PBS NewsHour; January 10, 2012 6:00pm-7:00pm PST

Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS

>> Woodruff: FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY HAS WON THE NEW HAMPSHIRE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY. GOOD EVENING. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF. WE'LL HAVE THE LATEST RESULTS AND ANALYSIS OF THE NATION'S FIRST PRIMARY. MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: THE WILLIAM AND FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION, WORKING TO SOLVE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AT HOME AND AROUND THE WORLD. AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU.

>> IT IS MITT ROMNEY'S NIGHT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AND THE MAJOR TELEVISION NETWORKS HAVE PROJECTED HIM THE WINNER IN THE FIRST REPUBLICAN PRIMARY OF THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR. WITH VOTE COUNTING STILL UNDERWAY THE FORMER GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS WAS WINNING 36 PERCENT OF THE VOTE. NOW, THAT IS A DOZEN POINTS BETTER THAN RON PAUL, WHO IS IN SECOND PLACE. JOHN HUNTSMAN WAS IN THIRD, WITH NEWT GINGRICH AND RICK SANTORUM FIGHTING FOR FOURTH. RICK PERRY TRAILED THE FIELD. ROMNEY CLAIMED HIS VICTORY AT A CELEBRATION WITH SUPPORT IN OTHER WORDS MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, JUST A SHORT TIME AGO, HERE IS SOME OF WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

>> IN DIFFICULT TIMES WE CAN'T ABANDON THE CORE VALUES THAT DEFINE US AS A UNIQUE NATION. WE ARE ONE NATION UNDER GOD.

>> MAKE NO MISTAKE. MAKE NO MISTAKE . IN THIS CAMPAIGN, I WILL OFFER THE AMERICAN IDEALS OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM, A CLEAR AND UNAPOLOGETIC DEFENSE AND WE ARE GOING TO WIN WITH THAT MESSAGE.

>> BUT, YOU KNOW,, YOU KNOW THAT OUR CAMPAIGN IS ABOUT MORE THAN REPLACE AGO PRESIDENT. IT IS ABOUT SAVING THE SOUL OF AMERICA. THIS ELECTION IS A CHOICE BETWEEN TWO VERY DIFFERENT DESTINIES, PRESIDENT OBAMA WANTS TO FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORM AMERICA. WE WANT TO RESTORE AMERICA TO THE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES THAT MADE THIS COUNTRY GREAT.

>> HE WANTS TO TURN AMERICA INTO A EUROPEAN STYLE SOCIAL WELFARE STATE. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE REMAIN A FREE AND PROSPEROUS LAND OF OPPORTUNITY. THIS PRESIDENT TAKES HIS INSPIRATION FROM THE CAPITALS OF EUROPE. WE LOOK TO THE CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS AMERICA FOR OUR INSPIRATION. THIS PRESIDENT PUTS HIS FAITH IN GOVERNMENT. WE PUT OUR FAITH IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THIS PRESIDENT IS MAKING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BIGGER, BURDENSOME AND BLOATED I WILL MAKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SIMPLE, SMALLER AND BETTER.

>> HE RAISED THE NATIONAL DEBT. I WILL CUT CAP AND BALANCE THE FEDERAL BUDGET. HE HAS ENACTED -- MITT, MITT, MITT!

>> THIS PRESIDENT, THIS PRESIDENT HAS ENACTED JOB KILLING REGULATIONS. I WILL ELIMINATE THEM. HE LOST OUR TRIPLE A CREDIT RATING. I WILL RESTORE IT. HE PASSED OBAMA CARE. I WILL REPEAL IT. OF AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE ECONOMY, MY HIGHEST PRIORITY AS PRESIDENT WILL BE WORRYING ABOUT YOUR JOB, NOT ABOUT SAVING MY OWN.

>> YOU KNOW, INTERNATIONALLY, PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS ADOPTED APPEASEMENT STRATEGY. HE BELIEVES AMERICA'S ROLE AS LEADER IN THE WORLD IS A THING OF THE PAST. I BELIEVE A STRONG AMERICA MUST AND WILL LEAD THE FUTURE. HE DOESN'T SEE THE NEED FOR OVERWHELMING AMERICAN MILITARY SUPERIORITY. I WILL INSIST ON A MILITARY SO POWERFUL NO ONE WOULD EVER THINK OF CHALLENGING IT.

>> THAT IS SOME OF WHAT MITT ROMNEY HAD TO SAY JUST MOMENTS AGO AT A CELEBRATION IN MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE AFTER BEING DECLARED THE WINNER OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY TONIGHT. AS WE SAID, OUR GUINN IFILL IS IN MANCHESTER TONIGHT AND GWEN STARTED OUT BY SAYING WE MADE HISTORY, AND INDEED HE IS THE FIRST, BY OUR COUNT, NON NONINCUMBENT REPUBLICAN TO WIN BOTH IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE, BUT, GWEN, HE WON IOWA, WON NEW HATCH DIFFERENTLY FROM HOW HE PULLED IT OFF IN IOWA.

>> Gwen: AND HE PERFORMED TONIGHT IN HIS SUCCESSION SPEECH MUCH DIFFERENTLY THAN HE DID IN IOWA. YOU WERE THERE, JUDY, YOU REMEMBER HE CAME OUTLAST WEEK AND HE SPOKE OFF-THE-CUFF AND GAVE KIND OF A TRUNCATED VERSION OF HIS REGULAR STUMP SPEECH IN PART BECAUSE IT WAS TOO CLOSE TO CALL STILL BY THE END OF THE NIGHT. THIS WEEK, OF COURSE, WE SEE HE IS FAR OUT AHEAD AND THAT, NETWORKS WERE ABLE TO CALL THIS RIGHT AT 8:00 O'CLOCK, THE MINUTE THE POLLS CLOSE SO HE CAME OUT AND GAVE BASICALLY A CONVENTION SPEECH, ALMOST EVERY LINE IN THAT SPEECH WAS DIRECTED TO PRESIDENT OBAMA AND TALKING ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S FAILURES. I WAS STRUCK THERE WAS ONLY ONE LINE IN WHICH HE SAID, WELL LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE THIS LAST WEEK AND THAT IS WHEN HE SAID THAT IN THE LAST FEW DAYS WE HAVE SEEN SOME DESPERATE REPUBLICANS JOIN FORCES WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA. THAT WAS HIS WAY OF SAYING THEY WERE, GINGRICH, OBVIOUSLY, RICK PERRY DOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA HAVE BEEN CRITICIZING ROMNEY AND HE IS, OF COURSE, ACCUSING THEM OF CONSORTING WITH THE ENEMY BUT HE DIDN'T GO OFF MESSAGE FOR ANY OF THE REST OF THE SPEECH, IT WAS BASICALLY BEHAVING AS IF HE IS THE NOMINEE BASED ON THESE TWO EARLY VOTING RESULTS.

>> Woodruff: AND YOU ARE RIGHT. AND WITH THIS 36 PERCENTAGE POINT VICTORY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE SAYING HE IS THE PROHIBITIVE FAVORITE BUT THEY DO GO ON TO SOUTH CAROLINA, THERE IS FLORIDA, AFTER THAT, GWEN, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THAT HE TOOK TIME TO SINGLE OUT HIS REPUBLICAN COMPETITORS TO CALL THEM TO TASK FOR CRITICIZING HIM FOR HOW HE MADE HIS SUCCESS IN BUSINESS. THAT SAYS TO ME THAT HE IS WORRIED ABOUT HIS COLLEAGUES COMING AFTER HIM AGAIN, HIS REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES AS THIS CONTEST CONTINUES.

>> Gwen: I THINK WE HAVE ALREADY HEARD FROM SOME OF THE REMARKS FROM HIS REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES THAT THEY HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF COMING AFTER HIM AGAIN. NOBODY IS MAKING NOISES ABOUT LEAVING, ALTHOUGH WE ARE HEARING SO FAR IS RON COMING IN A VERY FIRIRM, SOLID SECOND, AND NEWT GINGRICH MAY BE FIGHTING FOR THIRD OR FOURTH OR MAYBE FIFTH. IT IS NOT CLEAR YET IN SOME OF THESE DOWN TICKET OUT COMES BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT JOHN HUNTSMAN WHO WAS HOPING TO BREAKTHROUGH AT THE END AND COME IN SECOND AND BE THAT RON PAUL, BEAT OUT RON PAUL FOR THE CHANCE TO BE ANYBODY BUT MITT ROMNEY COMPANY CAME THIRD, HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AS MUCH HIMSELF TONIGHT AND WE WILL SEE WHETHER HE HAS SOME PLACE TO GO WITH THIS IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE OTHER MORE, EVEN AS CONSERVATIVE PRIMARIES TO COME.

>> Woodruff: THAT'S RIGHT, HUNTSMAN SAYING HE WILL GO ON TO SOUTH CAROLINA DESPITE WHAT AS YOU SAY HAS TO BE FOR HIM A SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTED THIRD PLACE FINISH HERE. HE WE WILL GO NOW, GWEN TO RON PAUL, WHO WE MENTIONED HE IS TALKING TO HIS SUPPORTERS THERE IN MANCHESTER.

>> I TOLD GOVERNOR ROMNEY A SHORT WHILE AGO BEFORE HE GAVE HIS TALK AND CONGRATULATED HIM BECAUSE HE CERTAINLY HAD A CLEAR-CUT VICTORY, THAT WE ARE NIBBLING AT HIS HEELS.

>> BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER VICTORY TONIGHT. HE HAD A VICTORY, BUT WE HAVE HAD A VICTORY FOR THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY TONIGHT. THERE IS NO DOUBT, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS WHOLE EFFORT THAT WE ARE INVOLVED IN WILL NOT GO UNNOTICED. LET ME TELL YOU. I THINK THE INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTION IS GOING ON NOW, RESTORE LIBERTY IN THIS COUNTRY IS WELL ON ITS WAY, THERE IS NO WAY THEY ARE GOING TO STOP THE MOMENTUM THAT WE HAVE STARTED.

>> Woodruff: NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT MOMENTUM AND THAT INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTION WITH ANALYSIS FROM SHIELDS AND BROOKS, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST MARK SHIELD WHOSE IS HERE WITH ME IN MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST DAVID BROOKS, DAVID BROOKS, HOW DID MITT ROMNEY IN THE END PULL THIS OFF?

>> BROADLY. YOU KNOW, TO ME WHAT IS MOST IMPRESSIVE ABOUT THE THING IS THAT HE DID WELL JUST ABOUT AMONG EVERY GROUP, AMONG MOD RATS, AMONG INDEPENDENTS, SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES TEA PARTY CONSERVATIVES SO HE IS COMPETING AGAINST A BUNCH OF GUYS WHO ARE NICHE BRANDS, HE IS NOT, SHE THE MASS BRAND AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT ELECTORATE, THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE ELECTORATES OR ALL OF THE OTHER ELECTORATES IS DIFFERENT THAN NEW HAMPSHIRE BUT IF HE CAN KEEP SUPPORT AMONG THE SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES, THE TEA PARTY TIMES HE WILL DO PRETTY WELL AND I THOUGHT THE BIG THING TODAY HE TOOK THE ATTACKS ON BAIN AS YOU AND JUDY MENTIONED AND TURNED THEM INTO A REFERENDUM ON CAPITALISM, THAT'S THE KIND OF FIGHT HE WANTS TO HAVE.

>> Woodruff: WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BAIN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE VENTURE CAPITAL COMPANY HE ONCE RAN, HE CAME UNDER SOME ASSAULT FOR HIS MANAGEMENT OF THAT. HEY, MARK, YOU LISTENED TO MITT ROMNEY'S ACCEPTANCE SPEECH TONIGHT, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF IT?

>> WELL, I THINK YOU MADE THE POINT, GWEN, MOST SALIENT THAT IS IT WAS STARK AND DRAMATIC CONTRAST TO HIS SPEECH LAST WEEK IN IOWA, WHICH WAS RAMBLING. THIS OBVIOUSLY HAD A FOCUS. AND IT WAS THE FOCUS OF ALMOST A GENERAL ELECTION SPEECH. GOING FORWARD FROM HERE. AND I THOUGHT IT WAS -- IT HAD MORE OF A THEME, THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND IN IOWA, IT HAS BEEN A THEME LESS PUDDING OF A CAMPAIGN. LAST NIGHT IN HIS WRAP UP HE SAID GIVE ME A BOOST TOMORROW. AND TONIGHT THERE WAS MORE OF A SENSE OF WHAT WE WERE ABOUT AND THAT WE HAD TO DO AND CERTAINLY MORE EXPRESSION OF OPTIMISM. I THOUGHT THAT IS WHAT THE CROWD RESPONDED TO MOST HARTLEY.

>> Woodruff: SO, MARK, WHAT IS YOUR SENSE ON HOW HE WON THIS, AND WHAT HE HAD TO DO TO WIN IT THIS BIG? BECAUSE HE NOT 32 PERCENT LAST TIME FOUR YEARS AGO, LOSING TO JOHN MCCAIN AND THIS TIME IT LOOKS LIKE HE IS BESTING THAT, AT LEAST.

>> YES, HE IS, GWEN, AND DAVID IS RIGHT, HE WENT WITH CATHOLICS AND HE WENT CAN PROTESTANTS AND REPUBLICANS, HE WENT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE BACK BEN OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HERE. HE WON ACROSS THE STATE, AND REGIONS FROM THE SEACOAST ALL THE WAY TO THE NORTH COUNTRY. HE -- IT WAS A VERY SOLID VICTORY, AND THE ONLY PERSON WHO REALLY GAVE THEM ANY KIND OF A RUN FOR HIS MONEY WAS RON PAUL.

>> Gwen: LET'S TALK ABOUT RON PAUL, DAVID BROOKS, AND HE IS NOW, HE NOW HAS COME IN A VERY FIRM, CLEAR SECOND PLACE IN BOTH IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE, IS THAT SOMETHING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS CONCERN ABOUT OR IS THAT SOMETHING THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT OR THAT THEY WELCOME .. THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONCERN WHETHER HE WOULD RUN THIRD PARTY. I THINK THE CONVENTIONAL VIEW RIGHT NOW WITH HIS SON RAND PAUL IN THE SENATE HE DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO ANGER THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SO HE PROBABLY WON'T DO THAT. THE BEST IS HE TAKES A LOT OF YOUNG VOTERS HE HAS ENERGIZED, CAPITALIST, AND HE ENERGIZEDS THOSE PEOPLE TO SIGN UP TO VOTE AGAINST OBAMA IN THE FALL. SO I DON'T THINK THEY SEE HIM AS A NEGATIVE. HE HAS THE PROBLEM WHICH HUNTSMAN HAS IS THAT NEW HAMPSHIRE IS HIS BEST STATE. STRONG SUPPORT THERE HISTORICALLY, AND LONG TIME WAR FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. AND SO IT IS GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR HIM TO GO INTO SOUTH CAROLINA AND FLORIDA AND THOSE OTHER STATES THAT THERE ARE JUST FEWER OF HIS SORTS OF PEOPLE BUT HE WILL CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT IS SHAPING UP AS THE BIG DEBATE MAYBE OF THE YEAR, WHAT SORT OF CAPITALISM DO WE WANT? DOES THE COUNTRY REALLY BUY THE ARGUMENT THAT BARACK OBAMA IS THE EUROPEAN? I AM NOT SURE THEY WILL BUT THAT IS SORT OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CAPITALISM, THAT IS WHAT RON PAUL CONTRIBUTES TO AND ON MITT ROMNEY'S SIDE ON THAT BIG ISSUE.

>> Gwen: OF COURSE --

>> WE DISAGREE.

>> I WANTED TO SAY THAT RON PAUL CAME IN SECOND IN IOWA.

>> HE.

>> OKAY, MARK.

>> LET ME DISAGREE WITH DAVID. THIS IS RON PAUL'S BEST STATE. I THINK YOU WILL SEE RON PAUL DO VERY WELL IN A NUMBER OF WESTERN STATES, ESPECIALLY CAUCUS STATES, AND HIS SUPPORT, HIS IS CONTRADICT TRIIN MANY RESPECTS AS FAR AS POLITICAL CATEGORIZATION, HE GETS THE YOUNG VOTERS, MITT ROMNEY WON THE OLDEST AND RICHEST VOTERS HERE, RON PAUL WON WORKING CLASS VOTERS, BLUE COLLAR VOTERS AND THE YOUNGEST VOTERS. HE ALSO EXPANDED THE ELECTORATE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VOTING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY HE CARRIED STRONGLY. AND SO I THINK THAT RON PAUL ALSO ADDRESSES PROBLEMS TO THE REPUBLICANS AND THE WHOLE QUESTION OF CIVIL LINTS AND SURVEILLANCE AND UNDECLARED WARS AS WELL AS DEFENSE SPENDING, I AGREE WITH DAVID. HE IS AN UNEQUIVOCAL AND UNSWERVING SUPPORTER OF FREE ENTERPRISE, AND NONINTERVENTION IN THE MARKETPLACE, BUT THIS IS A MAN WHO IS AGAINST BAILOUTS. HE IS MORE INTERESTING AND MORE CONTRADICTORY THAN MOST CONVENTIONAL POLITICIANS, AND I JUST DON'T SEE THAT THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST STATE FOR HIM. I CAN SEE HIM GOING TO A LOT OF CAUCUS STATES AND DOING VERY WELL.

>> MARK, DAVID, WE WILL BE BACK WITH YOU LATER. JUDY, BACK TO YOU.

>> Woodruff: WELL, NOW LET'S SORT THROUGH SOME OF WHAT WE ARE LEARNING SO FAR TONIGHT. JOINING ME IN WASHINGTON IS STEWART ROTHENBERG, ED FOR OF THE ROTHENBERG POLITICAL REPORT AND KRISTINA BELLANTONI, THE NEWS HOUR POLITICAL EDITOR. SO NOT TO RAIN ON MITT ROMNEY'S PARADE, HE IS A WINNER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, STU, BUT HE WON 36, 37, THE LATEST VOTES WITH 47 PERCENT OF THE PRECINCTS REPORTING WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER PERCENT, NOT TO PUT TOO FINE OF A POINT ON IT BUT IF HE IS SUCH A STRONG FRONTRUNNER THE PARTY WHAT DOES HE STILL HAVE TO DO?

>> WELL, JUST THE KIND OF GROUPS THAT HE LOST OR DIDN'T DO AS WELL WITH, RON PAUL, WON YOUNGER VOTERS, LOWER INCOME VOTERS, FIRST TIME VOTERS WHO ARE IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, A LOT OF THESE ARE INDEPENDENTS AND A LOT ARE DEMOCRAT LEANING INDEPENDENTS, JOHN HUNTSMAN SELF IDENTIFIED DEMOCRATS, FOUR PERCENT ARE INDEPENDENTS BUT THEY DO IDENTIFY.

>> A SMALL NUMBER.

>> YES. RON PAUL PEOPLE WITH NO RELIGION. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CONSTITUENCIES IN THIS PRIMARY THAT ARE NOT IN THE SWEET SPOT OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, AND, LOOK, JUDY A LOT IS PERSONAL, JOHN HUNTSMAN WAS UP THERE CAMPAIGNING FOR MONTHS, MEETING PEOPLE, HUNTSMAN IS THE KIND OF CANDIDATE THAT SOME PEOPLE SEE AS A CONSERVATIVE ALTERNATIVE TO MITT ROMNEY, OTHER PEOPLE SEE AS A MODERATE ALTERNATIVE TO MITT ROMNEY. RON PAUL HAS A CERTAIN SIGNIFICANT APPEAL AMONG LIBERTARIAN KIND OF VOTERS. SO, YOU KNOW, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS BIG ENOUGH SO THAT OTHER CANDIDATES ARE GOING TO GET SUPPORT.

>> KRISTINA WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THESE EXIT POLLS YOU HAVE BEEN STUDYING. > > WHAT WHAT, WELL WHAT IS INTERESTING THE MOST CONSERVATIVE VOTERS AND THE ONE THAT CONSIDER THEMSELVES THE MOST LIBERAL ARE GOING FOR ROMNEY WHICH IS INTERESTING. SANTORUM CAME IN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING LIKE HE COULD --

>> OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM.

>> YES. AND THAT'S WHERE THE ELECTABILITY ARGUMENT WHICH MANY VOTERS CAME TO THE POLLS FOR THAT REASON, THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR IN A CANDIDATE PLAYS IN HERE. BUT SANTORUM WAS WINNING A LOT OF THIS VERY CONSERVATIVE VOTE, AND YOU ARE SEEING RICK PERRY WHO IS DOWN IN SOUTH SAYING IT IS CLEAR THAT FROM THE RESULTS OF THIS YOU HAVE GOT A VIABLE CONSERVATIVE ALTERNATIVE AND I THINK THAT ROMNEY AND A LOT OF THE PRO ROMNEY FORCES ARE TRYING TO SHUT THAT DOWN SAYING I AM THE CONSERVATIVE ALTERNATIVE.

>> LET ME POINT OUT QUICKLY 22 PERCENT OF THESE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY VOTERS DID DESCRIBE THEMSELVES AS BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS OR EVANGELICALS, SO I KNOW THERE IS A TENDENCY OF STEREOTYPE EACH STATE, IOWA IS EVANGELICALS, NEW HAMPSHIRE IS THE NONEQUALS. BUT, NO EVANGELICALS.

>> SANTORUM, NEWT GINGRICH, THEY HAVE REPUBLICANS TO TALK TO IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

>> IF YOU ARE RON PAUL OR IF YOU ARE JOHN HUNTSMAN OR RICK SANTORUM FORM OR ANY OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES, CHRISTI NA, WHAT DO YOU SEE THAT YOU CAN HANG YOUR HAT ON AND SAY AH, MAYBE I CAN TAKE THIS AND DEVELOP IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

>> THE QUESTION IS I THINK IS VERY INTERESTING, ONE THING IS IN THE EXIT POLL DATA AS WELL THAT IS INTERESTING IS THEY TALK TO DIFFERENT VOTERS WHO CHOSE A CERTAIN CANDIDATE, AND SAID WOULD YOU BE SATISFIED IF THIS OTHER CANDIDATE WON THE NOMINATION? ROMNEY VOTERS, WOULD YOU BE SATISFIED IF RON PAUL WON THE NOMINATION, 43 PERCENT SAY NO. PAUL VOTERS WOULD YOU BE SATISFIED IF ROMNEY WON THE NOMINATION, 42 PERCENT SAY NO. THAT NUMBER, IF I AM RON PAUL'S CAMPAIGN AND I SAY WELL I HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE AND I HAVE THIS COALITION AND HE SAYS THERE IS NO WAY WE ARE GOING TO STOP WITH THIS MOMENTUM, WE HAVE GOT A TON OF IT, I DO TAKE THAT TO THE COMMISSION. I TRY TO SORT OF, I DON'T WORRY ABOUT MY SON'S FUTURE IN THE SENATE. YOU KNOW, HE DOESN'T HAVE TO FACE REELECTION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO I TAKE THAT FORWARD. AND WHETHER HE DOES OR NOT IS A BIG QUESTION AND AS FOR HUNTSMAN, YOU KNOW, WINNING DEMOCRATS IN THIS ELECTION IS NOT THE PASS FORWARD IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

>> GINGRICH AND SANTORUM, I THINK THEY LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS AND THEY STILL SAY THERE IS NO SINGLE CONSERVATIVE AGAINST MITT ROMNEY, AND AT SOME POINT SOONER OR LATER, WHETHER SOUTH CAROLINA OR FLORIDA OR BEYOND, THIS IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO A ONE-ON-ONE RACE, AND RICK PERRY SAID THE SAME THING SO THEIR INCENTIVE IS HANG IN THE RACE UNTIL IT BECOMES ONE ON ONE. NOW REALITY IS THE RACE MAY BE OVER BY THE TIME IT BECOMES ONE ON ONE AND FOR HUNTSMAN, IF THERE IS --

>> CERTAINLY NOT COMING OUT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

>> RIGHT. SO THEY SAY, LOOK, THE FUNDAMENTAL CHOICE IN THIS PARTY, MITT ROMNEY, THE MODERATE, VERSUS A CONSERVATIVE, THAT IS FUNDAMENTAL CHOICE HAS NOT YET BEEN MADE AND I HAVE TO STAY IN THE RACE AND EMERGE AS THE ALTERNATIVE AND I GUESS HUNTSMAN SAYS I FINISHED THIRD, AHEAD OF SANTORUM AND GINGRICH AND PERRY MAYBE I CAN BE THE CONSERVATIVE ALTERNATIVE BUT, YOU KNOW, PURE JOHN HUNTSMAN AFTER SPENDING WEEKS AND MONTHS, YOUR PROSPECTS ARE DIM.

>> KRISTINA QUICKLY ON THE MAP, WE PUT TOGETHER, WE ARE STARTING TO PUT TOGETHER HOW THE TEN COUNTIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE BROKEN DOWN AND JUST TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME RIGHT NOW, WHAT DO WE KNOW IN THESE EARLY RESULTS ABOUT HOW ROMNEY DID?

>> WELL, THESE COUNTIES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE STATE, VERY CLOSE TO MASSACHUSETTS, WHERE NASHUA AND MANCHESTER ARE HERE, IS ROMNEY'S REAL STRONGHOLD, THAT'S WHAT HE WON IN 2008 AND DID REALLY WELL DOWN THERE, AND THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF THE STATE, JOHN MCCAIN DID VERY WELL, AND SO THE FACT THAT ROMNEY IS DOING WELL ALL OVER THE STATE IS EXACTLY WHY HE IS THE WINNER HERE. AND THIS DOWN HERE IN KEEN, THIS IS CHESHIRE COUNTY AND RON PAUL IS EDGING ROMNEY JUST A LITTLE BIT DOWN T HE WON ONE PREFROM SINGT IN THAT SAME AREA IN 2008 WHEN HE CAME IN WITH EIGHT PERCENT OF THE VOTE ININ FIFTH PLACE. SO --

>> BUT THIS IS A LOW POPULATION AREA.

>> YES.

>> SO --

>> YEAH. THE POPULATIONS ARE CENTERED IN SORT OF THIS SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE STATE AND AGAIN THAT IS WHERE ROMNEY IS PRETTY STRONG.

>> SO STU, AGAIN ON ANY OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES, OR ROMNEY, DO THEY LOOK AT THIS MAP AND LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THEIR STRENGTH,MNS WE ARE TOLD HE DOES WELL, IN THE MILL INCOME AND UPPER INCOME SUBURBS.

>> I THINK THE COMBINATION OF THESE RESULTS, RON PAUL FINISHING SECOND, EMERGING AS THE ALTERNATIVE TO MITT ROMNEY, PLUS THE SPEECH THAT ROMNEY GAVE, THE MOMENTUM IS GOING TO COME OUT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE IS GOING TO BE VERY CONSIDERABLE.

>> WELL, THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE FOR NOW. STEWART ROTHENBERG, THANK YOU, KRISTINA BELLANTONI, WE WILL HAVE MORE ON THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY LATER IN THE PROGRAM BUT FIRST THE OTHER NEWS OF THIS DAY. HERE IS.

>> WALL STREET RALLIED TODAY IN PART TO AN UP BEAT SOURCE, ALCO, A THE THE ALUMINUM COMPANY PROJECTED DEMAND FOR THE METAL WILL INCREASE IN 2012. THAT IS TAKEN AS A SIGN OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND IMPROVED EARNINGS FOR MORE SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE GAINED MORE THAN 69 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 12,462. THE NASDAQ ROSE NEARLY 26 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 2702. A BOMB TORE THROUGH A BUSY MARKET IN NORTHWEST PAKISTAN TODAY, KILLING AT LEAST 30 PEOPLE. THE BLAST HIT VEHICLES OF AN ANTI-TALIBAN MILITIA IN THE KHYBER REGION, NEAR THE AFGHAN BORDER. LOCAL OFFICIALS REPORTED MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED. THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE CLAIM OF RESPONSIBILITY. ACROSS THE BORDER, IN AFGHANISTAN, TALIBAN INSURGENTS STORMED A GOVERNMENT BUILDING IN THE EAST. TEN PEOPLE DIED IN THE FIREFIGHT THAT FOLLOWED. THE TARGET WAS THE GOVERNMENT TELECOMMUNICATIONS OFFICE IN SHARAN, THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL OF PAKTIKA PROVINCE. THE REGION IS ONE OF THE MAIN ROUTES FOR TALIBAN FIGHTERS INFILTRATING FROM PAKISTAN. U.S. FORCES STAGED ANOTHER SEA RESCUE OF IRANIANS IN DISTRESS EARLY THIS MORNING. THIS TIME, A U.S. COAST GUARD CUTTER PLUCKED SIX CREWMEN FROM AN IRANIAN CARGO SHIP THAT WAS FOUNDERING IN THE PERSIAN GULF. THE CUTTER WAS PART OF A U.S. NAVAL TASK FORCE. LAST THURSDAY, A U.S. NAVY WARSHIP IN THE ARABIAN SEA RESCUED 13 IRANIAN FISHERMAN FROM SOMALI PIRATES. THE FIRST PHASE OF EGYPT'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WOUND TO A CLOSE TODAY. THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AND OTHER ISLAMIST FACTIONS WERE EXPECTED TO TAKE 60% OF THE NEARLY 500 SEATS IN THE LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT. MEANWHILE, A LEADING SECULAR PARTY SAID IT WOULD BOYCOTT UPCOMING ELECTIONS FOR THE UPPER HOUSE. IT SAID IT WAS PROTESTING ALLEGED VOTING VIOLATIONS BY THE ISLAMIST GROUPS. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE DAY'S MAJOR STORIES. NOW, BACK TO JUDY.

>> Woodruff: THE HIGH COURT TAKES A LOOK AT FREE SPEECH AND TV INDECENCY. JEFFREY BROWN HAS THE STORY.

>> Brown: CHER, NICOLE RITCHIE, "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN," AND THE PBS DOCUMENTARY, "THE BLUES." WHAT DO THEY ALL HAVE IN COMMON? WELL, THEY'VE BEEN ON BROADCAST TELEVISION, THEY'VE USED OR INCLUDED PROFANITY, AND THEY'RE ALL NOW PART OF A CONSTITUTIONAL DEBATE OVER FEDERAL REGULATION OF INDECENCY, IN A CASE ARGUED BEFORE THE SUPRREME COURT TODAY. MARCIA COYLE OF THE "NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL" WAS THERE, AND IS BACK WITH US TONIGHT.

>> THANKS, JEFF.

>> Brown: THIS IS ONE, AS OPPOSED TO SOME WE TALKED ABOUT, THIS IS ONE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS QUICKLY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Brown: WHAT CAN BE ON TELEVISION? WHAT'S INDECENCY IN THE EYES OF THE F.C.C.?

>> THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATION COMMISSION DEFINES INDECENCY AS MATERIAL THAT DESCRIBES OR DEPICTS SEXUAL OR EXCRETORY ORGANS OR ACTIVITIES IN A PATENTLY OFFENSIVE MANNER AS JUDGED BY CONTEMPORARY COMMUNITY STANDARDS.

>> Brown: SOUNDS SO EASY.

>> IT DOES. IN FACT, THE FCC BROUGHT THE CASE TO THE SUPREME COURT TODAY BECAUSE A LOWER FEDERAL APPELLATE COURT FOUND THAT THE DEFINITION WAS SO VAGUE THAT IT VIOLATED THE DUE PROCESS AND FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF BROADCAST MEDIUM.

>> Brown: BRING US UP TO DATE. WHAT ARE THE FACTS OF THIS CASE? I MENTIONED SOME OF THESE PEOPLE: CHER, NICOLE RITCHIE.

>> YES, AND THEY ARE IN THIS CASE OR THE STATIONS ARE IN THIS CASE. THE LOWER FEDERAL APPELLATE COURT WAS RULING ON CHALLENGES BROUGHT BY FOX TELEVISION AND ABC. FOX WAS FOUND TO VIOLATE THE INDECENCY POLICY BECAUSE IT AIRED IN 2002 AND 2003 THE BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS IN THE 2002 SHOW CHER USED THE F-WORD. IN THE 2003 SHOW NICOLE RITCHIE USED THE F- AND THE S-WORD. ABC WAS THE CHALLENGE HERE BECAUSE IT FOUND THAT THE FCC FOUND THAT IT VIOLATED THE POLICY BECAUSE OF A 2003 EPISODE OF "NYPD BLUE" IN WHICH A NUDE WOMAN WAS SHOWN FROM THE REAR ENTERING A SHOWER.

>> Brown: THAT BRINGS US UP. THEN A LOWER COURT SAYS THESE ARE VAGUE. WHAT HAPPENED IN COURT TODAY? YOU HAD A LIVELY TIME TODAY.

>> IT WAS A LIVELY ARGUMENT. AND THE ISSUE BEFORE THE COURT IS EXACTLY WHAT CAME OUT OF THE LOWER FEDERAL APPELLATE COURT. THAT IS, IS THIS POLICY UNCONSTITUTIONALLY VAGUE? JUSTICE GINSBURG WENT RIGHT AT IT BY SAYING TO SOLICITOR GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES DONALD VER ILL A....

>> Brown: WHO IS ARGUING ON BEHALF OF THE FCC. >>. RIGHT HE'S HE SAID THAT THE MAJOR OBJECTION HERE SEEMS TO BE THAT ONE CAN'T TELL WHAT IS INDECENT AND WHAT IS NOT. SHE SAID VULGAR WORDS AND SHOWING THE MOVIE "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN" IS OKAY, BUT VULGAR WORDS USED BY BLUES MUSICIANS IN A PBS DOCUMENTARY IS NOT. NUDITY SHOWN IN THE MOVIE "SCHINDLER'S LIST" IS OKAY, BUT IT'S NOT OKAY IN THE "NYPD" EPISODE. SO MR. VERILLI MADE TWO ARGUMENTS HERE. HE SAID, ONE, THE POLICY IS NOT VAGUE BECAUSE, HE SAID, IT IS CONTEXT DRIVEN. AND WHEN THE FCC IS LOOKING AT EACH INSTANCE IN TERMS OF ITS OVERALL CONTEXT YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE PERFECT CLARITY. HIS SECOND KEY ARGUMENT WAS THAT THE BROADCAST MEDIUM-- AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CABLE, JEFF. LET'S MAKE THIS CLEAR.

>> Brown: LET'S MAKE IT VERY CLEAR. JUST OVER-THE-AIR....

>> PUBLIC AIR, RIGHT AND NOT SATELLITE TV EITHER. HE SAID THE BROADCAST MEDIUM HAS BENEFITED FOR YEARS FROM FREE AND EXCLUSIVE USE OF THE PUBLIC AIR WAVES. AND IN RETURN FOR THAT, HE SAID, THE... IN RETURN FOR A GOVERNMENT LICENSE TO DO THAT, THEY HAVE AN ENFORCEABLE OBLIGATION TO CREATE A SAFE HAVEN FOR PARENTS WHO DO NOT WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO BE EXPOSED TO VULGAR LANGUAGE OR NUDITY.

>> Brown: THE ARGUMENT FOR THE BROADCASTERS.

>> THE BROADCASTERS, OF COURSE, FEEL THAT THIS POLICY IS VAGUE FOR THE VERY EXAMPLES JUSTICE GINSBERG GAVE, AND IT'S INCONSISTENT THEY SAID. THEY'RE ARGUING FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE HERE. THEY'RE SAYING THAT THE INDECENCY POLICY IS HOPELESSLY OUT OF DATE. THEY POINT TO THE FACT THAT BROADCAST MEDIUM IS NO LONGER, AS THE SUPREME COURT FOUND IN 1978 IN THE CASE INVOLVING GEORGE CARLIN'S FILTHY WORDS, THAT THE BROADCAST MEDIUM COULD BE REGULATED FOR INDECENCY BECAUSE IT WAS SO PERVASIVE FOR ALL AMERICANS AND SO UNIQUELY ACCESSIBLE TO CHILDREN. SO THE BROADCAST MEDIUM HERE IS TELLING THE COURT THIS IS OUT OF DATE. THERE'S CABLE. THERE'S SATELLITE. THE CHIEF JUSTICE....

>> Brown: AN EXPLOSION OF MEDIA WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE TO LIMIT THIS AND MAKE CLEAR IT'S JUST ABOUT BROADCAST.

>> RIGHT. CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS SAID IN A WAY THAT CUTS AGAINST THE BROADCAST MEDIUM'S ARGUMENTS BECAUSE IF THIS IS SO PERVASIVE, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE NOW, THEN MAYBE WE NEED A FEW CHANNELS THAT PROVIDE A SAFE HAVEN. THE JUSTICES ALSO WENT INTO QUESTIONS ABOUT V-CHIP TECHNOLOGY. JUSTICE KENNEDY SAID, "WELL, WHAT ABOUT V-CHIP?"

>> Brown: THAT ALLOWS PARENTS TO....

>> PARENTS TO BLOCK. MR. VERILLI FOR THE FCC SAID IT'S INADEQUATE TECHNOLOGY. IT WON'T HELP YOU ON LIVE TELEVISION. ALSO JUSTICE KENNEDY RAISED THE QUESTION OF WHETHER, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SYMBOLIC VALUE TO AMERICAN SOCIETY TO HAVE A SEGMENT OF TELEVISION THAT ISN'T VULGAR. JUSTICE SCALIA WHO SHOWED HIS HAND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY SAID, "SIGN ME UP FOR JUSTIN KENNEDY'S SYMBOLISM."

>> Brown: IT'S INTERESTING. IT SOUNDS AS THOSE JUSTICES WATCH TELEVISION, RIGHT?

>> THEY DO.

>> Brown: THESE BLACK-ROBED... THEY GO HOME AND ACTUALLY WATCH TELEVISION. THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT.

>> JUSTICE GINSBERG SAID, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE LANGUAGE... THAT CHILDREN TODAY WOULD NOT BE SHOCKED BY THE LANGUAGE USED TODAY AS CHILDREN A GENERATION AGO WOULD BE.

>> Brown: BRIEFLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR TOOK HERSELF OUT OF THE CASE, RECUSED HERSELF.

>> SHE DID.

>> Brown: THAT'S BECAUSE SHE WAS INVOLVED IN THE LOWER CASE?

>> RIGHT. SHE SAT ON THE LOWER FEDERAL APPELLATE COURT WHEN THIS CASE WAS MOVING THROUGH THAT COURT.

>> Brown: THAT MEANS THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR THE TIE.

>> THERE ALWAYS IS WHEN THERE ARE ONLY EIGHT JUSTICES. I HAVE TO SAY THAT IT DID SEEM AS THOUGH THERE COULD BE A SPLIT DECISION HERE.

>> Brown: MARCIA COYLE, AS ALWAYS, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> Ifill: NOW, AN UPDATE ON THE TURMOIL IN SYRIA, AS THAT COUNTRY'S EMBATTLED PRESIDENT FIGHTS BACK. WE BEGIN WITH A REPORT FROM JOHN RAY OF INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS IN CAIRO.

>> Reporter: 300 DAYS OF VIOLENCE AND COUNTING. A DEATH TOLL PASSING 5,000 AND MOUNTING. AND YET A CONFIDENT PRESIDENT PARADED BEFORE HIS NATION AND VOWED THAT VICTORY AT ANY PRICE IS CLOSE.

>> THIS WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE UNLESS WE HIT THE MURDEROUS TERRORISTS WITH AN IRON FIST. THERE WILL BE NO COMPROMISES. TERRORISM AND NO MERCY TO THOSE WHO USE WEAPONS TO CREATE DISCORD AND DIVISION.

>> Reporter: THE TURMOIL HE BLAMED ON FOREIGN CONSPIRACIES, DARK FORCES INCLUDING THE ARAB LEAGUE.

>> HAS THE LEAGUE SUCK SEETEDED TO BE INDEPENDENT? AS IT EVER SUCCEEDED TO REALIZE ANY OF THE PEOPLE'S DREAMS? OR HAS IT IN FACT CONTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO SOWING THE SEEDS OF DISCORD AND DIVISION?

>> Reporter: AS HE SPOKE, THESE PICTURES EMERGED OF ASSAD'S SUPPORTERS MOBBING A CONVOY OF ARAB OBSERVERS. 11 WERE HURT. THE TIMING PERHAPS NO COINCIDENCE. IT WAS CONDEMNED BY ARAB LEADERS IN CAIRO. BUT THAT PEACE MISSION IS IN DEEP TROUBLE.

>> ASSAD'S WITHERING ATTACK ON THE ARAB LEAGUE EXPLOITING ITS DIVISIONS AND ITS INDECISIVENESS AIMS TO KILL OFF THEIR ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THIS CRISIS. AND OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS WHO ONCE HOPED THE WORLD WOULD COME TO THEIR RESCUE ARE LOSING HOPE.

>> THE ONLY WAY I THINK THAT... TO REALLY SOLVE THIS ISSUE WOULD BE SOME SORT OF INTERVENTION. WE DON'T EXPECT ANYONE WANTS TO INTERVENE. IT'S JUST TOO MESSY.

>> Reporter: WHILE THE WORLD REMAINS RELUCTANT TO ACT, THERE'S A PRESIDENT WHO BELIEVES HE'S WINNING.

>> Ifill: MARGARET WARNER TAKES THE STORY FROM THERE.

>> Warner: FOR MORE ON PRESIDENT ASSAD'S DEFIANT SPEECH AND HIS FIGHT TO MAINTAIN HIS REGIME WE TURN TO TWO MEN WHO HAVE MET AND DEALT WITH HIM. THEODORE KATUF WAS U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SYRIA FROM 2001 TO 2003 IN THE EARLY YEARS OF ASSAD'S RULE AND ANDREW CABLE NOW A FELLOW AT THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE LIVED IN SYRIA FOR MOST OF THE LAST DECADE AND COVERED ASSAD FOR AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAGAZINE HE FOUNDED THERE. WELCOME TO YOU BOTH. GENTLEMEN, LET ME BEGIN WITH YOU, THIS SPEECH WAS 100 MINUTES LONG. WAS IT AS DEFIANT LOOKED AT IN ITS ENTIRETY AS IT SOUNDS?

>> YES. IT CONTINUED THE PATTERN OF DEFIANT SPEECHES FROM PRESIDENT ASSAD. HE OUTRIGHT SAYS THAT YOU MUST BATTLE TERRORISM WHICH IS WHAT HE CALLED THE UPRISING IN SYRIA. IT MUST BE DEALT WITH WITH AN IRON FIST AND VICTORY IS NEAR. THIS IS VERY BOMBASTIC LANGUAGE AND SOMETHING IN A SPEECH THAT WE DID NOT EXPECT. WE EXPECTED SOME SORT OF CONCESSIONS FROM ASSAD. HE DIDN'T DELIVER.

>> Warner: WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF "VICTORY IS NEAR"? DO YOU THINK HE BELIEVES THAT? WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY. YOU'VE MET AND DEALT WITH HIM.

>> HE MAY WELL BELIEVE IT, ALTHOUGH HE HAS TO BE A BIT SHAKEN BY HOW LONG THIS HAS GONE ON GIVEN THE LEVEL OF BRUTALITY HIS PEOPLE HAVE USED AGAINST THE DEMONSTRATORS BUT HE GAINED A LOT OF CONFIDENCE OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE HE WAS CONVINCED THAT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WAS GUNNING FOR HIS REGIME AFTER WE WENT INTO IRAQ. HE WAS, OF COURSE, ALLOWING INFILTRATION TO GO ON INTO IRAQ. YOU KNOW, WHEN GEORGE BUSH LEFT OFFICE, HE LOOKED AROUND AND HE SAID I'M STILL HERE. AND HE'S GONE. I MUST BE PRETTY SMART. HE BECAME REALLY QUITE FULL OF HIMSELF. HE WENT FROM BEING A FELLOW WHO WAS A BIT ON THE SELF-EFFACING SIDE TO BEING A FELLOW WHO WAS QUITE FULL OF HIMSELF.

>> Warner: HE HAD BEEN AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST IN LONDON. HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THE HARE. THEN HE'S THRUST INTO THIS JOB. HOW DOES THE MAN WE'RE SEEING COMPARED TO THE MAN YOU COVERED IN THE LAST DECADE WHICH WAS THE FIRST DECADE OF HIS RULE?

>> IT'S INTERESTING WHAT THE AMBASSADOR IS SAYING. IT FOLLOWS A PATTERN AS WELL. ASSAD ON THE SURFACE SEEMS LIKE AN AFTER FABL PERSON, SPEAKS VERY GOOD ENGLISH, MUCH DIFFERENT THAN HIS FATHER. HE SEEMS MUCH MORE REASONABLE. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU LEAVE THE ROOM FROM PRESIDENT ASSAD, THE THINGS THAT HE PROMISED TO DO, EITHER IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OR HE DOES COMPLETELY THE OPPOSITE. THIS GIVES HIM A SORT OF MAD CHARACTER THAT REALLY NOT ONLY CONFOUNDS HIS OWN PEOPLE BUT CONFOUNDED WESTERN DIPLOMACY WITH HIM EXTENSIVELY AND MADE HIM VERY, VERY DIFFERENT FROM HIS FATHER WHO WAS ABLE TO PLAY OFF ALL SIDES AGAINST EACH OTHER AND MAINTAIN ORDER IN THE COUNTRY.

>> Warner: AND WOULD DELIVER WHEN HE MADE....

>> CORRECT. VERY DIFFERENT.

>> Warner: WHAT ABOUT HIS FAMILY? MR. AMBASSADOR, ONE, WHO DOES HE TALK TO? WHO IS HE SURROUNDED WITH AND WHAT IS THEIR MIND SET?

>> WELL, WE CAN'T BE 100% SURE. BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT HE HAS CONVENED EVEN YEARS AGO LARGE FAMILY GATHERINGS IN WHICH THE FAMILY BUSINESS, AS WE SAY, WOULD BE DISCUSSED. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS THAT HIS MOTHER, OF ALL PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, THE WIDOW, HAS TOLD HIM, YOU KNOW, THAT HE HAS TO STAY STRONG. HE HAS TO PROTECT THE FAMILY. THE COMMUNITY, MEANING THE REGIME AND HIS FATHER'S LEGACY. NEVER UNDERRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF ARAB MOTHERS WITH THEIR SONS. ( LAUGHING )

>> Warner: BUT WHEN HE CAME IN, PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS REFORMED- MINDED. HE HAD LIVED IN THE WEST AND LIVED IN LONDON. WHAT HAPPENED? OR DID PEOPLE JUST READ INTO HIM, WESTERNERS READ INTO HIM WHAT THEY WANTED TO READ?

>> I THINK IT'S A LITTLE... I THINK TO SOME EXTENT HE MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT I CAN MAKE SOME COSMETIC REFORMS. I CAN LIGHTEN THE IMAGE OF THE REGIME. I CAN OPEN THINGS UP A BIT. BUT VERY MUCH LIKE IN "THE GODFATHER' WHERE MICHAEL CORLIONE MAY HAVE IN THE BEGINNING SOME IDEA THAT HE CAN TAKE THE FAMILY IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, TAKE THEM OUT TO LAS VEGAS, START LEGITIMATE BUSINESSES, HE FOUND OUT THAT THE SYSTEM ONLY OPERATES ONE WAY: WITH A STRONG, RUTHLESS S.O.B. AT THE TOP. AND THAT WOULD BE HIM.

>> Warner: ANDREW, WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE THE ARAB LEAGUE MISSION? AS WE HEARD HE TOTALLY TRASHED THE ARAB LEAGUE IN HIS SPEECH.

>> YEAH. WHAT'S VERY INTERESTING IS THAT THEY BASICALLY CALLED IT NON- OBJECTIVE. HE REFERRED TO SOME ARAB COUNTRIES, WHICH HE MEANS QATAR. NO WAY THAT THE REPORT....

>> Warner: THIS IS THE OBSERVER MISSION, SEEING IF HE WAS LIVING UP TO THE DEAL.

>> HE WASN'T LIVING UP TO THE DEAL. HE'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO LIVE UP TO THE DEAL. MOST IMPORTANTLY WHAT THIS IS GOING TO DO THEN IS THAT THIS IS GOING TO THROW THINGS PERHAPS OUT OF THE ARAB LEAGUE AND INTO THE SECURITY COUNCIL. THE QUESTION WILL BE, WHAT WILL A NEGATIVE REPORT ON SYRIA NOT COMPLYING DO WITH THE RUSSIAN VETO ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL IN TERMS OF BLOCKING A WESTERN-LED RESOLUTION THERE TO HELP TRY AND END THE FIGHTING.

>> Warner: HOW CLEAR IS IT THAT THE ARAB LEAGUE REPORT WILL BE NEGATIVE, BECAUSE SOME OF THE STATEMENTS THAT HAVE COME OUT FROM THEM AS THEY'VE CONTINUED THIS MISSION HAVE, IT SEEMS TO STRIKE, YOU KNOW, CRITICIZE BOTH SIDES AND SO FORTH?

>> I THINK AFTER TODAY'S SPEECH, A VERY GOOD PROBABILITY IT WILL BE A VERY TOUGH REPORT. HE STOOD UP THERE BEFORE THE WORLD AND INSULTED THE SAUDI LEADERS, ALL THE GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL LEADERS, BASICALLY SAID THEY DON'T HAVE AUTHENTIC CULTURE. THEY'RE NOT REALLY ARABS. WITHOUT US THERE IS NO ARAB LEAGUE. THERE'S A FOREIGN LEAGUE. THEY'RE PART OF A MASS CONSPIRACY. YOU KNOW, HE'S DONE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING HE CAN THINK OF TO ENSURE THAT HE'S TURNED THESE PEOPLE AGAINST HIM AND ALSO RAISES THE QUESTION THAT IF HE WANTS TO GO IN EXILE, WHO WILL TAKE HIM?

>> Warner: SO HE SEEMS SO CONFIDENT, AS HE SAID, ANDREW, THAT THE IRON FIST IS GOING TO PREVAIL HERE. BY THAT HE MUST MEAN HIS OWN MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, RIGHT?

>> CORRECT.

>> Warner: DOES HE STILL HAVE PRETTY MUCH UNQUESTIONED LOYALTY FROM THEM?

>> WELL, NO. YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF DEFECTIONS.

>> Warner: SOME DEFECTIONS IN THE MILITARY.

>> BY AND LARGE HE STILL COMMANDS THE AUTHORITY OF THE MILITARY. UNDER THE CONSTITUTION HE DIRECTS THEM. BY AND LARGE I THINK HE BELIEVES THAT, BUT THE PROBLEM THAT ASSAD HAS IS THAT THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS TO GO ON AS THE AMBASSADOR SAID FOR TEN MONTHS IS... IT IS JUST SO TROUBLING TO THE REGIME AT ITS CORE. BASICALLY ALSO TO SAY THAT THE IRON FIST....

>> Warner: WHAT DO YOU MEAN TROUBLING TO THE REGIME?

>> THEY'VE HAD A VERY HIGH BAR FOR ORDER IN SYRIA. MORE THAN THREE PEOPLE GATHERING ON THE STREET WAS ILLEGAL AND CAN BE BROKEN UP. NOW TENS OF THOUSANDS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SOMETIMES PROTESTING. HE'S IN A REAL DILEMMA. THE QUESTION IS, WHY IS IT THAT HE KEEPS ON ADVOCATING THE IRON FIST WITH SUPERFICIAL REFORMS AND THINKING THAT THAT'S GOING TO GET HIM OUT OF SOMETHING? HE'S BEEN DOING THAT FOR TEN MONTHS. IT HASN'T WORKED. WHY DOES HE CONTINUE TO THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK NOW? THAT'S THE QUESTION.

>> Warner: SO VERY BRIEFLY THEN, TODAY HE DIDN'T SAY, WELL WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW CONSTITUTION AND A REFERENDUM THE FIRST WEEKEND OF MARCH. IS THAT JUST WINDOW DRESSING OR IS THERE A PROSPECT HE MIGHT TAKE SOME STEPS THAT WOULD ACTUALLY....

>> IT'S WINDOW DRESSING. THIS MAN HAS NOT KILLED PEOPLE FOR THE LAST TEN MONTHS TO PEACEFULLY TRANSFER POWER TO THE OPPOSITION. IT'S TOTALLY WINDOW DRESSING. AND THE YOUNG MAN WHO WAS ON YOUR SET-UP FOR THIS INTERVIEW SAID HE REALLY DIDN'T SEE HOW THE OPPOSITION COULD WIN WITHOUT FOREIGN INTERVENTION. AND SORRY TO SAY, I'M NOT SURE I SEE HOW THE OPPOSITION CAN WIN. I CAN SEE THE COUNTRY DESCENDING INTO CHAOS AND CIVIL WAR.

>> Warner: WHICH IS THE ULTIMATE NIGHTMARE. THANK YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Woodruff: NEXT, NORTH CAROLINA MOVES TOWARD COMPENSATING VICTIMS OF A STERILIZATION PROGRAM THAT LASTED MORE THAN FOUR DECADES. RAY SUAREZ HAS THE STORY.

>> Suarez: NORTH CAROLINA WAS BY NO MEANS THE ONLY STATE TO HAVE PEOPLE STERILIZED AGAINST THEIR WILL. BUT IT WAS AMONG THE MOST AGGRESSIVE IN PURSUING THE POLICY. ROUGHLY 7,600 PEOPLE WERE STERILIZED BETWEEN 1929 AND 1974, MANY OF THEM POOR, SICK, UNEDUCATED, OR INSTITUTIONALIZED, SOMETIMES THROUGH FORCE AND COERCION. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PROCEDURES TOOK PLACE IN THE YEARS AFTER WORLD WAR II, WHEN OTHER STATES PULLED BACK FROM SUCH PROGRAMS. THE STATE APOLOGIZED FOR THE OFFENSES IN 2002. TODAY A TASK FORCE VOTED TO PAY THE REMAINING LIVING VICTIMS $50,000 APIECE. WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY AND TODAY'S DECISION WITH ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL ACTIVISTS WORKING WITH THE STATE'S TASK FORCE. CHARMAINE FULLER-COOPER IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A STATE FOUNDATION FOR VICTIMS OF STERILIZATION.

>> NORTH CAROLINA FIRST BECAME INVOLVED IN THE WHOLE STERILIZATION PROCEDURE AT THE HEIGHT OF EUGENICS IN AMERICA, AT THE HEIGHT OF EUGENICS WE HAD APPROXIMATELY OVER 30 STATES THAT HAD STERILIZATION PROGRAMS WITH INDIANA BEING THE FIRST STATE. IRONICALLY NORTH CAROLINA ACTUALLY DIDN'T STERILIZE AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE EARLY YEARS LIKE OTHER STATES BUT AFTER WORLD WAR II NORTH CAROLINA BECAME VERY AGGRESSIVE.

>> Suarez: BUT AFTER WORLD WAR II EUGENICS, THAT IS, KEEPING PEOPLE WHO ARE JUDGED TO BE INFERIOR FROM HAVING CHILDREN WAS THOROUGHLY DISCREDITED. HOW COME NORTH CAROLINA CONTINUED WITH THE PROGRAM FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS?

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY UNEXPLAINABLE IN NORTH CAROLINA WHY OUR PROGRAM CONTINUED FOR ANOTHER 30 YEARS AFTER OTHER STATES HAD PRETTY MUCH DISMANTLED THEIR PROGRAMS. IT'S VERY HORRIFYING AND VERY SHOCKING. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY NORTH CAROLINA'S GOVERNOR AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THE STATE ARE REALLY WORKING TO GAIN JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS NOW.

>> Suarez: OVER THE YEARS A LOT OF STATE EMPLOYEES, MOST NOTABLY SOCIAL WORKERS JUDGE PEOPLE TO BE FEEBLE MINDED, EPILEPTIC, MENTALLY DISEASED. WERE THESE PROFESSIONALLY QUALIFIED JUDGMENTS? WERE THESE PEOPLE WHO WERE TESTED AND SCREENED? OR JUST ON THE SAY-SO OF A SOCIAL WORKER MADE UNABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN?

>> MANY PEOPLE WERE STERILIZED BASED ON THE STATEMENT OF A SOCIAL WORKERS. ALSO MANY PEOPLE WERE GIVEN I.Q. TESTS BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THESE I.Q.TESTS WERE GIVEN IN NORTH CAROLINA AROUND THE TIME THAT YOU HAD LITERACY TESTS BEING DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH.

>> Suarez: YOU GOT TO KNOW MANY OF THE VICTIMS OVER THE YEARS. BEYOND THE MEDICAL FACT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO BE PARENTS, WHAT'S THE EFFECT BEEN ON THEIR LIVES?

>> YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE VICTIMS ARE DEVASTATED. MANY OF THEM HAVE HAD TO HEAL IN THEIR OWN WAYS. BUT NO VICTIM IS THE SAME. MANY VICTIMS HAVE DIFFERENT STORIES TO TELL. WE HAVE A LOT OF DIVERSITY IN NORTH CAROLINA BUT THE COMMON THREAD IS MANY OF THEM WERE TARGETED BECAUSE OF POVERTY.

>> Suarez: WELL, THE SURVIVORS TODAY, THE CLASS THAT IS GOING TO BE COMPENSATED IN THIS WAY, WHAT'S THEIR AGE RANGE AND WHAT WAS THE RANGE OF THEIR AGES WHEN THEY WERE STERILIZED?

>> THE AGE RANGE OF VICTIMS TODAY, THE YOUNGEST VICTIM WOULD BE 50 YEARS OF AGE. THE YOUNGEST VICTIM WHO WAS STERILIZED WITHIN NORTH CAROLINA WAS TEN YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF THE STERILIZATION.

>> Suarez: TEN YEARS OLD. CAN YOU TELL US THE STORY THAT'S INVOLVED THERE.

>> NO, I DON'T HAVE HIS SPECIFIC STORY. BUT THE STORIES THROUGHOUT NORTH CAROLINA RANGE FROM PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT THEY HAD THEIR APPENDIX REMOVED AND THEY FOUND OUT LATER IN LIFE THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY STERILIZED. WE ALSO HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO THEY HAD CHILDREN AS A RESULT OF INCEST OR RAPE AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEY HAD THEIR FIRST CHILD THEY WERE RAPED. WE HAD A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL WHO WERE STERILIZED AS A CONDITION OF BEING RELEASED FROM A STATE INSTITUTION.

>> Suarez: IN SOME CASES AS A CONDITION SO THEY KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO THEM. BUT FOR SOME, AS YOU MENTIONED, TOLD THEY WERE HAVING THEIR APPENDIX OUT, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE UNABLE TO BEAR CHILDREN UNTIL MANY YEARS LATER.

>> THAT IS TRUE. EVEN MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN STATE INSTITUTIONS DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE THE CONDITIONS. SOME WERE TOLD THAT THEY HAD TO HAVE A SMALL PROCEDURE BEFORE THEY CAN COME HOME. FOR SOME OF THEM THEY FOUND OUT LATER IN LIFE BOTH MEN AND WOMEN THAT THAT SMALL PROCEDURE RESULTED IN A LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCE OF THEM NEVER BEING ABLE TO BEAR CHILDREN.

>> Suarez: IN THIS MULTI-YEAR PROCESS HOW DID YOU FINALLY ARRIVE AT THE AMOUNT OF $50,000? AND DO THE VICTIMS THINK IT'S ENOUGH?

>> THE TASK FORCE HAS HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME WITH TRYING TO COME DOWN TO A FIGURE. THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC KNEW THAT NO AMOUNT OF MONEY WOULD EVER COMPENSATE A PERSON FOR THEIR INABILITY TO HAVE ANY MORE CHILDREN IN THE FUTURE. BUT THEY WANT TO MAKE A HUGE STATEMENT BOTH TO NORTH CAROLINA AND TO THE WORLD THAT THESE STERILIZATIONS WERE AWFUL AND SHOULD NEVER BE CONDUCTED AGAIN. THEY BEGAN LOOKING AT THE FIGURE OF $20,000. SOME OF THAT FIGURE WAS LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER JAPANESE INTERMENTICTIMS WERE COMPENSATED MANY MANY YEARS AGO AND A $20,000 AWARD WAS GIVEN. BUT ULTIMATELY TODAY MANY OF THE TASK FORCE MEMBERS VOTED AS A MAJORITY TO RECOMMEND $50,000 FOR ALL OF THE LIVING VICTIMS OF NORTH CAROLINA'S STERILIZATION PROGRAM.

>> Suarez: SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE HAD TRIED TO SUE NORTH CAROLINA OVER THE YEARS AND WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL. IS THIS MEANT TO BE THE END OF IT? OR IF SOMEONE FIGURES 50 GRAND IS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH FOR THEM AND THEY WANT TO CONTINUE, CAN THEY?

>> YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR A LOT OF THE LEGAL EXPERTS THROUGHOUT THE NATION. TWO VICTIMS DID SUE THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE EARLY 1970s WHEN A LOT OF HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION WAS COMING TO LIGHT SUCH AS THE TUSKEGEE EXPERIMENTATION IN ALABAMA. BUT THAT'S REALLY A QUESTION FOR THE LEGAL EXPERTS BUT THE HOPE IN NORTH CAROLINA IS THAT COMPENSATION WILL HELP TO PROVIDE SOME CLOSURE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT FOR MANY VICTIMS THERE'S NOTHING THAT WILL EVER COMPLETELY HEAL THEM. THEY WILL NEED A SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. BUT THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA FEELS THAT COMPENSATION WILL GO BEYOND JUST A VERBAL APOLOGY.

>> Suarez: BEYOND THE APOLOGY AND BEYOND THE PAYMENT, HAS THIS CASE REOPENED A CONVERSATION IN NORTH CAROLINA ABOUT THE CONDITIONS THAT ALLOWED THIS KIND OF THING TO HAPPEN?

>> YOU KNOW, THAT HAS BEEN PART OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT IT CERTAINLY AT THE BEGINNING STAGES TO LOOKING AT HOW DID THIS HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE? WHAT HAPPENED WITH EUGENICS? THIS ALSO OCCURRED DURING THE TIME WHEN THE GREAT DEPRESSION HAD JUST ENDED AND THE UNITED STATES AND A LOT OF PEOPLE NEVER RECOVERED AFTER THE GREAT DEPRESSION BUT FOR MANY STATES EUGENICS WAS THE SOLUTION FOR POVERTY. UNFORTUNATELY NORTH CAROLINA WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS NOT OKAY.

>> Suarez: CHARMAINE, FULLER- KEER, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> BACK TO OUR COVERAGE OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY, MITT ROMNEY HAS BEEN DECLARED THE WINTER, JOHN HUNTSMAN SPOKE TO HIS SUPPORTERS AT THE BLACK BRIMMER, A RESTAURANT IN MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE A SHORT TIME AGO. HERE IS PART OF WHAT HE SAID.

>> OUR NATION'S FUTURE IS HOW PREPARED WE ARE TO RISE UP AS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND HIT HEAD ON THE COMPETITIVE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY. YOU KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT?

>> AND THIS IS ABOUT ECONOMICS. AND THIS IS ABOUT EDUCATION, AND THIS IS GOING TO PLAY OUT OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN WITH COUNTRIES THAT INDUSTRY LIVED IN BEFORE, AND ALL I CAN TELL YOU TONIGHT, WITHOUT ANY HINT OF HYPERBOLE, FOLKS, IF WE DON'T GET OUR ACT TOGETHER AS HOME WE WILL SEE THE END OF THE AMERICAN CENTURY BY 25TH AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN, ARE WE?

>> NOW SOME FINAL THOUGHTS FROM SHIELDS AND BROOKS, THAT SYNDICATED COLUMNIST MARK SHIELDS AND NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST DAVID BROOKS. DAVID, YOU KNOW, JOHN HUNTSMAN LOST RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE BY 20 POINTS TO MITT ROMNEY TONIGHT YET HE SAID HIS THIRD PLACE FINISH WAS, I MEAN, TO RON PAUL, ANYWAY HE SAID HIS THIRD PLACE FINISH WAS A TICKET TO RIDE TO WHERE?

>> UTAH. YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T SEE IT. JUST LOOK AT THE SPEECH HE GAVE. I MEAN, I FOLLOWED HIS CAMPAIGN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE A COUPLE OF TIMES, HE STARTED OUT AS THE KING OF BANALITY AND ENDED AS THE KING OF BANALITY, THERE WASN'T AN UNINTERESTING CLICHE SPEECH IN THE THOUGHT. I THOUGHT HE COULD HAVE CARVED OUT A UNIQUE NICHE. HE NEVER HAD AN INTERESTING STORY TO TELL. HE MAY GO ON TO SOUTH CAROLINA, HIS FATHER MAY GIVE HIM SOME MONEY TO SPEND ON A SUPER PACK OR SOMETHING, BUT YOU LOOK AT THE CANDIDATE WHAT DOES HE BRING TO THE TABLE? HE HAD A DECENT NIGHT BUT I DON'T SEE ANY MESSAGE ESPECIALLY WHEN THE OTHER CANDIDATES ESPECIALLY DO HAVE MESSAGES.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, MARK?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT JOHN HUNTSMAN WAS A RAMBLING CANDIDACY, AND NEVER REALLY COULD GET A CLEAR SENSE OF WHETHER HE WAS A TEST RUN FOR 2016, PERHAPS EVEN THINKING OF AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY RUN, BUT THERE IS NO QUESTION HE GOT UNDER MITT ROMNEY'S SKIN TO THE POINT WHERE MITT ROMNEY, THE MOST DISCIPLINED OF ALL CANDIDATES, ACCUSED OF HIM ALMOST OF BEING A -- AT TIMES. REALLY SHOWED PERSONAL PEEK PEEK BY CRITICIZING JOHN HUNTSMAN FOR HAVING SERVED AS AMBASSADOR TO CHINA WHILE HE, MITT ROMNEY AND OTHERS WERE TRYING TO ELECT REPUBLICANS, AND IT GAVE HUNTSMAN THE BEST MOMENT OF HIS ENTIRE CANDIDACY, WHEN HE CONTRASTED WHAT HE SAW, RATHER SELF-SERVING NARROW PARTISANSHIP OF NOT SERVING YOUR COUNTRY WHEN ASKED BY A PRESIDENT TO UNSELFISH PUBLIC SERVICE. AND THAT WAS HIS MAGIC MOMENT. IT HAPPENED SUNDAY, AND THAT WAS IT, AND I THINK DAVID IS RIGHT, THERE IS NO PLACE FOR HIM TO GO FROM HERE, EXCEPT TO CONTEMPLATE HIS FUTURE AND TO TRY AND HONE A MESSAGE.

>> OBVIOUSLY, THE HUNTSMAN PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY HIT ON A MESSAGE THERE WITH THE COUNTRY FIRST SLOGAN, THEY CHANGED A LOT OF THEIR CAMPAIGN SIGNS SINCE LAST SUNDAY TO REFLECT THAT. I GUESS THEY NEEDED MORE CAMPAIGN SIGNS. SO, DAVID, YOU KNOW, MITT ROMNEY NOW HAS BEEN LABORING UNDER THE IDEA FOR SOME WEEKS NOW, MONTHS NOW THAT ANYBODY BUT ROMNEY, THE ANYBODY BUT ROMNEY MOVEMENT. IS THAT MOVEMENT STILL ALIVE TONIGHT?

>> THERE IS STILL SOME OF IT BUT I THINK YOU WILL BEGIN TO SEE EMOTIONAL BUILDS UNDERNEATH ROMNEY, I THINK IT WAS HELPED BY THE RESULTS ESPECIALLY BY HIS SPEECH. I THOUGHT HIS SPEECH WAS THE BEST HE HAS GIVEN MAYBE THIS ENTIRE CYCLE. IT WAS FOCUSED AND ENERGETIC AND MADE A CLEAR CONTRAST AND HE MADE SOMETHING BIG ABOUT THE KIND OF CAPITALISM WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AND THAT IS ACTUALLY A WORTHY SUBJECT FOR AN ELECTION THIS YEAR. HE HINGED HIMSELF DIRECTLY TO ONE VIEW OF THAT SUBJECT, OBAMA CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW, OTHER CANDIDATES, RICK SANTORUM -- I MEAN RON PAUL CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW BUT IT IS A BIG SUBJECT AND HE LIVED IT, HE HAS COMMANDED IT AND SO I THINK HE WILL GET A MUCH BIGGER EMOTIONAL LIFT OUT OF 37, 38, WHATEVER PERCENT HE GETS AND MAYBE, THAN MAYBE WE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT BECAUSE THE SPEECH WAS SO GOOD.

>> MARK, I WAS REALLY QUITE STRUCK ABOUT THE ELECTABILITY FACTOR WE SAW THAT SURFACED AMONG SOME VOTERS LEAVING THE POLLS IN WHICH THEY BASICALLY SAID THEY COULD LIVE WITH MITT ROMNEY SO MAYBE THAT IS PART OF THIS TOO.

>> I THINK THAT HE HAS A GREAT ADVANTAGE IN THE SENSE THAT MOST REPUBLICANS WANTED TO DEFEAT PRESIDENT OBAMA AND THAT IS THEIR OVERRIDING CONCERN, OBVIOUSLY THE ECONOMY AND THE JOBS AND DEFICIT AS WELL, BUT THAT IS WHAT YOU NIGHTS REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE MAJOR DIVISIONS ON OTHER ISSUES, IS THEIR INTEREST IN ALMOST URGENCY TO DEFEAT PRESIDENT OBAMA, AND THAT IS MITT ROMNEY IS NOW SEEN AND I THINK MORE INCREASINGLY WILL BE SEEN AS THE CANDIDATE WITH THE BEST CHANCE TO DO THAT AND AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T HAVE A SINGLE OPPONENT I THINK HE IS IN GOOD SHAPE. I MEAN, THEY CAN ARGUE THAT 63 PERCENT DIDN'T VOTE FOR HIM, OR 62 PERCENT, THAT MEANS 90 PERCENT DIDN'T VOTE FOR NEWT GINGRICH, 90 PERCENT DIDN'T VOTE FOR RICK SANTORUM. AND SO YOU START MAKING THAT ARGUMENT AND YOU ARE IN TROUBLE, THE FELLOW WHO WON, 63 PERCENT DIDN'T VOTE FOR HIM, WHAT ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO FINISHES FIFTH?

>> BUT WHEN WE GET BACK TO SOUTH CAROLINA, DAVID, ARE WE BACK TO BLANK SLATE TERRITORY? ESPECIALLY WITH NEWT GINGRICH AND RICK SANTORUM WHO ARE COUNTING ON SOUTH CAROLINA IN MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT JOHN HUNTSMAN WAS COUNTING ON NEW HAMPSHIRE?

>> MITT ROMNEY DID REASONABLY WELL FOUR YEARS AGO IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND WE SHOULDN'T THINK SOUTH CAROLINA IS JUST A SOCIALLY CONSERVATIVE STATE, A RICK SANTORUM KIND OF STATE, IT HAS GOT A PRETTY STRONG ESTABLISHMENT MAIN STREET REPUBLICAN WING, AGAIN, DON'T LET THE CANDIDATES LOOK TO THE ELECTORATE, THEY ARE JUST A LOT MORE MAIN STREET REPUBLICANS THAN THERE ARE SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES OR LIBERTARIANS AND THAT IS TRUE IN JUST STATE AFTER STATE AND SO AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T MAKE A MISTAKE AND HE IS NOT THE SORT OF PERSON THAT MAKES MISTAKES, HE MADE THAT ONE LINE I LIKE TO FIRE PEOPLE LINES WHICH IS A SEMIMISTAKE THAT WAS OVER EXPLOITED BUT HE DOESN'T TEND TO MAKE MISTAKES AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST LIKE HIM IN THE ELECTORATE SO YOU HAVE TO THINK HE IS SITTING PRETTY.

>> MARK, HE MADE A COUPLE OF OTHER MISTAKES, HE TALKED ABOUT HOW HE HAD ONCE FEARED GETTING A PINK SLIP, I WONDER HOW MUCH OF THAT ADDED TO MAKE HIM MORE VULNERABLE, I SUPPOSE?

>> WELL, I THINK THE ROMNEY PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU PRIVATELY, HE DOES HAVE A TIN EAR, WHEN HE WALKED INTO A GROUP OF JOBLESS PEOPLE AT A MEETING, COUNSELING EACH OTHER IN FLORIDA HE SAID, OH, I AM UNEMPLOYED TOO. HIS OFFER TO BET $10,000 TO RICK PERRY IN THE DEBATE SHOWED A TIN EAR, SHOWED THIS IS THE MAN WITH THE $200 MILLION PERSONAL FORTUNE, AND JUST SHOWED INSENSITIVITY, CORPORATIONS ARE PEOPLE. THOSE ARE PROBLEMS. I MEAN, THAT IS NOT A SUREFOOTEDNESS IN HIS LANGUAGE. I AGREE THAT HIS SPEECH TONIGHT WAS INFINITELY BETTER THAN THE ONE LAST WEEK AND ONE OF THE BEST I HAVE HEARD HIM GIVE, AND I THINK HE IS IN VERY GOOD SHAPE BUT HE IS BY NO MEANS A COMPLETE CANDIDATE HEADING INTO THE FALL.

>> AND SOMEWHAT WHERE TONIGHT IN THE WARREN OF CUBICLES IN CHICAGO, THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN IS TAKING VERY CAREFUL NOTES.

>> DAVID BROOKS OF "THE NEW YORK TIMES", MARK SHIELDS, THANK YOU BOTH AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ON LINE, WE HAVE MUCH MORE ABOUT NEW HAMPSHIRE, WE HAVE A PREVIEW.

>> ON OUR HOME PAGE FIND RINGS TO AN INTERACTIVE LINK OF RESULTS.

>> PLUS PATCHWORK NATIONS BREAKS DOWN THE GRANITE STATE THAT ROMNEY NEEDS TO WIN TONIGHT ON OUR WORLD PAGE WE CONTINUE OUR LOOK AT HAITI TWO YEARS AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE WITH A STORY ON EFFORTS TO MOVE VICTIMS OUT OF TENT CAMPS INTO MORE PERMANENT HOUSING. AND WE SPOKE WITH TWO BROTHERS IN THEIR 90S WHO STILL SWING FOR OLYMPIC GOLD EVERY SUMMER AND USUALLY WIN. THEY SHARE THEIR TIPS FOR LIFELONG FITNESS ON OUR HEALTH PAGE. ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SITE.

>> AND THAT IS THE NEWS HOUR FOR TONIGHT, I AM GUINN IFILL.

>> WE WILL SEE YOU ON LINE AND BE HERE LATER TONIGHT FOR A SPECIAL REPORT ON THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY RESULT. 11:00 P.M. EASTERN TIME AND BACK AGAIN TOMORROW EVENING. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOOD NIGHT. MAJOR FUNDING MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: BNSF RAILWAY. AND BY THE BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION. DEDICATED TO THE IDEA THAT ALL PEOPLE DESERVE THE CHANCE TO LIVE A HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE LIFE. AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND FOUNDATIONS. AND... THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. Captioning sponsored by MacNEIL/LEHRER PRODUCTIONS Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org