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>> now the nominee race for the job that is just two heartbeats from the presidency has been postponed. senior political reporter joins us from capitol hill. i understand you're with a congressman from north carolina getting some reaction. >> reporter: i am, walter jones, a 20-year veteran here and was one of the early critics of kevin mccarthy who came out against him. one of the things that you did that is circulated a letter a couple days back basically saying that any candidate who has had any misdeeds in their past should step aside. what was the point of that letter? >> well, i was here ...

>> i saw it. >> mccain comes off as the man in the room. >> okay. >> except in the selection process. >> and when it mattered. who wins tonight in mississippi? >> i think romney has a chance to win it. >> i think gingrich wins both. >> who wins alabama? >> that one is going to be closer, with newt having a little edge. after all -- >> would you like to see newt gingrich president, him or obama? >> i picked my candidate. >> if it was newt versus the president, who would you vote for? >> newt. >> not me. >> you're not faking your accent either. i can tell. senator john breaux and trent lott. >> ...

See what happens. you've seen it with newt and rick and herman cain. when you start to win, you see a snowball effect. the money comes in. nothing speaks to your eligibility like winning. newt does well tonight. that will snowball. >> okay. so i guess the answer is -- she didn't quite answer. tell me if i'm wrong. >> they are going to win alabama. >> this they don't, what happens? >> they have to win alabama and mississippi. rick santorum was right. these are the states closest to newt gingrich. these are the ones he has to blow everybody out of the water. if he can't win here, it becomes less...

Well, a lot more than 12. >> last night i was in mississippi and had pancakes for the second time. >> get jeff foxworthy over here. >> hey, you, blue collar workers out there. >> it's not natural to him, but at the same time, it's not natural to santorum and newt -- you know, newt is the worst of all these guys. he sits behind a podium at every event. he doesn't even try. romney, for all of the flaws he's been, he's clearly not a good ad lib campaigner, but he tries. >> a republican strategist in alabama, who we only hear from in these campaigns, he told the boss "if you're going to pander, at...

>> so true. i cannot tell the number of people not afraid of the guy. that is the scary part. people don't fear romney, because they think he is the moderate. >> fear seen more newt is the fall election would be as much, perhaps even more about them than about an incumbent facing serious challenges. >> well said. dan and jonathan, great guests. thanks so much for coming on "hardball" tonight. when we return, let me finish with how truly close this election is getting and not just on the republican side. you are watching "hardball," only on msnbc. . since ameriprise financial was founded back...