"Face the Nation" transcripts December 30, 2012: Sens. Durbin and Coburn

By: CBSNews

KLEIN: Well, Hafez (sic) al-Assad is going to fall in Syria, and when he does, it is going to be a huge mess. It is -- it's-- there's not just going to be another government come in. There's going to be consideration of whether the borders of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq are the actual borders. Whether those straight lines drawn in the sand by Europeans 100 years ago are going to stand. This is going to be a huge, violent mess.

O'DONNELL: All right. And, Joe, what has happened in the last couple of weeks, to bring everybody up to date, about -- makes it more likely Assad will fall in the next year -- in the next probably six months or so?

KLEIN: Well, I think he's -- you know, he has had serious defections. The rebels, who are predominantly Sunni and who are majority of the country, are getting really strong support from other Sunnis in the region. And none of his neighbors like him anymore.

O'DONNELL: All right. We will be right back with our "FACE THE NATION Flashback."

O'DONNELL: For this week's "FACE THE NATION Flashback," we thought we would take a look back at some of the more memorable moments from FACE THE NATION this year.

JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: How are you, buddy? It's great to see you. Governor Romney is a pretty flexible guy in his positions.

BOB SCHIEFFER, HOST: You know, we've been trying for a long time to get Mitt Romney to come sit down at this table. Now you're, obviously, a friend and an adviser. You make a good case for him. But I'd like to hear him make the case. Would you put in a word for us and say, you know, they'd love to see you over there at FACE THE NATION if you'd accept their invitation?

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: You bet I will.

SCHIEFFER: Where do you think this election is right now?

BILL CLINTON, 42ND PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that the president is winning, and winning in the swing states.

SCHIEFFER: We would love to have Governor Romney on FACE THE NATION.

ERIC FEHRNSTROM, ROMNEY CAMPAIGN ADVISER: Well, thank you, Bob, for having me.

SCHIEFFER: Thank you. And what about Governor Romney?

O'DONNELL: Would you consider a vice-presidential nomination...

REP. PAUL RYAN (R-WI), FORMER VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No. It's just something I'm not even considering right now. I'm so focused on my job in Congress.

O'DONNELL: Then we'll talk with Republican vice-president hopeful Paul Ryan. It's a trillion dollars in defense spending and you voted for it.

RYAN: No, Norah, I voted for the Budget Control Act.

O'DONNELL: You voted for it. That includes defense spending.

RYAN: Norah, you're mistaken.

SCHIEFFER: Attack in Libya takes the life of our ambassador there and three other Americans.

SUSAN RICE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N. We do not have information at present that leads us to conclude this was premeditated or pre- planned.

SCHIEFFER: Are you saying that the administration deliberately misled the American people to make it look as if terrorism is -- is not as much of a threat as apparently it is?

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Either they are misleading the American people or are incredibly incompetent.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: It is now the worst cover-up or incompetence that I have observed in my life. Somebody the other day said to me, this is as bad as Watergate. Nobody died in Watergate.

SCHIEFFER: Let me ask you, when did the two of you realize this was a big story?

CARL BERNSTEIN, VANITY FAIR: Earlier than you might think. We had found out there was a secret fund that paid for Watergate and these other illegal activities about eight weeks after the break-in, and I felt this chill go down my back, and I said to Woodward, oh, my God, this president is going to be impeached.

SCHIEFFER: Do you think we're ever going to see him on one of these Sunday morning interview shows? I know he does FOX, but we'd love to have him some time.

ED GILLESPIE, REPUBLICAN POLITICAL STRATEGIST: You know, Bob, the fact is that we're going to take our message to the American people.

SCHIEFFER: Just remember, candidates, shuck the tamale, then eat it. You're going to really like tamales. We caught up with him in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Governor, thank you so much for joining us today. We really appreciate it.

O'DONNELL: And just to show persistence paid off, Bob did get the first Sunday morning interview with Mitt Romney. And we will be right back.

O'DONNELL: And that's all the time we have for today. Bob will be back next week, but I'll see you tomorrow on "CBS THIS MORNING." Happy New Year, and thanks for watching.