in this case, lucile ball at the chocolate factory.aker understands that was humor, and i'm happy to tell my humorous anecdote to him face to face and i'm anxious to see him. >> and that brings usç to yesterday. i can't make these things up. newt gingrich appeared in iowa in a chocolate factory. this was a long-ago scheduled appearance by gingrich. this had been on the schedule before mitt romney made his chocolate factory quip, but there he was. >> i just want to say here i am in the chocolate factory. [ applause ] and now that i have the courage to come to the chocolate factory, i hope governor romney will have the courage to debate me one on one and defend his negative ads. i don't expect him to do it, but i hope if he comes buy, he'll at least buy some chocolates. >> he really wants that debate, doesn't he? >>> it's that time of year again. we seem to show you every year, in bethlehem, a broom fight. the church of the nativity. about 100 greeks and monks from the greek orthodox and apostolic churches beat each other with brooms du

i think it's more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory. so, i mean, you have to get it organiz organized. >> gingrich responded by requesting an unmoderated debate between just the two candidates. more of gingrich's comeback a bit later. the former speaker still says he will steer clear of negativity, something easier to do when he was on top of the field. >> i will stay positive, we will talk about leadership to create jobs and economic growth. i think the people of iowa have a great opportunity to send a signal to the country that negative ads on behalf of irresponsible candidates do not deserve getting votes. >> as gingrich's pledge fell by the wayside. >> all i would say, mitt, if you want to run a negative campaign and you want to attack people, at least be man enough to own it. that's your staff and that's your organization. those are your millionaire friends paying for it let's be clear. i'm willing to fight for real job creation, with a real reagan camp style job creation program. you are a moderate massachusetts republican, who, i

. >> he's spreading holiday cheer to his fellow patients at lucille packard's children's hospital inalo alto. joining us with the story of holiday spirit and gratitude, good evening, chris. >> reporter: hi there, both of you. you can learn a lot watching kids and following their example. jason's story is proof it is better to give than to receive. today, santa is a 10-year-old kid from mountain view who has a mask instead of a beard and wagon instead of a sleigh, making deliveries down the hallways of lucille packard's children's hospital. it's a gift give a way jacob started doing. >> my life is a little depressing sometimes. >> why? >> you know. normal reason, i've got cancer. >> reporter: last december, jacob was diagnosed with acute cancer and spent nearly a year in the hospital and has been poked and prodded and there have been many. he posts regularly on his facebook page called the leukemia slayer, the place he turned when he decided to be santa. >> i asked all the people on my leukemia slayer page to donate one dollar to the cause and got a whole bunch of money. >> reporter:

lucille ball in the chocolate factory? that is going back to the korean war. >> marie antoinette he compares obama -- >> that is historical, but lucille ball? there has been a lot of television since then. >> a lot of people want to bring back the 1950's and he is a 1950's sort of guy. >> don draper, that is what mitt romney is. >> but mark, it was a classic episode. [laughter] >> the battle is on for the hearts of true conservatives. >> i am an insider in the sense of being able to get things done, but an outsider in being able to do what i have done, reform congress, throw bombs when they need to be thrown. >> there is a rick santorum, a trumpet in his credentials as an insider-outsider who is willing to throw a bomb when necessary. why, after languishing for months, is a rick santorum catching on at the last moment, charles krauthammer? >> a lot of reasons. 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

. ♪ my daughter lucille asked if santa was real with hopefulness in her eyes ♪ ♪ so i went into townme a santa disguise ♪ ♪ then i went down to the bus station and befriended a drifter named steve ♪ ♪ named steve i told him i'd give him 100 bucks to come my chimney on christmas eve ♪ ♪ he made good on the deal and me and lucille watched as he filled the stockings ♪ ♪ now that my daughter believes i had to kill steve to keep the drifter from talking ♪ [ laughter ] >> merry christmas. [ cheers and applause ] >> jay: just -- just -- it's too much. i know. i mean -- just left out that stanza about killing the drifter, i think it would have been fine. now, the "twilight" series is been one of the most successful movie franchises in years. just huge. now, they recently tried to release a holiday version of "twilight," and i think -- i don't think this works. i think it was -- well, i can't -- [ light laughter ] ♪ >> i, bella swan, take you to love and to cherish as long as we both shall live. [ laughter ] ♪ [ grunting ] >> ho, ho! ho, ho! >> jay: too graphic, i think. >> rickey: yeah, not

i think it is more like lucille balance at the chock -- lucille ball at the chocolate factory. >> reporter: saying if paul is a nominee he won't vote for him. >> choice of ron paul or barack obama will be a very bad choice for america. >> reporter: perry and his supporters have spent the most money on ads more than the others combined. he is still behind in polls. washington. >>> neighbors are raising funds to keep two santa cruz state parks open. they are set to close in july because of budget cuts to the department of parks and recreation. a non-profit foundation is launching a campaign to raise half a million dollars to keep the park open. three other groups, are also joining the effort. >>> 4:51. time for a check of the weather. >> i think we are going to see a nice day. much nicer start this morning with temperatures in the 40s. here's a live shot. a few 30s out there. enjoy this live shot, there are low clouds out there some of the clouds are starting to clear up, we'll see warmer temperatures as well. we are looking west towards the bay bridge and san francisco in the background and

i think it's more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory. >> reporter: gingrich found the jab too sweet to pass up. >> i want you guys to report to governor romney we've taken his thoughts so seriously, that in the tradition of lucille ball we're here at the chocolate factory. >> yeah. >> reporter: also tonight this new poll shows mitt romney opening up a wide lead in the next state to vote, lester, new hampshire. >> peter alexander, thanks. one of the biggest headlines in the final stretch is newt gingrich's rapidly plunging support in iowa. tonight the former house speaker is crunching his own numbers and sharing them with our chief white house correspondent and political director, chuck todd. chuck joins us now from des moines. good evening, chuck. >> reporter: good evening, lester. for the entire year the question hanging over the republican race is who is the alternative to mitt romney? today we spent the day with the once surging newt gingrich who days ago looked like he locked up the anybody but romney slot but was now struggling. newt gingrich now acknowledging his slippin

it's more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory.ou have to get it organized. >> we broke out the lucille ball video just for you, professor. did romney say that newt is a joke? >> listen. in some ways this entire republican presidential candidacy has been a bit of a joke. if you think about not just the mistakes and the miscues and the racism and all this sort of low level back biting and infighting we have seen, essentially what this reveals to us and about this process is many of these candidates did not come in taking it very seriously. some of them came into this process purely for publicity reasons. obviously campaigns make mistakes, but when they are this e greejuous, we have to talk about the possibilities. this may have been a publicity run and now that he has become a front-runner, he had to change pace. the strategy can't keep up with the pacing in which things have unfolded for him. >> scrambling and you are alluding to the professor. as we look at the campaign in virginia, he is saying that they will mount a write in cam

more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory. so, i mean -- you have to get it organized. >> reporter: gingrich fired up his campaign bus in iowa today while an outside group supporting his campaign, one of those so-called super pacs, unveiled a new ad hitting his opponent as liberal. >> don't let the liberal republican establishment pick our candidate. >> reporter: on the airwaves, we're seeing a dr. jekyll and mr. hide campaign. dr. jekyll romney plays nice by ads paid for his by own campaign. while mr. hyde romney savages newt gingrich by ads paid for the supposedly independent romney super pac. >> gingrich was fined $300,000 for ethics violations. >> reporter: any candidate worth his or her salt these dames has a split personality. the amds run by the candidates themselves and the almost always nastier ads run by outside groups. >> gingrich and perry. too liberal on immigration. >> reporter: the outside groups are flush with cash because unlike the campaign, there are no limits on how much money people can give them. the pro

if you are unfamiliar with lucille ball and the chocolate factory, it shows lucille ball and ethel at the factory and the conveyer belt gets going so fast they can't get them in the wrappers. >> and at first it's easy and then it gets her i believe. >> that's right. newt gingrich wasn't prepared for all the stuff coming his way and just like that. >> i've seen it a thousand times and it's still great. >> it never gets old. >> what is funny in addition to this clip of them having to now eat the chocolates. it seems like mitt romney was thinking it up at the moment. he compared it to what, pearl harbor? that reminds me more of "i love lucy." but that was a line he crafted but he delivered it as though it's impromptu. >> of course, everything in politics is practiced. >> he said he read his notes on the ipad. >> nothing is spontaneous. here's the thing, if that was the gloves coming off, he's teasing. >> well, it didn't go over too well with newt gingrich because he had this in response to being compared. >> i would love to have him say that to my face. you want to run a negative campaig

to report to governor romney, that we've taken his thought so seriously, and in the tradition of lucille ball, we're here in the chocolate factory. >> reporter: but gingrich, who less than a month ago confidently predicted victory -- >> i'm going to be the nominee. >> reporter: -- now trails not just romney in iowa but also ron paul and even rick santorum, with perry and bachmann not far behind. gingrich now looks like he's in a four-way race for third place. gingrich is trying to get things back on track with the biggest advertising blitz of his campaign. two new ads in two days, all positive. >> we can create millions of jobs right now. >> reporter: his campaign has been down before. his decision to take a ten-day greek cruise in the spring led to the mass resignation of his campaign staff. today, gingrich said that luxury cruise ship helped him understand the financial crisis. >> ironically, being in greece during the greek crisis was very helpful and gave me a much deeper perspective about how hard this is going to be. >> reporter: gingrich has been hit with a one-two punch of self-i

new hampshire, mitt romney said newt gingrich needs to get his act together even comparing him to lucille't get enough signatures to get his name it on the ballot in virginia. >> think you compare that to -- pearl harbor, i think it's more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory. get it organized. >> reporter: gingrich fired up his campaign bus in iowa while an outside group supporting his campaign, one of those super packs -- pacs, unveiled a new ad hitting his opponents as liberals. >> don't let the liberal republican establishment pick on the candidate. >> reporter: on the airwaves, a dr. jekyll and mr. hyde campaign. romney, dr. jekyll, for example, plays nice with ads paid for by his own campaign. >> i'm mitt romney and i approve this message. resign -- >> reporter: mr. hyde romney savages gingrich with ads paid for by the supported lead independent romney super pac. >> the fact that gingrich was fined $300,000 for ethics violations. >> reporter: any candidate worth his or her salt these days has a split personality. the ads run by the candidates themselves and the always nastier

you to lucille ball.ucille ball in the chocolate factory, chocolates were coming out of the machine faster than she could stuff them in the boxes. it's a classic scene. >> you remember that scene? >> i have a simple message for mitt romney. i'll meet him anywhere in iowa, for 90 minutes, just the two of us. i'd love to hear him say that to my face. >> i know he challenged you to a debating dual. >> i hope the speaker understands that was humor, and i'm happy to tell my humorous anecdote to him face to face. >> don't let theç liberal republican establishment picower candidate. newt gingrich. >> it seems contradictory to what you've been saying. >> no. >> let's get right to it, joining me now is fred barbash managing editor of cq weekly. frank, let's start with you. mitt romney seems confident as of late. but he's polling in third place. how much weight did these comments carry. with all the ads he has out is there, what do you think of his latest moves? >> i think it's very hard when in the iowa caucus, i

i think it's more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory.e. >> when i see mistakes, i try to find a little humor. and in this case, lucille ball at the chocolate factory, i hope the speaker understands that was humor and i'm happy to tell my humorous anecdote to him face to face and i look forward to seeing him. >> a long scheduled event, scheduled before the comment about the chocolate factory. for newt gingrich, where else? but in a chocolate factory in algona, iowa. the place is called chocolate season where i'm told they make great chocolate. the speaker and his wife calista helped make a few bits of chocolate. here's what he said. >> i want to say here i am in the chocolate factory. >> and a good one at that. >> and now that i have the courage to come to the chocolate factory, i hope governor romney will have the courage to debate me one-on-one and defend his negative ads. i don't expect him to do it, but i hope he'll at least buy some chocolate if he comes by. >> something about gingrich and the chocolate factory. >> you crack him open

what do you think about the lucille ball reference? september 1952. >> well, i'm thrilled that young people like you all know about that. that was how many years ago? >> there she is. there she is. >> lucy and desi, flounders, what else? >> i love the fact that some of our culture remains among us all. and this scene is such -- and it's a brilliant putdown. it is -- >> you know why, chris? because lucy's shown on cable. >> it's iconic too, like charlie brown with the football. you use it as a reference. >> everybody's been there where you have 50 things to do. the dream i have is going to the classroom i don't know where it is and i've got to take the exam that day and i'm trying to find the classroom. i don't know where the registration office is -- it gets more complicated. i think i did this once, i ordered a russian class in summer one year and i thought i only did it once, why am i having this dream over and over again? >> i love this show. dream interpretation, word games. it's exciting. let's go to iowa. with us now from mason c

gingrich'' comparison of his failure to make the virginia primary to pearl harbor.i think its more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory. i mean, so you've got to get it organized. you might be able to understand the testiness if you see how close the polls for next week's iowa caucuses are --according to the american research group -- texas congressman ron paul has a slight lead over romney and gingrich.others -- such as rick perry -- rick santorum -- and michelle bachmann -- aren't counting themselves out and continue to barnstorm across the state.i'm greg black reporting. nationally ... a poll released tuesday has gingrich up by one point over romney ... 25 percent to 24.ron paul is in third with 11 percent and rick perry holds 8 percent.earlier this month gingrich held double digit leads over the rest of the field. north koreans said their final goodbyes to their leader... kim jong the second.you're looking at pictures of a massive ceremony...his successor, kim jong un, has taken a front and central role in the procession.. walking alongside his father's body. after ruling since 1994..

. >> it is more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory. [laughter] >> but it is the latest attack ads against the former speaker of the house, which romney claims no credit for that has him not laughing. >> if you want to be present, you should say that that is your staff and that your people pay for. >> there was the memo that he launched about the massachusetts health care plan. newt gingrich personally supported a mandate for health care. >> and there is word from capitol hill that nebraska senator nelson will be retiring. he will not be running for reelection next year. the gop needs for seats to regain control of the senate. >>> coming up, new details about last week's mass on the metro. >>> they are america's heroes. so how should they be honored. some say that a parade is perfect. and others are stopping short. >>> a clean bill of health for the mattress series will car. >> 16 cars were pulled last tuesday after a section ring came off. the incident stranded multiple trains and several hundred passengers. metro is still investigatin

while romney compared gingrich's campaign to lucille ball. we'll get to that in a moment. >> get the gloves off. >>> with a little help from her friends. the model that was injured by that airplane propeller, lauren scruggs, honored by her friends last night for her remarkable courage. we'll have the latest on her recovery. >>> we're going to turn, now, to the almost surreal pictures overnight from north korea. a rare glimpse into this mysterious nation, as people mourn the death of kim jong-il, the ruler they called their dear leader. and christiane amanpour joins us this morning. good morning, christiane. >> reporter: good morning, josh. north korea is rallying around their new leader as he presides over the funeral of his late father. he is also presiding over a nation, that's teetering on the brink of economic collapse. and it does threaten u.s. allies in the region. this, some say, is really a perfectly dangerous storm. it's been a somber, snowy day in pyongyang for the funeral of north korean leader kim jong-il. state television broadca

lucille ball at the chocolate factory.that's an attack, but it certainly is ridicule, if nothing else, isn't it, hala? >> yeah, it is. i remember that episode. it was hill layer rouse. thanks, joe johns. >> gingrich is also jabbing ron paul, the other candidate locked in the three-way tie in iowa. gingrich says he could not support ron paul, the texas congressman, if he were to win the republican nomination. listen. >> i think it's very difficult to see how you would engage in dealing with ron paul's as a nominee. >> get precise. >> given the newsletters which he has not yet disowned. >> you could not vote for ron paul. >> i would have to go a long way to have him explain himself. i think it would be very difficult to see today ron paul as a republican nominee. >> what would you do if the choice were ron paul or barak obama. >> i think you'd have a very hard choice. >> what would you do? >> i don't know, but i think barak obama is very destructive to the future of the united states. i think ron paul's views are totally out

balance' ball's failedn a chocolate production line. >> in the tradition of lucille ball we're here in the chocolate factory. >> gingrich trails not just romney in iowa but also ron paul and even rick santorum with perry and bachmann not far behind. gingrich is trying to get things back on track with the biggest advertising blitz of his campaign. two new ads in two days, all positive. >> we can create millions of jobs right now. >> the campaign has been down before. his decision to take a ten day greek cruise in the spring led to the mass resignation of his campaign staff. today, gingrich said that luxury cruise ship helped him understand the financial crisis. >> being in greece during the greek crisis was helpful and gave me a deep perspective of how hard this is going to be. >> he has been hit with a one-two punch of mistakes and blistering attacks by opponents. a new ad by ron paul hitting gingrich and romney. gingrich's fall has been rick santorum's gain. the former pennsylvania senator has been tirelessly campaigning in iowa for almost a year. he is in third place now but also

i think it is more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory.get organized. >> it was the latest attack ad. it launched this flashing. >> if you want to attack people, at least be man enough to own it. that is your staff. that is your organization. >> they are clearing up confusion over a memo he sent. he agreed entirely that the goal should be 100 serve insurance coverage. >>> and selling news for democrats concerned about keeping control of the senate. ben nelson of nebraska says he will retire and then seek a third term. he was upset to have a tough challenge. at this point, nebraska appears to be an easy target. >> officials want to organize a parade to honor americans who fought in that spirit is celebrated place after the first gulf war. officials say having a parade of we still have troops in harm's way in afghanistan would send the wrong message. not everyone agrees. from >> away until after all the ones are over. it is time for the party. i think you should do what you need. >> washington, d.c. also hosted it. they say the district woul

i think it's more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory.mean you got to get it organized. >> after new hampshire, romney headed to iowa where he gave a speech attacking president obama just after romney received the endorsement of the "boston herald." we have referred in the past to the clown car nature of the republican field as ego driven candidates like donald trump flirted with the process only to be followed by the often engaging but deeply flawed candidacies of her man kaine, rick perry, michele bok mon, ron paul and finally newt gingrich. there is no long -- this is no longer a parlor game. there is only one candidate in the republican field with the integrity, experience, organizational strength and intelligence to beat barack obama and that man is mitt romney. joining me now politte coat senior political writer maggie habberman. thanks for joining me tonight. >> thanks for having me. >> i want to stipulate i did not write any of what i just read on then teleprompter from the beginning of this segment to right now was written by r.j

romney compared him to lucille ball in the chocolate factory. gingrich in response visited a real chocolate factory in iowa. >> i hope governor romney will have the courage to debate me one-on-one. >> i could give up and say that i decry all the negative ads but i don't. but this is part of the process. >> the harshest new ad comes from ron paul against gingrich and romney. >> serial hypocrites and flipped loppers. -- flip-floppers. >> rick santorum is also gaining momentum and is a real contender for third place. >>> protesters living id freedom plaza will be staying a little longer. the national parks service says the group now called occupy washington d.c. received permission to extend their permit from january 1 to the board 28. they are protesting corporate greed and politics and the u.s. military presence in afghanistan. what do you think of the park service decision? should the protesters be allowed to stay? we want you to give your opinion on our facebook page and we will have the results tonight on abc 7 news at 5. >>> bp could soon be

. >> more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory. you know, you've got to get it organized. >> so, our campaign is going to stay positive. >> reporter: gingrich insists he's going to be positive, his supporters have launched attacks on romney, and a new text message campaign calling romney's once pro-choice views. rick perry portraying the other candidate as washington insiders is campaigning with the ultimate outsider, controversial sheriff joe arpao. rick santorum's campaign is finally gaining momentum and michele bachmann is desperately trying to get momentum back. knowing with less than a week left a lot can happen. romney is struggling in iowa but doing well in his home state of new hampshire where the first in the nation primary is now just 13 days away. >> brian mooar in washington, thank you. >>> the democrats' hopes for maintaining senate majority took a blow yesterday when nebraska senator ben nelson announced he's decided not to run for re-election in 2012. he made the announcement in az youtube video. he faced a tough re-

. >> more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory. [laughter] you have got to get it organized. >> so our campaign is going to stay positive. >> walking bridges says he will stay positive, supporters have launched a withering attacks -- while at newt gingrich as as he was a positive, supporters have launched a withering attack on romney. rick perry is portraying the other candidates as washington insiders, campaigning with the ultimate outsider, the controversial share of joe arpaio. >> that is the real deal right there. >> michelle bachmann is desperately trying to get momentum back, knowing that with less than a week left, a lot can happen. what paul is still leading the pack in iowa, but in new hampshire, it is mitt romney running strong with just 13 days to go before the first in that nation primary. brian mooar in washington. back to you. >> still ahead, did you get rid of your home phone line to avoid it telemarketers? soon it they may be able to target your cellphone. plus, when you are crocodile and you are hungry, even a lot

i think it's more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory. you got to get it organized. >> lucille ball at the chocolate factory. what does this say, eric? again, i said virginia isn't until march 6th, but is this telling? do you think it is telling and something for republicans to worry about, they nominate newt gingrich, that he was not able to make admittedly high bar but still to make the bar, to qualify in the virginia primary? >> yeah, i think it is a major issue, chris there are two things that republican voters want in their nominee. first is someone who has experience in the economy because jobs is the number one issue. second, because they sense that barack obama is vulnerable, they want somebody who can beat him. in newt gingrich, there has been a troubling series of events he filed get on the ballot in missouri, failed to get on the ballot in virginia, his home state. yesterday, we got the news he is going to end this year, his campaign will end the year in debt. look, you know, this is like a baseball fan watching a game and grow

ball at the chocolate factory. >> we have taken his thoughts so seriously that in the tradition of lucille're here in the chocolate factory. >> we are. >> reporter: gingrich's momentum in iowa may be slowing. he had planned a 44-stop bus tour across the state. now it's been cut to 22. but volunteers are busy at gingrich's headquarters. >> leaning towards knut? >> reporter: working the phones. >> we're finding there are some people undecided so we're trying to push those people into his column. >> can't buy iowa. >> reporter: rick santorum even has his daughter helping. >> that's what iowa is about demanding that level of participation from the candidates and their families. >> reporter: santorum trails and may quit if he finishes last. danielle nottingham, cbs news, des moines, iowa. >>> would you want to eat your lun snatch bathroom sitting on a toilet in your mom's -- would you want to eat your lunch in a bathroom sittingn a toilet in your mom's lap? >>> it's not a petting zoo. how someone climbed into this elephant enclosure in l.a. and what she said right before she went in. >> in toda

. >> it's more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory. >> i'd love him to say that to my face. >>boy, is he angry. >> he's trying to get all the negative in at once. >> rediscovered some of that offensive firepower. >> gingrich has dropped substantially. >> he may have peaked too early. >> that's why newt's pouting and mitt romney strutting. >> neck and neck race now between ron paul and mitt romney. >> could mitt romney seal this thing up? we've spent all of 2011 saying he's the weakest front-runner ever. is he the sleeper candidate here. >> i can't set expectations. >> sims you have to take these polls a little bit with a grain of salt. >> a bunch of clowns inside of a car at the moment. >> i feel very good that we're going to surprise a lot of people how we finish. >> look at risk santorum. >> he is the one person that people have talked about. >> he's tripled his support. >> our campaign is the one that's got the momentum right now. >> take a look at santorum on the surfaghe's a pretty good guy. his followers are the evangelical voters. >> i am the one with the proven track re