tom ridge and howard dean. daddy, come in the water! somebody didn't book with travelocity, with 24/7 customer support to help move them to the pool daddy promised! look at me, i'm swimming! somebody, get her a pony! [ female announcer ] the travelocity guarantee. from the price to the room to the trip you'll never roam alone. >>> the real difference i believe is our backgrounds. i spent my life in the private sector. i understand how the economy works. >> let's be candid. the only reason you didn't back career politician is you lost to teddy kennedy in 1994. >> the newt gingrich and mitt romney locking horns in saturday's republican presidential debate on abc. is that the inevitable sign of things to come in the hard fought campaign. two men who have done their fair share of tough campaigning. tom ridge and howard dean, the former governor of vermont and form chairman of the democratic national committee. gentlemen, welcome. i had rudy giuliani on yesterday who was strongly suggesting that newt gingrich may have a better chance at beat

howard dean, who would you rather president obama face when push comes to shove?of all, i like jon huntsman, too, which probably isn't going to do jon huntsman good with the republican party. >> he wouldn't want to hear that. >> i agree with tom, i think for the sake of the country and obama/huntsman race would be good for the country. you'd have two very capable candidates. i've never seen anything like this on the republican side in my career in politics. usually they're much better organized. this is a real brawl. i will say, it's fascinating, the debates are fascinating. the last debate, the front-runner which has alternated between perry, bachmann, cain and so fort and so on, this time with gingrich, you've got a real debater. this is the fight that i think will probably go all the way and could go to the convention, which is a stunning thing to ever think about the republican primary going to the convention. usually that's over by florida. that's the conventional wisdom we've always had about the republicans. i think this time it may go further. >> yeah, i m

tom ridge and howard dean. fore! no matter what small business you are in, managing expenses seems to... get in the way. not anymore. ink, the small business card from chase introduces jot an on-the-go expense app made exclusively for ink customers. custom categorize your expenses anywhere. save time and get back to what you love. the latest innovation. only for ink customers. learn more at chase.com/ink what ? customers didn't like it. so why do banks do it ? hello ? hello ?! if your bank doesn't let you talk to a real person 24/7, you need an ally. hello ? ally bank. no nonsense. just people sense. with scottrader streaming quotes, any way you want. fully customize it for your trading process -- from thought to trade, on every screen. and all in real time. which makes it just like having your own trading floor, right at your fingertips. [ rodger ] at scottrade, seven dollar trades are just the start. try our easy-to-use scottrader streaming quotes. it's another reason more investors are saying... [ all ] i'm with s

until the race is serious it's fun to support howard dean or newt gingerich. ? joining us, phil musser, president of new frontier strategy and chris hahn, former aide to senator schumer. chris, let me start with you, do you abide by the howard dean-john kerry analogy? >> first i think susan's the first person to call newt fun in a long time. >> oh, come on, he is. >> shepard: it makes it interesting, i'll tell you that. but there are some similarities but there's a lot of differences between newt gingerich and howard dean. newt gingerich is a known commodity. howard dean was this off in left field governor who nobody knew before he hit his stride on the presidential scene. >> they say interesting things, though, chris. >> they do. but the calendar is really favoring newt gingerich right now. where as it wasn't the same for dean. newt gingerich will probably win iowa and take that momentum to the convention. >> he might be peaking too early. this fox news poll, newt gingerich and we're going to put it on the screen. newt gingerich is seen as the least presidenti

. >> elect howard dean -- in 2003. >> elect howard dean. >> reporter: dean's campaign collapsed soonfter. newt gingrich garnered the new hampshire leader. the leader has only picked a winner in three of the last primaries. iowa's des moines register has been worse. the nation's political climate is anti-washington and anti-establishment. leaving many to belief there isn't a big endorsement that could stake up this race. karen travers, abc7 news. >>> coming up, 96 words that shook us up. top 10 tweets that tell the story of 2011. >>> annual holiday tradition comes to an end. we'll tell you what changed >>> here's a look at the high temperatures today. still very chilly from seattle in portland in the low to upper 40s through denver 35 no snow today there if you are connecting. 47 st. louis, low to mid 50s boston, new york 57 seattle, atlanta 62. east coast everything quiet through the midwest even to the west coast smallest airports on time too. check out flight tracker abc7news.com. >>> 4:49. the labor department is set to release the latest jobs report in 40 minutes from now. econom

in 2003, a lot of people thought howard dean had the best organization. jeff was actually one of the few people who started to poke some holes in it well before. but most everybody thought he had a great organization. it turned out he didn't. but we think that ron paul has been pretty diligent on the organizational front. he clearly has a ceiling in iowa. it's probably somewhere in the low 20's. if it's a very crowded finish, he could be, you know, second, maybe he could slip into first. the lowest anybody's won iowa with is 267%. bob dole did that in 1996. so he's a real force and a real force out there. gwen: jeff, if you poked holes in it before, poke holes in it again. >> that was howard dean saying he was going to do a meet up in all 99 counties in iowa and it just rang a little false to us. i was at the "chicago tribune" at the time so we sent a few reporters around the state to find out if he was doing this. some of these meetings weren't even happening. a little bit harder on ron paul. you know he has some real followers. i mean, he has the most c

. >> remains me of a little bit of howard dean and john kerry, came roaring into iowa and howard deanhe guy and of course he ends up losing to john kerry. and it was what came out of that was, well, voters dated howard dean and married john kerry. i feel that same sense going on now. >> you think they might not marry mitt? >> no, i think they might marry mitt. >> but not ron paul? >> but not ron paul. >> there's another dynamic here which is if you talk to voters, the desire to defeat obama, the dislike of obama is so intense that you may see an iowa right now voters not do something contrarian but kind of go with the candidate that everyone is telling them has the best chance of beating obama. that may happen this year. >> let me ask you about newt gingrich who was with a group of moms today, he was asked a question about his mom and it was difficult for him to get through it. he kind of broke down. remember very well hillary clinton breaking down -- she didn't break down she had to pause and collect herself in new hampshire and that helped her. my sense is, that kind of does newt, t

former dnc chair howard dean gives us his take on the gop infighting. that's next. >>> fox newsers complain about me having coffee with other journalists. and eric tells a story about buying me a drink? folks, he's all wet. i can't wait to get to "psycho talk" tonight. >>> newt gingrich gets tough questions on gay marriage. i will speak with the man who spoke with newt gingrich later on in the show. >>> tweet us your thoughts throughout the show using #edshow. >>> i'm sure i could go out and say, hey, please don't do anything negative, but, you know, this is politics, and if you can't stand the heat in this little kitchen, wait until the obama hell's kitchen turns up the heat. >> i'll be glad to debate him anywhere. we'll bring his ads and he can defend them. let's test this kitchen. i'm happy. i'll go in the kitchen. go back and ask governor romney, would he like to come in the kitchen? i don't think so. he doesn't want to do anything except hide over here and pretend it's not his false that he's flooding the people of iowa with falsehoods. >> sounds l

we saw democrats do it against howard dean when at the end they went, oh, my god, we have to stop howardn and robert gibbs fronted a 527 and they stopped howard dean in iowa. is that what we're going to see from the republicans? >> you may, but i'm not sure it works this time. if you look at the republican base of what happened in primaries across the base last time, they gave -- >> any time somebody tried to do that. >> to the republican establishment. they used to with grassroots voters, particularly where you have one party primaries and you don't have them open like you do in new hampshire and south carolina. >> the other thing, chuck y know it's hard to talk about this and a lot of people don't want to bring it up. i did an online column in 2007, the first time romney ran, in which i said there should be no religious test for a public office in this country. it is a travesty to attack romney on the basis of his religion. i got an enormous amount of hate mail off of that. from evangelicals that don't like the mormon church. i think that is still out there. >> this is a southern issue

byron dorgan, howard dean, joan walsh. always a pleasure. great to have you with us. remember to answer tonight's question at the bottom of the screen. share your thoughts on twitter @edshow. >>> donald trump says president obama has gotten too much credit for killing osama bin laden, but trump doesn't know what he's talking about. >>> it's an allout assault on democracy in the state of michigan. ben jealous of naacp and congresswoman sheila jackson lee will weigh in on what is a very tough fight for the state of michigan. ♪ you, you ain't alone ♪ and just let me be [ male announcer ] this is your moment. ♪ your ticket home [ male announcer ] this is zales, the diamond store. take an extra 10 percent off storewide now through sunday. with thermacare heatwraps. thermacare works differently. it's the only wrap with patented heat cells that penetrate deep to relax, soothe, and unlock tight muscles. for up to 16 hours of relief, try thermacare. >>> coming up, donald trump thinks he knows military strategy. i'll talk to someone who actually does. colonel jack jacobs is nex

former dnc chair howard dean gives us his take on the gop infighting. that's next. >>> fox newsers complain about me having coffee with other journalists. and eric tells a story about buying me a drink? folks, he's all wet. i can't wait to get to "psycho talk" tonight. >>> newt gingrich gets tough questions on gay marriage. i will speak with the man who spoke with newt gingrich later on in the show. >>> tweet us your thoughts throughout the show using #edshow. [ male announcer ] you are a business pro. premier of the packed bag. you know organization is key... and so is having a trusted assistant. and you...rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle...and go. you can even take a full-size or above and still pay the mid-size price. here we are... [ male announcer ] and there you go, business pro. there you go. go national. go like a pro. >>> i'm sure i could go out and say, hey, please don't do anything negative, but, you know, this is politics, and if you can't stand the heat in this little kitchen, wait until the oba

jenna: how does newt gingrich meet the same fate as howard dean?f you look him the most conservative and howard dean the most liberal how does he not meet that fate? >> this is exactly what we went through. we popped up a month before the caucuss. all the democrats and party establishment came at us everything. whatever was in our closet and came out and we gaffed and other things and they crushed us. that is really happened. if newt can live through it, and survive it and he would be much more formidable than romney thought. if he can win that the whole thing, that makes a much stronger candidate in november. jenna: say you're advising the newt gingrich campaign. you saw in that race that you were in, how do you not make those gaffes? what is the key to that? >> newt is a lot more experienced on the national stage. he's been through a lot. he has been speaker. he has been through a lot of this. i'm not sure the gaffs will get him. it will be these attacks. so far trying to run, just keep running the way he has been running. also you've got, you've

and that is to howard dean, who was a huge favorite among young voters. who also carted busloads of people in to help him in the weeks leading up to the caucuses. and part of the reason you're seeing ron paul say fit in here, don't let who you you are get in the way of what the message is, is that there was a lot of criticism about howard dean's iming ports into iowa. they didn't -- iowans took offense to other people telling them what do think or how they went about it. it's important to coral this group, they do tend to be idealistic and energetic. two things you you want in your campaign. >> idealistic and energetic, but it's also a case of managing that energy. candy crowley joining us -- >> always. >> thank you. >>> let's take a closer look at the numbers from the latest poll that we're telling you you about. let's look at those numbers because just to bring the point home, romney on top as you see there. paul close behind and rick santorum, that's been the big talking point. the fact that rick santorum has made his way into third place. surged into

do we want to eliminate howard dean and it worked. >> howard dean wasn't a known quantity. what newt has that mitt romney does not have is well i won. i did it. i brought back the conservative out of the desert. one person who's been basically trying to figure out what negative do you use against newt. no one negative works. they're hoping it's the accumulation. >> i think the danger of the laundry list like we saw with that restore our future ad, people say this is the same old politics. there's nothing new here. and so, you know, you're trying to put 10 pounds of stuff in a five pound bag, it doesn't work. >> to your point, what is really threatening for both romney and perry is they're messaging about newt being an insider may not work. you know why? i've talked to a lot of voters. and guess what, when you ask them why they like newt, they cite his experience. he knows the ropes in d.c. >> is he an inside or an insider the insiders don't like? >> i think it is amazing to think that newt gingrich could run in any way effectively as the insiders outsider. but that's what h

>> he is going through exactly what my guy howard dean went through. there you go.ht about now, a month out, and from that point on everybody else in the democratic party -- >> he killed himself. >> well, we made mistakes >> you didn't make mistakes, he made a mistakes. >> they came after us with everything they have got. if newt can survive that it it l make it very tough for romney. >> can he? >> i think he can. >> i think he can survive it. >> i think they are are looking for somebody with passion, not howard dean passion. >> too much passion. >> there will be a key fox debate this weekend right here on the fox news channel next thursday. what do you think? >> i think so far -- newt has been winning all of those. >> so what advice would you do him in terms of when they all start ganging up on him, attacking him, and, you know, he's the quintessential establishment, whatever. how would you recommend he respond? >> focus on obama. this is an anti-obama election. >> i would do exactly what he's been doing. >> he's the only one i think who has been putting any new id

but he reminds me of howard dean.ber when howard dean around december, same time as gingrich peaked, looked like the surprise front runner. and at that point in time, i think a lot of people said hey, hold on a hip. it's been fun, but we better take a second look at this guy. as with gingrich, they took that second look and they said, this guy is not going to be able to win the presidency. and i think that's why gingrich is falling. and frankly, this is a red letter day and not just christmas eve for mitt romney because it really suggests that if all these candidates, conservatives may have to swallow a little bit hard and recognize that romney is the only one ready for prime time. >> he's got a good organization in iowa. of course, new hampshire. he's organized just about in all of the relevant and important primary and caucus states. but if ron paul pulls a win in iowa, what then, susan? >> well, then ron paul, and i think this is going to start right now, gets the same scrutiny that gingrich has had and ron paul, a

eight years ago on the democratic side, a gephardt and howard dean were in front. they attack each other relentlessly. kerry and edwards slipped by, won iowa, and of course were on the ticket. a lot of the candidates whose heads were about that it's got a lot of our to the incoming as a result, except said tora. p -- except santorum. paul attacking bachmann, bachmann attacking gingrich, etc. -- the only one who is not untouched its central rate he is getting his moment now, but the timing is perfect, because it is at the end. there was one attack on him a day or two ago, but it is not going to work. he now, if he emerges in the top three, will be the non-romney. ron paul is not a plausible presidential candidate in the end. we will see how he stands up to it. every other candidate who has had his moment in the sun has come down. >> it is more than just not being attacked. he has some positives that have not been notice as much outside of iowa. the evangelical conservatives in iowa, a big part of the constituency, have been the ones who have been shifting and shifti

. >>> now, just in a couple of minutes governor howard dean will join me live. i'll talk to him about the lack of enthusiasm among republican voters in iowa days before the iowa caucus. why no passion for republicans. and why the political battle in washington continues, violent battles of a deadly nature erupted in baghdad this morning. approximately 14 coordinated attacks left at least 57 dead and nearly 200 injured. baghdad has not been this violent in months and the timing coincides with the u.s. military pullout. s. i do. but lately, we've been using k-y® intense™. it's this gel that stimulates arousal... she's a screamer. ...so that big moment feels like nothing i've ever felt before. pretty loud. and it's scientifically proven to... ♪ [ female announcer ] k-y® brand intense™. k-y's first and only arousal gel proven to intensify female satisfaction. so to save some money, i trained mathis team of guinea pigs to brrow this tiny boat. guinea pig: row...row. they generate electricity, which lets me surf the web all day. guinea pig: row...row. took me 6 months

and two, does he have the infrastructure or is this a howard dean ruse from 2004 to win these caucuses and catapult him to new hampshire? at the core of ron paul's strength here in iowa, devoted followers like these who came from all over the country to help out in perry, iowa. joe stone made some 200 calls last night for the campaign and drove more than four hours from his minneapolis home today to catch a glimpse of his political hero. >> i want to see ron paul. i have never seen him and he's one of the only people i want to meet before i die. >> reporter: nick hofstetter of austin, texas, turns 18 next year, just in time to cast his first vote. he's volunteering now while visiting relatives in iowa. >> me and my friends do sign-making parties at my house a lot. >> the next president of the united states, ron paul! [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: with five days to go, the paul campaign is now measuring success by the sheer number of attacks from other candidates. >> ron paul would be dangerous as president of the united states. >> one of the people running for president thinks i

eight years ago on the democratic side, gephardt and howard dean were in the front. they attacked each other viciously in ads. at the last moment, kerry anne edwards slipped in and of course were on the ticket. -- kerry and edwards said in an aura of course were on the ticket. all of those with their heads above the edges have gotten a lot of artillery it at them as a result, except santorum. the only one who has not been touched is santorum. he is now the one who is getting his moment, but the timing is perfect, because he is at the end and there will be any time. there was one attack on him a day or two ago, but it is not going to work. he will now, if he emerges, probably top three, be the non- romney did ron paul is not a possible presidential candidate in the end. i think he will get in coming, and we will see how he stands up to it. every other candidate who has had his moment in the sun has come down. >> is more than just not being attacked, though. he has some positives that have not been noticed as much outside of iowa. the evangelical conservatives in iowa,

. >> but i do think that that, you know, i remember being out in iowa when howard dean, on the sunday morning of "meet the press," looked like he was going to win iowa and john kerry had a theme going and blew him out, and then went on to new hampshire and howard dean was over at that point. i watched iowa turn out pat roberts at one point. george bush 41 beat ronald reagan in a state where ronald reagan had begun his broadcasting career. so there can be surprises. we're playing by different rules. we were talking to one of gingrich's guys the other day, he doesn't have to have the money in the organization anymore, twitter will help get him to where he wants to get to. so will the online piece of it. i don't know exactly what's going to happen in iowa but i do know that newt in the moment very much is out front on the ballot. i believe it's in part because he's very cleverly in all these debates attack dog. this is the big, anti-establishment mood out there. whoever is against the establishment, i'm for him. and he does it very cleverly. >> i have to say something here, though -- >>

and two, does he have the infrastructure or is this a howard dean ruse from 2004 to catapult him? at the core of ron paul's strength in iowa, devote followers like these. joe stone made some 200 calls last night for the campaign and drove four hours from his minneapolis home to catch a glimpse of his little bit kol hero. >> i have never seen him and he's one of the only people i want to meet before i die. >> reporter: nick hofstetter turns 18 next year in time oh cast his first vote. he's volunteering here while visiting relatives in iowa. >> me and my friends do sign-making party as lot. >> the next president of the united states, ron paul! >> reporter: five days ago the paul campaign is now measuring success by the sheer number of attacks from other candidates. >> ron paul would be dangerous as president of the united states. >> one of the people running for president thinks it is okay for nuclear to have a nuclear weapon. i don't. >> reporter: today paul continued to push back aggressively. >> some people say, you mean isolationism we don't want to deal with the world? no. >> r

maybe that is why howard dean was so interested in diversity, because it is divide and conquer. that has never been america. america is not divide and conquer. it is about bringing everyone together. in the public square, people of fith, people face, who -- people of faith and people of no faith, people who can lay out their claims and come together. that is what our country needs, but it needs to be reminded first, who we are. once the can grab onto that consensus, then i think a lot of things are possible again in this country. yes, sir? >> what will you do with obamacare if you are elected president? >> i will repeal obamacare. i will either have the ability to do it because the american public wisely elected 13 newly elected republican senators, and that is possible. there are 33 senators up for election this time. it is usually 33 or 34. of which, 23 are democrats. i think is 23.10. i know that because -- is 23-10. i know that because i read in a year when only 10 republicans won. as you know, they run every two years for six year terms. we need to have 23 republicans and 1