Tomorrow, a month out from the Iowa Caucus, the field could shrink by one, depending on what happens with Herman Cain in Atlanta.

A week from tomorrow, on Dec. 10th, ABC News, Yahoo!, WOI, The Des Moines Register and the Iowa GOP host the definitive Iowa debate.

The story lines we’re watching are these:

1. Will the Republican establishment settle on Newt or Mitt? 2. Will Herman Cain stay in the race? 3. Is Ron Paul’s ground game really as good as Iowa Gov. Terry Brandstad thinks? 4. Is there a sleeper (Santorum in Iowa or Huntsman in New Hampshire) nobody is thinking about?

Cain’s Wife Summit - Herman Cain is meeting tonight with his wife to discuss the future of his campaign after multiple allegations of sexual harassment in the ’90s and also allegations of a long-time affair. An announcement on his future expected tomorrow. More on that later. All Things Cain Live Here – http://abcn.ws/t0DAak

Unemployment Drops to 8.6 percent – White House: Jobs Report Shows Economy Is ‘Continuing to Heal’ – http://abcn.ws/ukEhge

For Christmas, America Wants a Payroll Tax Holiday – http://abcn.ws/tCc2z2

Obama Issues Christmas Ultimatum Over Payroll Tax Cut – From Mary Bruce: Obama told Congress to pass a payroll tax cut before the holiday recess or “we can all spend Christmas here together.” http://abcn.ws/vYQQmA

Mitt and Newt – Appearing on “Fox & Friends” this morning, Romney was played a clip of Gingrich’s exclusive interview with ABC News, during which Gingrich told ABC’s Jake Tapper, “I’m going to be the nominee.” Asked if he disagrees with Gingrich, Romney laughed before responding, “I sure do.”

“Let me tell you, over the last year there have been a lot of people who have been real high in the polls who are not high in the polls anymore — there’s a funny thing in America, it’s called an election. You have to win the election and to win the election you have to earn it.  I wish Newt the best. He’ll run his campaign and I’ll run mine, and let the best person win,” said Romney. http://abcn.ws/sUwHVp

Amy Walter Has Four Keys To Success For Gingrich – His debates, his past, his organization and his self-discipline. http://abcn.ws/tZDFBF

Newt and Jake Rewind - All of Jake Tapper’s great interview with Gingrich, including his bravado, his thoughts on abortion and child labor and how Callista is like Nancy Reagan is here. http://abcn.ws/vFoNpw

The Trump Primary, Debate Edition: http://abcn.ws/stWgw7

Huntsman Won’t Debate on Trump and Newsmax Stage  - Dis of the Day – “We look forward to watching Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich suck up to Trump with a big bowl of popcorn,” Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller told Yahoo News. http://yhoo.it/rRgtjq

Gorilla Dust – “Gorilla dust is, as I understand it, a diversionary tactic that gorillas use when they are doing combat,” he explained to amused reporters. “They throw up dust. It’s a defensive measure to get people to be distracted or get their potential opponents to be distracted. ” A Republican alternative to the president’s payroll tax legislation is what Carney derides as gorilla dust – a distraction. http://abcn.ws/vQG28Q

Rick Perry Touts His Faith in Iowa TV Ad – http://abcn.ws/tj65HL

Issa on Holder, Fast n Furious – Unexpected Quote of the Day – “The fact is, it’s not about any one person. It’s not about Eric Holder,” Issa, a California Republican, told reporters, including our Amy Bingham, at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast in Washington, D.C. “Eric Holder didn’t order, as far as we know or even suspect, he didn’t order this operation. He didn’t demand that they somehow do something this stupid.” Issa aides said later that Issa’s no-resignation stance could change depending on what else his probe into the operation finds.

Holder will testify next week on Capitol Hill. http://abcn.ws/vhI1Pn

‘Cain Train is Not Stopping:’ Business as Usual in Iowa – Shush Walshe in Urbandale… “Just minutes before Herman Cain told reporters at his event in South Carolina that he was indeed making an announcement about his campaign’s future tomorrow, it was business as usual at the Cain campaign’s Iowa headquarters. When an ABC News reporter walked into the Cain headquarters here just as news of the announcement was breaking, Cain’s Iowa communications director was looking at American Legion Halls for venues for the candidate’s upcoming bus tour here. Lisa Lockwood was not immediately aware of the news until told by the reporter, but she quickly contacted the national campaign who told her nothing official was planned. “What I know is that we don’t know anything official here in Iowa,” Lockwood said. “I’ve talked to somebody from the national campaign and there’s nothing official that we know of.” http://abcn.ws/tvXoar

Cainwatch Continues – Big Announcement Saturday: http://abcn.ws/rNCFvf

The New Hampshire Union Leader is no Cain fan: http://abcn.ws/sLhNay

Cain now stands at just 8 percent among Iowa Republicans - That’s an  almost complete collapse considering he led the poll in late October with 23 percent.  Further:  over the four days in which the poll was conducted, Cain’s support slid dramatically.  On Sunday he was at 12 percent.  By yesterday he had plunged to just 4 percent. http://abcn.ws/tTAkKK

Bachmann and Gay Marriage – She supports the right of gay men to marry women, she said. http://abcn.ws/rAVIW3

Obama, Clinton Announce $4 Green Building Initiative – http://abcn.ws/v3xbCG