Preview of Saturday’s GOP debate

>>> we turn now to politics and the republican candidates for president will meet again this weekend for another debate. we all remember what happened at the last one. texas governor rick perry has been trying to salvage his campaign in the face of his debate gaffe while herman cain continues to beat back harassment allegations. it is less than two months out now from the first caucus but this is a race very much in flux. we turn now to nbc's david gregory , moderator of "meet the press." good evening.

>> good evening.

>> let's start with rick perry . he's been in damage control mode after the brain freeze in the debate. i guess the question is can he hold on.

>> it's difficult when a candidate feed as narrative about him in the case. in this case that he's not ready for prime time or in shape to be in this race. there is a sense of high anxiety within the campaign. he tried to portray himself as in on the joke, poking fun at himself, going on letterman, using that sizable war chest to try to repair some of the effects of this among conservatives. keep your eye on the polling here. republican pollsters say he's already had a steep dive. among his favrability ratings they are bracing for that to happen yet again in the days to come.

>> herman cain has faced more than a week of questions about sexual harassment allegations. yet he's still a front runner in the polls. has he weathered the storm?

>> well, there is the big if. unless there is something else that comes out, right now both folks in his campaign, advisers to him and pollsters are looking at this saying he may be, at least for now, holding steady. that there are people that are looking at this saying that they are not a determinative factor. cain has come out to deny the allegations and also to cast himself as a way of being the victim of people trying to get him out of the race because he's anti-establishment and not part of the conventional main stream of politics.

>> another debate this weekend. david gregory , thanks so much.

>>> a program note , pennsylvania governor tom corbett will be among david's guests this sunday on "meet the press."