after he won't stop playing with his cell phone. what led to the rage on the runway? double date. will and kate step out with charles and camilla. but all eyes were on the duchess. is she carrying her purse like that to hide a baby bump? yeah, yeah, yeah. >> give it to them. >> where was she supposed to hold her clutch? that's where one holds their clutch, george. >> are you making fun of me? >> no. he was. >> we have a lot to get to this morning. battle lines being drawn in this presidential race. everyone took it up a notch yesterday. the president channeled the republican teddy roosevelt, to take on the republicans. he used tough language. he called this a make-or-break moment for the middle class. you see newt gingrich. he's taking new incoming fire, as well. and we'll tell you how mitt romney is take him on. that big debate coming up on saturday night. >> you and diane will be there on saturday. and we told you yesterday of the amazing survival story of former model lauren scruggs, after her encounter with a prop plane. she has spoken her first words. we'll have more. first, let's get to the early blast of winter weather. sam has been tracking this overnight. >> you won't believe how much of the country is facing this storm this morning. 16 states right now have winter weather watches, warnings or advisories out. and look at the "gma" storm site radar. western kentucky, into arkansas, as well. look at the rain here, that goes all the way from the deep south well into boston this morning. this is where the heaviest rain is, west virginia into virginia. here's the battle zone. cold air is already in the west. when the cold air moves in and the rain out of the way, 59 in new york. but 36 in buffalo. 30s, cold enough to deliver snow, if timed with the moisture properly. we showed you the snow going on in west tennessee here. asheville, you'll get a little here. charleston, as well. higher elevations will pick up snow. notice on the coastline we have it mapped out here. washington, d.c., philly, new york, boston, all stay on the rain line t. this is heavy rain. two to six inches. but most of the snow will be north. it's a flurry burst, right at the end around 2:00 to 4:00 in the morning, there will be a burst of snow as the cold air comes in. that's all you're going to get in the major cities. but inland areas, big snow. coastal areas, big rain. >> we're seeing how the rain is picking up. and we have brave souls out there. >> we can see them gathering up. >> get out there, sam. first, josh has the developing stories. >> we're beginning with breaking news today. abc news has learned an american citizen was among the victims of the horrific suicide bombing in tuesday. the deadliest attack there in three years. u.s. officials will only say the victim was not working for the government. and president obama says this is a make-or-break moment for the middle class, invoking the populist legacy of theodore roosevelt. he called for new investment in education and high-tech manufacturing. and slammed republicans for not extending the payroll tax cut that expires this month. republicans say the president has failed to provide any new economic ideas. and the head of the faa has resigned after being arrested for drunk driving. randy babbitt was on the wrong side of the road when police pulled him over saturday night. his pass, transportation secretary ray lahood, learned about the arrest from a police news release. and the fda will decide if girls under 17 can buy the plan-b morning-after pill without a prescription. the emergency contraceptive can stop pregnancy if taken immediately after sex. watch groups say it should not be available to girls without parental or medical oversight. and mark zuckerberg, some hacked into his facebook account. a loophole apparently allowed facebook users to access private photos when reporting an inappropriate pro file picture. facebook, not surprisingly, says it hazarded the problem. and finally, a stunt gone wrong on the problem cable show "mythbusters." guys were trying to measure the speed of a canon ball. what could have gone wrong? that's the canon ball that flew out of the house. it bounced off the hill, through another house, across the street, through a minivalue. off the wall, off the glass, nothing but net. it's safe to assume, the guys underestimated the power of a canon ball. >> what were they trying to do? >> they were trying to shoot it into a pool of water. instead, right through the concrete wall. >> they missed. >> they missed. >> all right, josh. thanks very much. over to george now. >> big news, now, robin. the abc news exclusive from barbara walters. all year long we've seen dictator after dictator fall in the middle east. and for nine months, syria's bashar al assad is trying to avoid that fate, with a brutal crackdown that's taken the lives of more than 4,000 people. he's not given any television interviews to anyone in the west until now. barbara walters is here with us. i watched that interview. you were really in his face. >> well, george, there were no restrictions. there were no guidelines. we were free to ask any questions. bashar al assad, was a leader by accident. he has the support of much of his country. but not many others believe that. and i began by asking him how he ended up in the position he's in. not long ago, you were widely seen as a fresh, pragmatic leader. a doctor, whose life was about healing people. now, sir, much of the world regards you as a dictator and a tyrant. what do you say to that? >> it's important how the citizens look at you. not how you look at yourself. so, i don't have to look at myself. >> the protests really began after the detention and torture of children who were writing graffiti, calling for your downfall. i've seen awful pictures of what happened. why was this such a brutal crackdown? >> what's happened? >> i'll give you examples. a 13-year-old boy was arrested in april. a month later, his body was returned to his family, baring scars of torture. a cartoonist, critical of you, badly beaten. a singer calling for your ouster. he was found with his throat cut. you have seen these pictures, have you not? >> no. >> is this news to you? >> it is not news. i met with the father of that child. and he said he wasn't tortured. >> the cartoonist? the cartoonist, who was critical of you. his hands were broken. he was beaten. >> many people, who killed who? what are the people that are being killed are supportive of the government. >> what about the singer with his throat cut? >> i don't know. i don't know about everything. >> a famous singer. you don't know about it? >> no. i don't know about it. >> in the beginning, these protests, with women marching with children and olive branchs. nobody at that time asked you to step down. it has escalated. do you think that your forces cracked down too hard? >> they are not my forces. they are forces for the government. i don't own them. i'm president. i don't own the country. so, they are not my forces. >> you have to give the order? >> no, no, no. >> not by your command? >> no. on no one's command. there was no command to kill or to be brutal. >> people went from houses to houses. children were arrested. i saw those pictures. >> to be frank with you, how do you know this? we have yet to see. we don't see this. it depends on what you hear in the united states? >> reporters brought back pictures. >> how did you find those pictures? that's why i'm talking about false allegations, and reality. >> last week, an independent united nations commission issued a report. what it said was that your government committed crimes against humanity. and they went on. torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence against protesters, including against children. what do you say to them? do you acknowledge that? do you acknowledge what the u.n. says? >> i would say the documents and concrete evidence that you have and we'll see if that's true or not. we have a lot of allegations there. >> did the u.n. not send you these documents? >> nothing at all. send us the documents. as long as we don't see the documents and the evidence, we are not saying -- we cannot say just because the united nations -- who says the that the united nations is a credible institution? >> you do not think the united nations is credible? >> no. >> you have an ambassador at the united nations. >> yes. it's a game we play. >> you have said often, you don't see yourself doing this job for life. you said you're doing it for your country. with all the turmoil in your country, is it perhaps better for syria that you no longer remain its leader? >> i don't have problems. for me, it's public support. this is the most important thing. when i feel that the public support declined, i won't be here. even if they say -- if they ask, i shouldn't be here, if there's no public support. >> okay. >> that's cononclusive. >> what do you think is the biggest misconception that my country has of what's happening here? if, indeed, there is a misconception? >> we don't kill. no government in the world kills its people and -- for me as president, i became president because of the public support. it's impossible for anyone in this state to give order to kill. >> do you feel guilty? >> i did my best to tell people you cannot feel guilty when you do your best. you feel sorry for the lives being lost. but you don't feel guilty when you don't kill people. >> wow, barbara. it's so hard not to be struck by the contrast between his calm, almost dismissive, giggling at times, manner and all those grisly scenes in the street. >> he says the people in -- the protesters are being armed. they're not just innocent people. there's such a disconnect. when we asked officials here, if i was going. they said, don't leave your hotel room. not only did we leave the hotel room. but we walked all over. we had a young woman that was our minder. we went anywhere we wanted to. the markets are filled with food. people are sitting outside, having coffee. one hour away, people are being killed. >> this is damascus. >> this is damascus. in damascus, it's like business as usual. there we are. you see me in a shop. business is lousy. but life goes on. and an hour away, people are being killed. there's the disconnect with him. this is how they're going to have parliamentary elections in february. we're going to have presidential elections in 2015. we're going to have opposition candidates. at the same time, the country is in an uproar. >> we heard similar things from gadhafi. >> this didn't fell like gadhafi. >> how so? >> his demeanor was a wild man. this man is highly educated, very calm, as you can see. and as far as he's concerned, well, gadhafi said say he had the support of his people. but there's a difference in the way he handles himself. >> do you get the feeling sitting there face-to-face with him, that he really was in control? that he had the people -- >> that's what's amazing. he said i didn't do it, it was my government. you are the government. no. i'm the president. the government did it. i had nothing to do with that. but it's the disconnect between the city of damascus and the rest of the country. much of the country. and this man who says, sanctions won't bother me. i only care what's happening in syria. i don't care about public opinion. i'm very calm. and it will be okay. >> it is fascinating stuff. another big exclusive, barbara. thanks very much. you can see more of barbara's interview tonight on "world news" and the entire interview on a special edition of "nightline." robin? now, to the politics, your voice, your vote. three days to our critical republican debate in iowa. just 27 days until the first vote. newt gingrich has emerged as the man to beat for the republican presidential nomination. his rivals are launching their most scathing attack on him. john berman has more. >> reporter: what a wake-up call for newt gingrich and mitt romney this morning. gingrich is learning what it's like to be the front-runner. and romney, what it's like to run from behind. romney doesn't like being there. and he's changing his tactics immediately to make sure he doesn't stay there. the new romney campaign begins now. those close to the team said the old one wasn't working. interviews, and also contrast with newt gingrich. romney suggesting the media and voters will find problems with gingrich's leadership style. >> people will measure our capacity to lead. i don't know what's that going to show with regards to him. i know what it will show with regards to me. >> reporter: extensive reporters make veiled references to newt's tumultuous marital history. former vice president dan quayle likes romney. >> when he's in public life. in private life. >> reporter: also accept more of air romney on the trail, a picture that speaks for itself. overnight, gingrich suggested romney should be thanking him for making him rich. >> he should be thanking me. because i did the macro economic policies possible. >> reporter: he is feeling the attacks. from michele bachmann. ron paul on the air waves. >> it's about serial hypocrisy. >> reporter: but he has some words of his own, by candidates who say they are skipping the debate hosted by donald trump. >> you want me to believe you can debate barack obama? >> reporter: i'm told the romney team is not scared. but they do believe newt gingrich is someone who can win election. but they say he's someone who can mess up. robin? >> all right, john. as we've been telling folks, the countdown is on for the debate we will broadcast across the abc networks on saturday. the top republican contenders will be there in iowa, with george and diane. all beginning at 9:00 p.m. eastern, 6:00 pacific. now, to the revival of former model lauren scruggs, after she walked into the plane's propeller. speaking her first words since the accident. and ryan owens has the story. >> we're here to get some inside scoop. >> reporter: lauren scruggs used her communications degree to start this online fashion magazine. this morning, she is, once again, communicating. when asked her name, she said lauren. when she saw her parents, she said, i love you. doctors have told her parents the road ahead will be a long one for the 23-year-old. that plane's propeller sliced off her left hand and severely slashed her shoulder and face. she may still lose her left eye. >> we're just praying that that -- her left eye would regain its sight. you know, it's going to be a long recovery. >> reporter: so many have wondered how something like this could happen. keep in mind, it happened at night. as you see, it is difficult to see the propellers. but it is not at all difficult to hear them. police identified the pilot as curt richmond of frisco, texas. he is a friend of the scruggs family, who had taken lauren up to look at christmas lights saturday night. richmond has not answered our repeated request for an interview. investigators still aren't sure exactly what happened. but the scruggs family does not blame the pilot. they believe lauren walked back towards his plane to say thank you. perhaps, as he was preparing to take off again. >> it would be one of your worst nightmares to see someone looming up out of the darkness towards a propeller that was running. >> reporter: a nightmare that forever changed one young woman's life in a split-second. for "good morning america," ryan owens, abc news, dallas. >> what a freak accident. time, now, for another check of the weather. sam is here. >> it's going to be slow-going, today, overnight tonight, for a good part of the eastern half of the nation. we have six states under flood watches and warnings right now because of the heavy rain involved in the system. zero in on the areas shaded in red. it's getting two to three inches of rain, from virginia, to d.c., philly, into boston. that's two to three inches of rain in less than six hours. need to talk about the cold air in the middle of the country. denver at eight degrees. amarillo, at four. those are your windchills. the southwest is cold. l.a.'s record low temperature at 36 yesterday. 31 in santa barbara. you're a touch milder today. >> our eyes on the east coast weather this morning. we'll be following it all morning. robin? george? >> a lot of rain cities on the board there, george. well, sam. alec baldwin, his rage on the runway gets him kicked off the plane. why american airlines calls game over on the actor. and kate and will out with the in-laws. and who is stealing packages off our front porch this holiday season? ♪ me and you, a holiday rendezvous ♪ ghirardelli squares peppermint bark. rich chocolate layers and festive peppermint. a ghirardelli original. ♪ a little reward for all the things you do ♪ get them before they disappear. they won't be beat. oh, actually... then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. 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[ male announcer ] surround her with the strength of love's embrace from kay jewelers, the number one jewelry store in america. ♪ every kiss begins with kay now maryland's most powerful doppler radar and the forecast certified most accurate by weatherate. 7:26. it's wet but warm. holding near 60 in baltimore. 50s for most us. 30s in westerns p.a. look at the heavy rain. and we will have continuous moderate to heavy rain throughout the day. that's why the flood watch kicks in this afternoon. but temperatures fall through the 50s and 40s and 30s overnight and wan few hours of midnight -- within a few hours of midnight we will change over to snow. winter weather advisory including baltimore city west and north ending by daybreak and speccing a slushy coding on -- coat on the grass. near baltimore close to an inch. 2 to 4 inch range westminster north to p.a. and generally in the metro area 1 to 3. let's see what he happening on the road. >> reporter: with the wet conditions comes very slow traffic. i-83, and i795 southbound lanes moving slow. 259 southbound a heavy delay from the beltway to 197 within the day this, we are looking at an accident at i-195 off to the right. looking at the west side of 695, we are stop and go from 795 making your way around to baltimore at national pike. charley. a man lost a leg in a light rail accident after being hit by a train yesterday afternoon north of the a patapsco station stop in south baltimore. we are told one of the legs was severed and the other dislocated. no word on why the man was on the tracks in the first place. and this morning, we know the cause of a 3 alarm fire that displaced nearly 1 hundred unseniors in northwest baltimore. investigators say someone left atea kettle on the stove no one was injured and the damages are estimated to be around 280,000 dollars. the apartment building did have working smoke alarms. back to new york for more "good morning america." your weather and traffic continues in