the conservative end of the pond, that newt is swimming in along with perry and bachmann and santorum and to some extent paul. i expect they will hammer him. foreget about the ads. they'll take this to every pizza place in iowa. >> let me just push back on that. what's wrong with him saying, you know what? i thought maybe it was a good idea. we saw how it actually got implemented. and i don't believe in it anymore. i change my mind. i mean, isn't that kind of refreshing as opposed to kind of doing what a lot of candidates seem to do, which is say that it's not actually changing their mind and sor

. >> joining me, candy crawly, host of state of the union, and hilary rosen.dy, one of the interesting numbers out of the new survey, wasn't a horse race, it was response to the question we asked the voters who has the best chance of beating obama in iowa. in new hampshire, he had more support on this than all the others in the race combined. >> in so many ways can he beat president obama is the question. that to me is the most significant part of the poll because you can love somebody because they say exactly what you think, what you believe. you can love someone because you like their personal story, but in the end, what republicans want is someone that can throw president obama out of the white house. so electability is huge. what mitt romney has been pushing. saying look, you have to have someone that can stand up to president obama and actually beat him. in the end when they go into the poll, straw poll, caucus, primary in new hampshire, what republicans want us someone who can beat obama. so i think we're definitely talking about a winner kind of number

let's bring in our political panel, candy crowley, hilary rosen and sherri jacobus.n candy, you're on the groundsurp newt gingrich getting emotional like that? >> i think reporters were. but we do tend to see this sort of thing. it's a combination, it's holiday season, a tough campaign and really long hours. they tend to get tired. i don't know if you remember when hillary clinton sort of had to take a beat when she started to choke up in new hampshire. it's just been tough. we have seen newt gingrich's fortunes rise. now they're falling. lots of long hours. and he's talking about his deceased mother to a roomful of moms. and it was just -- you know, it all sort of came into that perfect storm where you see a candidate kind of show that human moment. >> sherri, you spent time with newt gingrich over the years. were you surprised to see this? >> yes, i was. you don't see newt gingrich showing that kind of emotion very often. he can be very fiery and passionate and sometimes you'll see a flash of anger and he can be very jovial as well. but this was a very personal mom

. >>> let's bring in our panel, democratic strategist hilary rosen and republican strategist and former gingrich spokesman rich galen. how big of an issue were these memos where newt gingrich complimented romney's plan back in massachusetts? >> very big. much bigger than the court filings on his divorce and that kind of business. because it's very difficult for a candidate on the road, one of his opponents, to talk about that. this is right in everybody's wheelhouse on the end of the pond, the conservative end of the pond, that newt is swimming in along with perry and bachmann and santorum and, to some extent, paul. so they -- i expect that they will hammer him -- forget about the ads. they'll take this to every pizza place in iowa. >> but, rich, what's wrong -- let me just push back on that. what's wrong with him saying, look, i thought it was a good idea. we saw how it actually got implemented, and i don't believe in it anymore, i changed my mind. isn't that kind of refreshing as opposed to doing what a lot of candidates seem to do, which is say that it's not actually changing their m

and hilary rosen, sorry to interrupt your party.e air. >> it's all good. >>> what's going to happen to the band director at florida a&m university in the wake of a hazing scandal that allegedly led to the death of a 26-year-old drum major? we have the latest on that. >>> and new details about what really happened on that american airlines flight that got alec baldwin booted off. the airline has its own version. baldwin has his own. >>> and find out why stephen colbert has landed a spot on the "riduculist." great prices. i just wish you could guarantee me they won't be beat. oh, actually... then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. [ male announcer ] more christmas for your money, guaranteed. [ male awhoa.cer ] more christmas for your money, whoa. how do you top great vacations? whoa. getting twice the points on great vacations. whoa! use chase sapphire preferred and now get two times the points on travel, and two times the points on dining and no f

follow him on twitte twitter @arifleischer, and also hilary rosen, who happens to be in the white househt. ari, i know governor perry is going to the try the win over evangelical voters. what do you make on the kind of war on christmas argument he's now making? >> if you look at republican primaries, there's a history of candidates going to the state of iowa, particularly, and making an appeal on the basis of being christian. mike huckabee did that four years ago. we all remember the advertising he ran, where the window pane that looked like a cross, some people said. and pat robertson ran a vote on the evangelical vote in iowa. there's a long history of them trying to play up the evangelical vote in iowa with caucusgoers. >> hilary, you were at the white house christmas party tonight. >> and there are christmas trees everywhere here at the white house, anderson. >> what do you make of the suggestion that there's somehow a war against christmas being made by the obama administration. >> i'm not that casual about it the way ari is, because i just find it offensive that rick perry would s

rich galen, hilary rosen, thanks. the iowa caucuses less than a week away. have results and analysis on cnn. our coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. eastern. that's next tuesday january 3rd. >>> just ahead, in north korea a fascinating day. carefully staged farewell to kim jong il. thousands of wailing mourners lining the streets of the capital. we're going to take a look at the very public outpouring of grief and what's next for the country. the most remarkable images from this day. >>> plus, a reporter seuss the massachusetts town where phoebe prince committed suicide for details of a settlement with her parents. details ahead. >>> ahead, kim jong il's funeral. a rare glimpse into one of the world's most closed society. but was all that wailing and weeping genuine, or were they crocodile tears in the crowd? we'll take a closer look. but first susan hendricks has a "360" news and business bulletin. susan? >>> hi, anderson. the trial of former egyptian president hosni mubarak resumes today after a month-long break, only to be adjourned until monday. the ailing 83-y

joining us now to talk more about this, cnn contributors will cane in the studio in new york and hilary rosengton, d.c. good to see you both. will, start with you. you heard that, will cane -- you're will caine. herman cain said we'll know by monday. staying in or getting out offed race? >> depends on what he's campaigning for. for president, logical conclusion, he's probably done. raising his profile or sell maria books, why rush? why get out? i've been slow to this analysis -- >> why get out? he's running out of money. >> he can peter along, keep his name out in, sell more books. i've been slow to adopt that analysis. i'm thinking that might be true. he's not truly running for president, all of these scandals, all of these issue, the existence of a 13-year relationship, the sexual harassment claim hess knew about, he's known about them all the tile. he could have been prepared and wasn't. winging every aspect of his campaign says me he was never very serious about actually becoming president. >> interesting. hillary, i want to talk to you. the leader of the new hampshire -- spoke to cain. i

will cain, hilary rosen, guys, thanks very much.lease be sure to join us in the cnn election center for the first votes of the republican presidential contest a week from today, january 3rd, anything could still happen. our coverage of the iowa caucuses will begin at 7:00 p.m. eastern january 3rd. >>> the last time the debt limit needed an increase the fight drove our nation to the brink of default. this time it should be a whole lot easier, but the number is still likely to worry some deficit hawks. >>> and another unmanned drone runs into problems in afghanistan and forced to resort to desperate measures. stay with us. you're in "the situation room." ó >>> we're only minutes away from my live interview with the former speaker newt gingrich, republican presidential candidate, we're here in dubuque, iowa. first lisa sylvester is monitoring other top stories in "the situation room" right now, sounds like deja vu to a lot of us. >> that's right, wolf. president barack obama plans to ask congress later this week to raise the nation's d