once it was hijacked? and the federal government fails us time and time again. let's go, "outfront." i'm "erin burnett." countdown to shutdown. 28 hours to go. feel like deja vu? me too. i feel like bill murray in "the ground hog day." ♪ put your hand in mine >> the government is due to shut down tomorrow. ♪ then put your little hand in mine ♪ >> we're now less than 30 hours away from the government shutting down. ♪ >> only this isn't "ground hog day." this is our reality. this is the eighth time this year that the united states of america has been flirting with a shutdown. remember august when the misguided debt ceiling debacle costed the entire country the top credit rating in the world? these shutdowns aren't about politics, they're about money. democrats and republicans never passed the full budget. this time the government will run out of money tomorrow at midnight unless a bill is passed. what's strange about this shutdown is democrats and republicans have mostly agreed on a deal. but harry reid is holding up a vote until the payroll tax extension passes. we need congress to do three things. one, compromise on the payroll tax. two, pass the funding bill, and three, make a new year's resolution to never have a year like this again. senator, thanks for being with us. it's unbelievable it's been eight times this year we've been close to this situation, and it should embarrass everybody on capitol hill. do you feel that sense of embarrassment and drive to get this fixed? >> erin, thanks for inviting me to be on your show this evening. we need to get this wrapped up. i think we will, but it's about getting the funding bill done, as you mentioned, and also extending the payroll tax holiday. we need to do both. i think we'll get them done. but like you, we should be getting this done sooner and we really have to take a comprehensive approach to the things that will help get our economy going and get on top of the debt and deficit. >> it's just so frustrating. i think we all wish that you guys didn't give us an opportunity to do that. the only way anything seems to get done in washington is when we're a few hours away from a shutdown. that's part of the reason we got downgraded. >> you made a good summary earlier. i'm on the appropriation conversati committee. we're ready to go and we want to see senator reid give us the green light and get the payroll credit done and this keystone pipeline project, a tremendous job creator for the country. these are the kind of things that can get people back to work, reduce our dependence on oil from the middle east. >> like it or not, you got your bill ready to continue funding the government. >> yes, we do. >> but this is not a cr. this is the appropriation work that we've done through committee. >> all right. the democrats gave up that millionaire surtax and you know that they loved that. so to get this done, it's so easy. just get rid of the pipeline for now. >> look, we voted down -- they wanted a tax increase. we voted that down in both the house and the senate. that will hurt job creation and economic activity. we've put forward a whole variety of measures to pay for this payroll tax holiday. so we definitely have compromised. remember, this package is about job creation, and that's exactly what the keystone project does. it doesn't cost the government one penny. $7 billion in private investment that creates thousands of jobs, and increases energy security. >> all of that may be true. but yet it matters to democrats and they gave. and people want to feel the sense of compromise. rand paul came on this show and said look, i would take the pipeline out. i'll vote for it separately and let the payroll go through without it. won't you consider that? >> that's part of what we needed to get that bipartisan plan passed through the house. it had republicans and democrats on the bill. this is a key part of get thing compromise done but moving our country forward. the kind of thing people want us to get done. >> so you're not going to take it out, just to summarize? >> what i'm saying is we are providing a lot of compromise. this is a real opportunity for us to create jobs in this country. that's what we need to do. >> thank you very much, sir. we appreciate it. let's bring in james carville. he's not taking the pipeline out, sir. >> you know what? they're not going to pass it. this is a special interest thing that these guys are doing. it's very controversial. it requires a lot of study. we're talking about bringing some of the nastiest kind of energy that you can imagine. it may or may not be a good thing, but they're trying to force this down at the 11th hour and the democrats aren't going along with it. and you can see what he cares about is not the tax cut for people who are working and trying to raise a family. he cares about this pipeline, which is going to make some big contributors to the republican party awfully happy. we're a long way of being able to decide whether it's a good thing or not. >> i guess that's the point. democrats, you know, the president said he wouldn't give up that millionaire surtax. they gave it up and they loved it. it seems only fair that the republicans would give up the thing they wanted and get this done. >> but everybody that's watching this show saw exactly what they were about. that this was something that their supporters and contribute fors cared about. every time you look at a poll, people blame them. they're not going to shut the government down over this. if they do, they'll end up with 40 senate republicans and theired a vitheir ed advisers are telling them that. the consequences would be unbelievable if they shut down. >> eight times we've gone to the point this year, it's embarrassing and humiliating. do you recall a year like this as bad as -- >> well, we had a shutdown back in the '90s. you know what? it's bad. one of the reasons is, it's really divided and the country is kind of broke and maybe we need an election. and hopefully some of these issues will crystallize. the public has to pick and choose here and hopefully it will prove it in one direction or the other. >> thank you very much, james carville. >> thank you. >> we need some optimism about america. we all get mad at washington, but there's still some amazing things about this country. and google's eric schmidt is going to talk about it. newt gingrich, front runner going into iowa. but the backlash has be gun and it's coming from the conservatives. and a war of wording between john mccain and russian prime minister vladamir putin. with putin calling mccain crazy. and the latest developments in the case of florida's missing mom, michelle parker. her father, brad, comes outfront. 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why do you think that this guy doesn't have what it takes? >> well, first of all, let me thank you for the kind words, although i can't take full credit. it was very much a joint effort writing that editorial. you know, look, i think a pattern you see with gingrich is that the people who are most familiar with him, people who worked for him or worked alongside him or covered him extensively, as a lot of my colleagues did in the '90s are the people least enthusiastic about a gingrich presidential run. he doesn't have the skillset to be the head of the republican party, let alone the commander in chief. >> john avolon, is this something the voters will, at this point, is there still enough time for them to change their minds? if they don't, this is newt gingrich's nomination. >> there is absolutely enough time. you're starting to see these attacks take an effect. his poll numbers are softening a bit. but the headline is the establishment strikes back. the conservative movement is trying to throw themselves in front of the newt bus. here's the point, they know he would be a disastrous nominee for the gop. what's fascinating is even as you're seeing this consolidating attack, george will and many others, it's not necessarily translating to increased support for mitt romney. it's a concerted effort by some of the people who knew him best to say guys, this is a bad idea electorally. >> kevin madden, i'm sure you like this because you work for romney. but here's what the national review said about romney. highly intelligent and disciplined. takes conservative issues. he would make a fine president but has not overcome general voter skepticism. people just aren't passionate about him. >> well, look, the most important thing that governor romney has to do is make the argument to voters, particularly republican voters in these early contests, about the level of accountability that he welcomes from conservatives and even moderate republicans as he seeks to be the nominee for the party. and i think what's most important for him to talk about is the anxiety that they have about the economy and how his expertise and his record as a governor has always been to address a lot of those challenges that he had in massachusetts and the challenges and how he overcame them. >> i just want to play a quick sound bite from rudy giuliani from this morning. here he is. >> there's something wrong when you've been running as long as mitt has and you're at 25% and you don't go much above or much below. 75% of the other republicans are telling you something. >> before i get kevin's reaction, does this open up a window for anyone else, jon huntsman? >> i think that's wishful thinking. but the point is mitt romney is the only guy in politics with the glass ceiling. he has this 25% glass ceiling. so the question is whether that other 75% will coalesce around another candidate. >> it's not an event, it's a process. if you look at the fact that he's been up at 25%, in many ways it's a floor. as many voters go through this consideration of candidates out there, many of them are parked on other candidates right now and that's why we have these contests. he can go out and build upon that 25% and get those voters as we go through all these early contests. so i see that as a challenge, absolutely. but i don't believe that just because 75% are with them, that means they're against romney. they're still waiting to see these candidates hack it out, to listen to their ideas and ultimately as we go through these contests, those voters will make the decision. >> ramesh, why did you write an anti-endorsement? why didn't you pick one of the three that you think have something going for them, jon huntsman, rick santorum? >> i myself think romney is the best candidate of the available alternatives. not all of the editors agree with me on that. but what we do agree on is it would be a very risky choice to give newt gingrich that nomination. >> thank you very much. appreciate all three of you taking the time. >> you're welcome. >> we shall see. ♪ minister today called arizona senator john mccain crazy. that is correct. that's what he said. as a war of words between the two continue to heat up. this time, the verbal sparring had to do with the death of moammar gadhafi and drones. those spy planes like the ones the cia have lost over iran. the ones the u.s. defense secretary says were involved in the former libyan's death. putin was asked about a prediction that mccain made online. one about the prime minister meeting the same fate as gadhafi. apparently putin did not like what he thought mccain said. >> translator: mr. mccain is known to have fought in vietnam. i think he has enough blood of innocent civilians on his hands and he probably can no longer live without these horrible, disgusting scenes when television screens show how gadhafi is killed, all covered in blood. is that democracy? >> but as it turns out, his twitter posts were links to news stories that suggests russia might be facing it's only arab spring. and just tonight, mccain told john king he thinks putin is reacting to the demonstrations there where tens of thousands turned out to protest election results that returned putin's party to power. mccain said, it will be interesting to see what develops during the next demonstration, which is set for later this month. new information about that drone as we continue to cover the story. really amazing turn today. an iranian engineer talks and says they knew about a weakness in the g.p.s. of the drone, which allowed them to land it. a lot of people said iran wasn't capable of this, but on this show you heard they were. and we have an exclusive look at google's new york headquarters. that's coming up, "outfront." my doctor told me calcium is best absorbed in small continuous amounts. only one calcium supplement does that in one daily dose. citracal slow release... continuously releases calcium plus d for the efficient absorption my body needs. citracal. let me get you a free tank of gas -- how's that sound? 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[ horn honks ] hey, we're trying to save here. i came in for this. yeah, fill it up, too. thank you. don't thank me. i'm just the messenger. everyone believes in keeping their promises once a year. but we believe in helping people take steps to keep them every single day. that's why every day we help people across the country get into their first homes. prepare for a comfortable retirement and protect the people and things that matter most. at genworth we believe every day is the right day to take a step toward tomorrow. just after 7:20 on the east. 4:20 on the west. hard to read with these glasses here, but they're kind of stylish. it's time for a story we can't resist. the wellness center in orange vail, california, is closing for the last time. not because the rent is too high, but the customers are. they have grown into a community based collective. that in addition to pot, offers on site yoga and compassion themed events for 40,000 patients. yep, 40,000. on december 6, reportedly at the urging of the largely conservative population, the sacramento county board of supervisors voted 4-1 to ban any land use which violates federal or state law. ie, medicaldispensar dispensaries are banned. but the manager, steven lee, is surprisingly mellow about the whole thing. he's holding a holiday party tomorrow with baked goods and a free gram of pot for every customer. but if you want to partake, you'll need to bring a card with you. a dispensary, not a christmas card. because the free pot offer is only valid to customers. no word on the baked goods, but i'll bet you they'll give you one if you tell them your buds out front sent you. mission, drone. >> it's entirely possible there was a malfunction. >> of all the craziest rule in our government, the craziest of all. >> google's big idea. >> this is madness. >> madness? all this "outfront" in our second half. in louisiana. they came to see us in florida... nice try, they came to hang out with us in alabama... once folks heard mississippi had the welcome sign out, they couldn't wait to get here. this year was great but next year's gonna be even better. and anyone who knows the gulf knows that winter is primetime fun time. the sun's out and the water's beautiful. you can go deep sea fishing for amberjack, grouper and mackerel. our golf courses are open. our bed and breakfast have special rates. and migrating waterfowl from all over make this a bird watcher's paradise. so if you missed it earlier this year, come on down. if you've already been here come on back... to mississippi... florida... louisiana... alabama. the gulf's america's get-a-way spot no matter where you go. so come on down and help make 2012 an even better year for tourism on the gulf. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home. ♪ [ boy ] looks like our work is done here. i'm heading home. vaaa vrooom! need some help, ma'am? grrrrrrr! [ in high voice ] oh thank you. these things are heavy. zzzzzzzz! [ male announcer ] built for work. and everything you work for. hey, honey. i'm glad you're home. [ male announcer ] the chevy silverado. our most powerful hd yet. from fathers to sons, [ boy ] dad! [ male announcer ] chevy runs deep. but sometimes i wonder... what's left behind? [ female announcer ] purifying facial cleanser from neutrogena® naturals. removes 99% of dirt and toxins without dyes, parabens or harsh sulfates. so skin feels pure and healthy. [ female announcer ] from neutrogena® naturals. we start the second half of our show with stories we care about, where we focus on our own reporting, do the reporting. first, countdown to shutdown. feel like deja vu? the eight time this year, the united states of america has been flirting with a shutdown. senator john hovan, republican from north dakota, told "outfront" he thinks congress will get it done, will avoid a shutdown. but also said despite