[Blitzer:] Standby for more on the latest developments from Ferguson, Missouri. That's coming up. But first, new fireworks over the president's executive action on immigration. Are Republicans willing to fight back by shutting down the government? Our chief congressional correspondent Dana Bash is here. She has new information. What are you learning, Dana?
[Dana Bash, Cnn Chief Congressional Correspondent:] You know, there's a really odd dynamic on Capitol Hill today. You had a committee in the House where Republicans were beating up on a key member of the president's cabinet for overstepping his authority on immigration, and practically the same time, Republican leaders were privately telling their rank and file that there is nothing in the short term that they can do about it.
[Bash:] Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson came to Capitol Hill knowing he'd be in for a scolding.
[Rep. Michael Mccaul , Homeland Security Chairman:] The president's unilateral actions to bypass Congress undermine the Constitution and threaten our democracy.
[Bash:] Republicans raked him over the coals for the president's executive action allowing some 5 million undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S. legally.
[Rep. Patrick Meehan , Homeland Security Committee:] He's acting in the capacity beyond where he has the ability to do so.
[Jeh Johnson, Homeland Security Secretary:] Sir, I respectfully disagree.
[Meehan:] On what basis?
[Johnson:] They are present they are lawfully present in this
[Meehan:] Lawfully?
[Bash:] Despite their outrage, Republicans decided today not to take the immigration fight so far that it risks a government shut down.
[Rep. John Boehner , Speaker Of The House:] Frankly, we have limited options and limited abilities to deal with it directly.
[Bash:] That's because the Republican's sharpest weapon is the power of the purse, cutting funding. But if the GOP goes down that road, it would risk a shut down, since the government runs out of money next week, December 11th. [on camera]: Everybody wants to know if there's going be a government shut down.
[Rep. Brad Wenstrup , Ohio:] I don't think anyone has any intention of wanting the government to shut down.
[Rep. Dennis Ross , Florida:] That's not even the topic I think we're going to discuss at this point. I don't think that's an issue that we even want to address. We're not going to take that bait.
[Bash:] Why is it bait?
[Ross:] Well, I mean, that's been the president's biggest bully pulpit is trying to scare the American public into thinking we're going to shut down the government.
[Bash:] So, the leading GOP plan is to fund most of the government through next year, but only extend funding for homeland security, which oversees immigration, for a few months to buy time.
[Boehner:] It's going to be difficult to take meaningful action as long as we have got Democratic control in the Senate.
[Bash:] But powerful conservative groups are impatient and unhappy, one accusing GOP leaders of writing a blank check for amnesty. [on camera]: What do you say to groups who think this is caving?
[Rep. Robert Pittenger , North Carolina:] Well, I don't think you're caving when you're trying to restrict the actions of the president that has been unconstitutional. I think you're taking every initiative that is possible at this point.
[Bash:] House Republicans will hold a vote this week on a bill that says the president violated the Constitution by using his executive authority to change immigration policy. But since the Democrats still run the Senate, have no intention of bringing that up, the vote will largely be symbolic, a way to mollify frustrated conservatives. But, Wolf, it's an open question about whether that's going to be enough.
[Blitzer:] So, it's safe to say no government shut down?
[Bash:] Yes.
[Blitzer:] All right. Gloria, stand by. Dana, stand by. Gloria Borger is here with us as well. Let's talk about politics right now. Our new CNNORC poll, most likely GOP presidential candidates right now still early. Mitt Romney, 20 percent, Ben Carson, 10 percent, Jeb Bush, 9 percent, Chris Christie, 8 percent. Are you surprised by any of these numbers right now?
[Gloria Borger, Cnn Chief Political Analyst:] Well, I think it's all about name recognition certainly for Mitt Romney. Ben Carson is somebody who is well-known within the red red base of the Republican Party. He's a FOX News contributor.
[Blitzer:] Was.
[Borger:] That's right, was a FOX News contributor. And so, I think at this stage, it's all about whose names people recognize. So, as Carson's support surprising at that level? Yes. But, you know, will this does the law shake out?
[Blitzer:] He's a pediatric neurosurgeon, retire right now from Johns Hopkins.
[Borger:] But he's, you know
[Blitzer:] He does have an amazing personal story.
[Borger:] He has an amazing personal story, Wolf, but he also has compared the American government to Nazi Germany. He has said that Obamacare is the worst thing to happen in this country since slavery. So, it's kind of he has said some inflammatory things.
[Bash:] But I think it also is proof that for, you know, sort of the average person out there who is not an avid Republican when it comes to the consumption of conservative media, they might be surprised.
[Borger:] Right.
[Bash:] Other people might be surprised about it, but they like him, they know him, they like him. If he goes down that road, if he runs, that things that Gloria, you know, talked about are going to be big issues out there.
[Blitzer:] Senator Rand Paul was only at 6 percent. Are you surprised?
[Bash:] You know, in some ways yes and in some ways no. I mean, I think this speaks to the challenge that Rand Paul is going have but also maybe the plus that Rand Paul has in that he's not your average Republican candidate. He doesn't appeal to the traditional right, the traditional conservative primary voter in a lot of ways on national security, case in point. I mean, he certainly is just now hawkish. So, I think that's part of the issue.
[Borger:] You know, in this day and age, name ID happens overnight. People recognize you. It's not like back in the day when it took a while to get name recognition. Now, they see you and suddenly they know who you are.
[Blitzer:] Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, he's got good name recognition. He does well.
[Borger:] Some would say it's good karma. Some would say
[Blitzer:] He says he's seriously thinking about it.
[Borger:] He's seriously thinking about it. I have been talking to sources all day about this. I think he's obviously considering it more seriously than he was six months ago but I think he has not made any decision, Wolf. He has not asked for commitments from either funders or staffers. He has not laid the ground work for any kind of a campaign. We're just going to have to wait to the beginning of the New Year to find out.
[Blitzer:] It's wide open on the Republican side. Democratic side, our CNNORC poll numbers, take a look at this. Hillary Clinton, way, way ahead, 65 percent. Elizabeth Warren, the senator from Massachusetts, 10 percent, Vice President Joe Biden, 9 percent, Bernie Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont, 5 percent. It's hers if she wants it. Is that fair?
[Bash:] Oh, very fair. It is hers if she wants it. The question is whether there's going to be even a remotely credible opponent in the Democratic primary.
[Blitzer:] So, if she runs and we should know within a month or two if she's running. Everybody assumes
[Borger:] I think Hillary Clinton may be the only Democrat who thinks she might not run at this point.
[Blitzer:] Yes, I think she thinks she's running as well. All right guys, thanks very, very much. That's it for me. Remember, you can always follow us on Twitter. Go ahead and tweet me @wolfblitzer, or tweet the show @CNNSitroom. Thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM. "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.