we had the major event in iowa in the middle of august. and that's the kind of organizing activity where you'll really get a true sense of which of these campaigns have a ground game. as someone who is -- go ahead. >> it is fascinating to me just how wide open it is, especially in iowa. you can think back when was the last time we had at this point in a cycle in iowa, a caucus look as wide open as it is right now without any clear frontrunner whatsoever? >> you'd have to go back a number of years for that. and one reason that i think i touched on earlier is that the iowa caucus goer, republican caucus goer, understands the stakes, understands the stakes of four more years of an obama administration whose policies are completely against our beliefs and principles. so they want to make sure they get it right but there's no question it's been a slower start. we still have a few individuals who will are deliberating whether or not they're going to run suched a governor daniels so i think as the field continues to shake out very rapidly you're

iowa. can you think back -- what was the last time we had an iowa caucus look as wide open without any clear front runner? >> you would have to go back a number of years for that. the republican caucus gore understands the stakes of four more years of at obama administration's his policies are anathema. the question has been a slower start. we have few individuals debating on whether they're going to run, so as the field continues to shake out, you'll see more activity on the ground as these campaigns flex their muscle and try to show their viability of the straw poll. >> this week, a complaint was filed with the federal election commission, saying the mayor romney campaign has uses a political action committee to fund his campaign. >> you have heard me say he is the perceived from runner and new hampshire dynamics are different from iowa, but i think it is an attack on the front runner. that's what's going on now and moving forward, he is a smart guy, he knows what the rules are and i have every confidence is will wind up being smoke and mirrors. >> no irregularities as far as you're concer

, who has the best chance to win iowa? want to get that far ahead of the game? >> i would say bachman-romney, frankly. >> really? >> yewinning iowa? winning iowa! >> i think bachman or pawlenty wins iowa. i don't see romney winning iowa. he wins new hampshire. i think there's going to be a contested nomination. i don't think bachman finishes off pawlenty in iowa. iowa is so discounted. >> pawlenty in iowa. >> really? >> more likely than anybody else. >> really? >> yes. one -- >> they got all top in one? >> yes, ma'am and then romney wins new hampshire, sure. >> but -- >> iowa controls. iowa -- . >> popular in iowa, but i expect a possible surge by the tea party folks of whom bachman is a clear favorite. if she doesn't have any competition there, her opposition could be divided enough that she could win the iowa caulk us. >>> the answer is issue three, district 26, new york. >> we had the issues on our side -- we did not have the right -- >> right -- hochul kathy hochul rand calls it premium support. after the election ryan

i was reading the iowa media, talking to iowans and the campaign looked very, very alive if you were in iowa. >> schieffer: when people say-- and you're right. that's what they're saying in the national media-- i have not heard one single republican come to your defense. perhaps there was one but i haven't heard it here in washington. when they say your campaign is already imploded, that it's over before it started you're saying not the case. >> i think it's amazing the only national reporter who came to iowa was from npr, she came to two overflow meetings and she looked around. i think it was pretty clear to her this campaign was a long way from over. none of the people rendering judgment of washington had talked to the voters in iowa. none. >> schieffer: i want to ask you about president obama's speech. i want to talk a little about foreign policy. before we go to break i want to ask you about this bizarre revelation that came up last week that your wife in 2005-2006 filed a financial disclosure because she was working with the house agricultural committee that revealed that you own

gone on to take the gop nomination. is iowa> i think the people suffering the most are the storm front owners on grand avenue because and i think this year because of the way that it's playing out, iowa may not be so important. >> i want to be counterintuitive. just because it's not a winner doesn't mean that they are influential. certainly iowa turned the race upside down with hillary clinton, remember, front-runner placed third. it changed the race. but for republicans it has been different and hasn't it also -- it tends to win dell down the field, does it not? >> i think the candidates least likely to go and get the nomination tend to drop out soon after iowa if they have a poor showing there. but i think where it actually could be the most influential is in how it alters the republican debate and how that impacts the candidates moving forward is going to be critical. i think a big part of the key is what mitt romney does. if he goes to play in iowa, and does not do well, that could impact the field down the road. rich is pr

the chairman of the iowa party as it a couple points. yes softspoken to amend if you come into the playground in iowa, you talk to the chairman. yes i had any conversations with them. and the other thing about key figures from the last campaign are already locked up with other candidates. if he does run, it's all about iowa. >> i thought it was interesting that jack kimball was forceful about saying that romney was the front runner. we tried to ask him who was the threat, i thought was interesting he did not mention john huntsman because his strategy would be based on going after the john mccain coalition. he's talking to the same advisers. i thought that was an interesting contrast. he almost threw cold water on him. >> not to mention the rest of the west. >> and there are two commencement speeches. >> south carolina will be the first one. he arrives back from china, free to finally engage. he has this campaign that has been built but he has not been a part of it. they built a whole campaign apparatus without speaking to the ambassador.

after rooting for democrats for decades, he's chairman of the iowa dallas county republicans. risti, is a lifelong republican and doctor by trade. >> any pain in the neck? >> at home, the couple makes politics a family affair with all four children. >> they love going to the parades, seeing the crowds of people, handing out stickers and pencils. >> a team effort. truly a team effort. >> the des moines suburbs are one of iowa's fastest growing gop strong holds. rob taylor doesn't have to chase down republicans who want to be president. they come to him. he's met six of the 2012 presidential hopefuls. >> when you sit down across the dinner table with a presidential candidate and you look at them eyeball to eyeball, you can tell whether or not they're telling the truth. >> this election cycle, they're quizzing candidates about the debt and health care reform. they take their first-in-the-nation caucus seriously. >> iowans know it's important and we want to meet them and choose the right person to lead the country. >> between now and february, the taylor family will balance its bus

on the night of the iowa caucuses and he promised the nation that he would do health care reform, focused on cost containment. he opposed an individual mandate and said he was going to do it with republicans. he broke that promise. he jammed down our throats one of the most partisan and misguided policies in the history of this nation. it is going to make health care costs worse. >> senator santorum, i turn to you. governor johnson has said in addition to repealing the president's health care plan, americans need to think about repealing the prescription drug care plan. you have said that you regretted that vote. as president, would you work to repeal that and leave 25 million-plus senior who is enjoy that benefit without it? >> no. i would work to reform the medicare system. what is proposed by paul ryan and i have been proposing. one reason i voted for the medicare prescription drug plan was because it was a private sector-operated plan. it was not a government-run, top-down type of approach. in fact, the way we designed that program resulted in the progra

the presiding officer: the senator from iowa. harass mr. president, i ask that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. harkin: mr. president, over the past six months i have come to the floor several times to discuss the findings of an ongoing investigation by the health and human services into the for-profit education committees and the growing role they play in higher education. this investigation has been now ongoing for over a year. today i would like to focus my remarks on our men and women in uniform and how the for-profit schools are focusing on recruiting them to their schools. and what this means for the taxpayers of america. mr. president, the first g.i. bill made it possible for thousands of service members returning from world war ii to go to college. in the process, that ushered in a new era of american prosperity. that g.i. bill continued, of course, through korea, the cold war, and through vietnam. i, myself, used the g.i. bill after my service time so i could

. >> his campaign imploded before it began and i think he was playing to the crowds in iowa. he knew the seniors in iowa are opposed to this -- to the way ryan radical program is going to undermine -- >> what about the crowds across the united states? they don't want medicare -- >> that's right, sure and i think newt correctly sensed that and i think eleanor is right. >> do you think that -- >> is radical unless the plan serves as the beginning of a serious >>> that day, gingrich faced this uncomplimentary suggestion in iowa. do you ever have the nervous -- >> why don't you get out before you make a bigger fool of yourself? >> one day late every, tuesday, may 17, came the gingrich walkback. >> i made a mistake. and i called paul ryan today, who' friend and i said that. >> what do you think? >> what did you think of this criticism of that gentleman confronting -- >> a very, very tough thing to have on film. at a republican gathering john. doesn't get worse than that. >> you mean he's already demolished? >> i don't think -- well, i don't think he's going to win the nomination. i

she's sending all the signals. chris: iowa. does she do well there? has the capacity to do very well. i don't see the evidence that the tea party is coalescing around one candidate. they like the enthusiasm. they're not so fond of the candidates. >> she was born in iowa, even though she represents minnesota. >> why do we think sarah palin is not getting in? i think she is. if i were sarah palin, i would get in. i would put it off as long as possible and i would get in. chris: dan, tell me something i don't know. >> a new campaign. not the official campaign, a new movement is beginning to raise questions about systematic pesticides, pesticides that are put in the system of plants. the canary in the cool mine here. bees are dying off and there's continued and growing concern that because the bees pollen ate the plants, the systemic pesticide stays in three to five years. there will be new questions raised about that. chris: does it hurt us? >> the e.p.a. says no. >> mine is a prediction. i predict that there will be a candidate from the right side of th

. >> his campaign imploded before it began and i think he was playing to the crowds in iowa. he knew the seniors in iowa are opposed to this -- to the way ryan radical program is going to undermine -- >> what about the crowds across the united states? they don't want medicare -- >> that's right, sure and i think newt correctly sensed that and i think eleanor is right. >> do you think that -- >> is radical unless the plan serves as the beginning of a serious >>> that day, gingrich faced this uncomplimentary suggestion in iowa. do you ever have the nervous -- >> why don't you get out before you make a bigger fool of yourself? >> one day late every, tuesday, may 17, came the gingrich walkback. >> i made a mistake. and i called paul ryan today, who' friend and i said that. >> what do you think? >> what did you think of this criticism of that gentleman confronting -- >> a very, very tough thing to have on film. at a republican gathering john. doesn't get worse than that. >> you mean he's already demolished? >> i don't think -- well, i don't think he's going to win the nomination. i

she'll make an announcement, it appears, to run for the white house in iowa. again, that's the first stop in the presidential voting for the conservatives, the iowa caucuses, whoever could prevail there could get a real bump and keep on going. i think they would both be vying for those same voters. >> and tell us what's coming up on "meet the press." >> we'll talk to senators mcconnell and schumer about the fight over medicare and how this is really a defining issue in the 2012 race. >> all right. we will see you then. david, thanks very much. >> thanks. >> and now here is jenna. >>> lester, thanks. in florida saturday proved to be another explosive day in the casey anthony murder trial. and this time prosecutors focused their attention on text messages that the defendant sent shortly before her arrest. nbc's kerry sanders has the latest. >> reporter: 25-year-old accused murderer casey anthony in court saturday. >> what do you recognize it it to be? >> caylee's bed. >> reporter: tearful as her mother testifies for the prosecution. prosecutors allege casey place

the end of the day, the order isn't going to change. it will be iowa, new hampshire, south carolina, nevada. but the date may be. but there is still time for florida and those other states that are out of compliance to get into compliance with rules that were passed by 2/3 of the r.n.c. and i really do hold chairman prebus at his word that is working with those states and they understand the consequences. as the father of three young kids i'm constantly reminding them there are consequences to your actions and if florida doesn't get in line, that's something we need to continue to remind them as well. >> they're grounded. >> matt strawn, chairman of the iowa republican party, and jack kimball from new hampshire. thank you both for being with us on "newsmakers." >> thank you for having us. >> thank you. >> jonathan karl, let me begin with you with the comment about mike huckabee from a report this past week, he's releasing some of his staffers in south carolina. has it become evident that he will not be a candidate? >> it sure sounded that way. you hear

she doesn't have to tell the new hampshire chairman when she's coming or the iowa chairman when she's coming? >> i think the rules do apply and i believe if she decides to run i guess you could say the campaign rules. i think the rumor mill between republicans can undo sarah palin over time when you have bitter, angry parties who feel like they make money off the campaign season. is she there to help herself or the republicans? i would say that i think it's interesting on the issue of fox news, considering the news of all of the pressure on the other republicans, including mike huckabee, that we haven't seen this about sarah palin suggests to me that she may not be running. >> i have to take that -- greta is a friend of mine. she gets an interview with governor palin. we can't even get the schedule. that's her choice. she can make that choice from now until the end of time. she can campaign how ever she wants and we have to deal with it. i remember covering ross perot in 1992. it's not their job to help us. but to the question of fox news, congressman, i assume she's told them that th

the midwest. tornadoes are possible from texas to iowa. there will be scattered showers in the northwest, but lots of sun in the southwest. >>> in sports, it was game five against boston, and the heat were not to be denied. in the first, miami's dwyane wade made a ridiculous over-the-shoulder shot. look at that. down the stretch, though, lebron james had a couple of threes, and then made the steal to seal the deal. the heat burned the celtics 97-87. miami moves on to the eastern conference finals. >>> in oklahoma city, the thunder took the fight out of the grizzlies. kevin durant scored 19 points to help blow out memphis 99-72. oklahoma now leads the series 3-2. >>> in baseball the padres went on a hitting spree. against the brewers. first inning, chris denorfia led off with a home run. by the end of the game, the padres had racked up a season-high 23 hits. they blew out milwaukee 13-6. >>> in the american league, kansas city at new york in the fifth, the yankees robinson got nailed in the head by the royals' nate adcock. he had to leave th

amenities is obviously a conversation we have been having for a while, and we continue to work at the iowa community-a brick or part-appropriate ways. a lot of folks did talk about a ballot measure to generate revenue. a lot of folks in this community meetings talked about benefit from america's cup. while we are very excited and optimistic about america's cup, we are still thinking through how this could be a revenue- generating event for the department. i think it will be a fantastic event for the city and generate considerable positive economic impact for the city as a whole, but our challenges with respect to america's cup will be much more, you know, logistical and operational in making sure evens go smoothly on our sites and in our facilities, but that is something we obviously continue to think about. somebody really wants us to sell rec adn pa -- rec and park- branded merchandise. people actually look really like the best spirit of a today may be too hot to wear. we are evaluating all their ideas. we take them seriously, and we're grateful for the feedback. we know that every dolla

he won the iowa caucuses the last time around.also struck a cord with the economic populism out in the country especially fervent right now. it drove a lot of the 2010 environment as the republicans tapped into that tea party energy and overtook the house. i think it leaves a big gaping hole for somebody else to get in to do both social conservative and that economic populous language. donald trump.... >> ifill: no gaping hole left there. >> has almost no impact on the race whatsoever except causes those of us in the press to consider how much attention we gave it. >> ifill: just calm down just a little bit. but the people who might be interested in stepping into that vacuum, such as it is, one is michelle bachman the congresswoman from minnesota. the other one who everyone is waiting to see what he does is mitch daniels the governor of indiana. >> mitch daniels said i promise it won't take me very long. it's only been a couple of weeks since the end of the indiana legislature. i do think we'll hear from him in the next week or tw

"the caucuses weed out about half of iowa's gop primary voters," you wrote. and increasingly ideological voters who like their political meat served raw. and since the caucus vote is splintered among several candidates and as few as 40,000 votes are enough to win, no wonder michele bachmann is out wearing snowshoes." since iowa has the vote it has, does michele bachmann, does sarah palin have more room to run there and make a real dent? >> absolutely. i'm very fond of iowa, many friends there, but i think the caucus has become a bit of a harold hill type thing, all its own, where the iowans are sending the band's instruments with a big, expensive process. look, 3 million people live in iowa and if you have 40,000 of them together, you can get on a rocket sled in national politics. if i had to bet now, i bet michele bachmann can win around a third of the vote, maybe a little less. that could help huntsman as the kind of anti-bockman, the more moderate candidate and much more moderate new hampshire, then the rest of the primaries become tougher for huntsman. i

. >>> and first lady michelle obama will deliver the mensment address at the university of northern iowa on saturday. and our congratulations to all graduates. >>> a virginia restaurant is serving up free meals complements of a stranger who is randomly picking up tabs. the good deeds have some of thinking of paying it forward. death parkers has more on the good samaritan. >> reporter: it's not on the menu, but somebody is serving up a big helping of generosity at this ruby tuesday restaurant in winchester, virginia. >> sorry to interrupt you but we're not giving you the check this evening someone else in the diner has asked to take your of your check. >> you can hardly believe it, that people would do that. just so generous. >> we had a serviceman in here in full uniform. the gentlemen decided to pick up his tab. >> maybe we should start doing that. >> we also had a party of six senior citizens dining with us and he bought their check and actually brought them to tears over the whole deal. >> but they were choked up when this happened. >> i can understand that. >> another one was a young

the political question in iowa is how hard will romney campaign there? he hasn't been in the state in seven months, and the high concentration of evangelical voters are not his natural constituency. he's got to strike a balance. campaign hard enough to avoid a big loss in the party's first contest but not risk so much time and money that he neglects other states where he has a better chance. >> smith: he was also asked about house budget chairman paul ryan's medicare plan. did he endorse it? >> not exactly. the ryan plan offers those on medicare a fixed amount to buy insurance. that's a major change, and it's become the first political puzzle for republican candidates in this cycle. they have to show solidarity with ryan and house republicans without deeply committing themselves to something that might end up being politically unpopular. so romney said he liked the general thrust of ryan's plan but wouldn't commit to it, saying only he'll have his own plan for medicare. >> smith: and sarah palin, of course, has shaken things up. she starts her bus tour ov

unprecedented things we're seeing this cycle, we've never had someone, the national front-runner, the iowaing away from the thing. i think there's a lot of unpredictability now added as people think how can we take a little bit at least away? the religious conservative movement needs a candidate. >> and the surprising thing, right after his announcement, at the end of the show, he interviews mario lopez during the show and right after he says i'm not running, you see this video pop up from the donald. >> i think he'd be a terrific president, but a lot of people are very happy that he will not be running, especially other candidates. so, mike, enjoy the show. your ratings are terrific. you're making a lot of money. you're building a beautiful house in florida. good luck. >> helene, what does that mean? what just happened there? what happened. >> i think you were seeing -- the second that mike huckabee -- i found out he was not running not because i was in front of the tv, because it was a saturday night, but my blackberry exploded with e-mails and statements from other candidates running to

the chairman saying in iowa your word is your bond. we're disappointed mr.t to honor his commitment to iowa republicans. former utah governor, u.s. ambassador to china john huntsman began a five-day visit to new hampshire today. we'll be in new hampshire tomorrow. that's the first primary state and the campaign trail up there just beginning to heat up. a bit earlier today on the subject of 2012 politics i spent a few minutes talking politics with the republican governor haley barber of mississippi. >> you decided not to run for the republican nomination for president. in recent days you have seemed to be a cheerleader for your friend, now the governor of indiana, to get into the race. do you believe he will run? >> i really don't know, john. you are going to have to ask him. i know myself, it's a very difficult decision. it's a very personal decision, a family decision, and a political decision. mitt is a smart guy. i think he would make a great president. i told him when i was thinking about running that even if i ran, i thought he ought to run. that it's g

he'll make the announcement in iowa, home to the critical iowa caucuses. >>> missouri's governor willn me in the news room. at least 89 have been killed by that deadly tornado that ripped through the state, and now there is a desperate search for people who need help so that number doesn't grow higher. coming up, governor jay nixon. also coming up, tallying the damage, power lines knocked down, homes devastated, trees uprooted, a tornado's path is usually estimated by the billions of dollars. details on that after the break. yoo-hoo. hello. it's water from the drinking fountain at the mall. [ male announcer ] great tasting tap water can now come from any faucet anywhere. introducing the brita bottle with the filter inside. [ male announcer ] great tasting tap water can now come from any faucet anywhere. ♪ ♪ when you're resonsible for this much of the team, you need a car you can count on. ♪ >>> at least 89 are dead in joplin, missouri, after a tornado cut through the heart of the city. rescue crews still searching for trapped survivors. 2,000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed.

. >> reporter: expect the field to narrow this summer with new hampshire's debate in june and the iowa straw poll in august. >>> plenty of sunshine today. temperatures on the increase tomorrow. i'll show you which cities will be the warmest. >>> homes, businesses and a lot more under water. the little bit of good news emerging from the mississippi flood zone. >>> bart trains are more and more crowded. there is good news and bad news with that. the news continues in 90 seconds. >>> the water of memphis, tennessee is spared the worst of the flooding of the mississippi river. the riverside road is flooded but the musical landmarks and graceland are safe. the levies are holding. the mighty mississippi rose to levels not seen in tennessee since the 1930s. homes and businesses are awash in muddy water. and hundreds of people have been evacuated. officials warn the flooding will last for weeks. >> and it is going to be a nasty one. it's going to be an expensive one and there are going to be dangerous environments to deal with. >> north of new orleans, the u.s. army corps of engineers opened a

. >> reporter: expect the field to narrow this summer with new hampshire's debate in june and the iowa straw poll in august. >>> plenty of sunshine today. temperatures on the increase tomorrow. i'll show you which cities will be the warmest. >>> homes, businesses and a lot more under water. the little bit of good news emerging from the mississippi flood zone. >>> bart trains are >>> the water of memphis, tennessee is spared the worst of the flooding of the mississippi river. the riverside road is flooded but the musical landmarks and graceland are safe. the levies are holding. the mighty mississippi rose to levels not seen in tennessee since the 1930s. homes and businesses are awash in muddy water. and hundreds of people have been evacuated. officials warn the flooding will last for weeks. >> and it is going to be a nasty one. it's going to be an expensive one and there are going to be dangerous environments to deal with. >> north of new orleans, the u.s. army corps of engineers opened a spillway to keep the flood water from reaching the city and the water should be kept off the level

huckabee's appeal to christians is credited with his winning the iowa republican caucus three years agos decision leaves congressman mark haul and newt gingrich as the only two republicans in the race. >>> a look at the gas pumps president obama reiterated his call for an increase in oil production. >> i believe we should continue to expand oil production in america, even as we increase safety and environmental standards. >> towards that aim the president is directing the department of the interior to increase the drilling in alaska's national petroleum reserve, speed up the evaluation of oil and gas resources in the mid and south lick and extend leases in the gulf of mexico areas affected by last year's temporary moratorium after the bp oil spill. >> in his comments mr. obama said that u.s. oil production last year was at its highest level since 2003. the u.s. last year produced 5.5 million barrels of oil per day. according to the government data the u.s. uses more than 18.5 million-barrels a day. the united states consumes almost 25 percent of the daily crude oil output. however, the

and tim pawlenty has to do well. >> lehrer: in the iowa caw us -- caucuses. >> he has to do well. f one of them takes the oxygen out of the room, his campaign could suffer a real blow right at the beginning. >> lehrer: what about huntsman, any reading on him or is it too early? >> well, es-- we've talked about his core problem, that he worked for barack obama. he is the more moderate. >> lehrer: he said he's going to take that-- he doesn't see it that way. >> he doesn't, but i guarantee you a lot of republican primary voters will see it. especially when barack obama embraces him rhetorically at every opportunity. he's by far the most moderate in the party. he was-- before he took this job with obama as the china ambassador he was seen as the moderate hope in the party. and so he, if there is a moderate wing left, and people decide michelle bachman wins iowa, everybody goes oh my gosh, let's get somebody who seems reasonable r he would have a shot. i think it's an outside shot because of the obama problem. >> lehrer: okay, speaking of -- >> you asked last week about mike huckabee. >

the other big political story this week, of course, had to do with newt gingrich, in iowa this weekend. he says his presidential campaign is alive and well despite a tough week that began with his criticism of my guest, paul ryan, whose plan to reform medicare is now the hot topic in washington and on the campaign trail. we're going to continue our interview with chairman ryan in a moment, but first, some of the background. >> just days after announcing his white house run, gingrich made his 35th appearance on this program and shocked many by up-ending the centerpiece of the conservative 2012 playbook, by calling ryan's medicare plan "right-wing social engineering." >> there are things you can do to improve medicare -- >> but not what paul ryan is suggesting, changing medicare? >> i think that is too big a jump. >> gingrich made headlines, but not the ones he wanted. >> to somehow portray that as a radical step i think is a tremendous misspeak. >> cuts paul ryan off at knees, it supports the obama administration. >> he was even confronted by a voter during his first swing through iowa.

the first lady delivered the commencement address at northern iowa. d over to find out exactly what the first couple had for dinner and the manager of the restaurant told me, they don't release that sort of information. >> no, no. >> but we have it on good authority one had a pasta dish, one had a seafood dish. >> i've eaten there twice and it's -- i would say magnic but that's the wrong language. >> a good day to be out. >> a great day. we've had a few sprinkles. those are trending downward so a mostly dry day coming up for mother's day. today turned out to be a reasonably nice day to be outside. one of the fun things you can do, yes, embassy open house day for the european union. up and down mass aef. wonderful day outside. i went by 20 or 30 embassies on my way to the office today and i saw line after line after line. this little guy, you know, he's just as happy with a flower as he would with any fancy embassy tour. still looking for easter eggs. looks like it's down there new dupont circle, sheridan circle. look at all that sunshine. tomorrow actu

palin is in a feature film, "the undefeated," premiering in iowa. what a coincidence. she is beginning a bus tour, going to ennew hampshire. nice way to see the country, by bus. >> she is a star in the republican party. whether she is going to run is another question. the republican party is rich in candidates. i don't know why people are so down. you have to contain. no one has talked about herman cain. -- you have herman cain. no one has talked about herman cain. how about a herman cain-ron paul ticket? >> i will not take the bait. [laughter] >> herman cain has been honest enough about the paul ryan plan. he endorsed it. sarah palin is a threat to michele bachmann. bachmannes go, the candidacy dies. the advantage right now is to mitt romney. met ronnie is the front runner. every day that goes by when you do not talk about the front runner or criticizing him is a good day for any front runner. >> the question is huntsman. mitch daniels was going to be great, except he does not want to do it and i guess -- except his wife did not want to do and he is gone. hudson has --