"Fiscal cliff" talks are "not Spielberg's Lincoln," Cole says

CBS News political director John Dickerson, Politico's Lois Romano, the New York Times' David Sanger, and the Washington Post's Dan Balz discuss whether recent controversies will prevent Washington from doing any actual policymaking.

With today's Washington embroiled in controversy and scandal, Bob Schieffer recalls the greatest political scandal of modern American history - Watergate - and remembers the role reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein had in bringing down President Nixon.

Miss the second half of the show? Watch Associated Press President and CEO Gary Pruitt discuss the AP leaks investigation, plus a roundtable discussion on that and more with the New York Times' David Sanger, POLITICO's Lois Romano, The Washington Post's Dan Balz and CBS News Political Director John Dickerson.

Associated Press CEO Gary Pruitt called the Justice Department's seizure of some AP telephone records "unconstitutional," saying "I really don't know what their motive was, I know what the message they are sending was - if you talk to the press we are going to go after you."

"Look, this administration says they want to be open and transparent, but they haven't," said Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, criticizing the lack of accountability from the White House on recent controversies involving the IRS and Benghazi.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, says recent controversies over the IRS, Benghazi, and the seizure of Associated Press phone records amount to a "trend line" pointing to a "culture of cover-ups and intimidation" at the White House.