John King, along with Arizona State University students playing the parts of Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, and Newt Gingrich, is doing a run-through today ahead of tonight’s GOP debate in Mesa, Arizona. This is the 20th, and likely final primary debate. The first face-off on Fox News last May, also featured four candidates — only one of whom, Ron Paul, is still in the race. The other attendees were Herman Cain, Gary Johnson and Tim Pawlenty.

Tonight’s debate will feature the candidates at a table instead of podiums. Playbook reports CNN last used this set-up for a GOP debate on Jan. 30, 2008, at the Reagan Library. Sitting at the table then were candidates John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Romney and Paul.

The Arizona debate airs on CNN at 8pmET.

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I’m announcing this morning on your show, that I’m going to be ending my campaign for president. But I’m very, very grateful for the people of Iowa, the people of this country, who I had a chance to make my case to, my supporters and staff and friends who have been loyal and helpful. I really appreciate all of them. I wish it would have been different.

Pawlenty finished a disappointing third in yesterday’s Iowa Straw Poll. Tapper was able to get the first reaction to Pawlenty dropping out from Iowa Straw Poll winner Michele Bachmann“I wish him well,” said Bachmann of her fellow Minnesotan.

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“Meet the Press,” “Face the Nation,” “This Week” and “FOX News Sunday” had all booked Rep. Michele Bachmann as a guest tomorrow. At 5:41CT this evening, Bachmann was declared the winner of the Iowa straw poll.

The cable news networks carried the live announcement of Bachmann winning with 4,823 votes. Rep. Ron Paul came in second, and Tim Pawlenty came in third.

Bret Baier and a panel including Chris Wallace anchored on Fox News; Chuck Todd hosted a special edition of “The Daily Rundown” with Andrea Mitchell from Iowa on MSNBC and Don Lemon anchored on CNN along with Candy Crowley, who will host “State of the Union” from Iowa tomorrow morning.

In addition to Bachmann, ABC”s “This Week” talks with former Gov. Pawlenty, with Jake Tapper filling in for Christiane Amanpour. And Norah O’Donnell (below, prepping today) hosts CBS’s “Face the Nation” from Iowa. In addition to Bachmann, DNC Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) will be O’Donnell’s guest.

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CNN set specific criteria that candidates had to meet in order to participate, and those that made the cut are former House Speaker (and ex-Fox News contributor) Newt Gingrich, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, businessman Herman Cain, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Senator (and ex-FNC contributor) Rick Santorum.

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The pair had been suspended for 60 days in March, as they considered running in the Republican Presidential primary.

Neither one has officially announced a candidacy, but both are considered likely to run.

Politico adds that another FNC contributor may face scrutiny from the network:

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The four-hour “State of the Union” will air live from the Minnesota State Fair beginning at 9amET tomorrow. In addition to talking with MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty, King will discuss healthcare reform with Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

During the 10amET hour, featuring Howie Kurtz and Reliable Sources, David Zurawik, Rome Hartman, and Tina Brown, talk about this week’s big broadcast news story: Charlie Gibson‘s retirement and Diane Sawyer taking over the “World News” anchor chair in January.

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Clinton and Pawlenty will be on Couric’s live Webcast on CBSNews.com and CNET.com beginning at 11pmET.

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• On Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace speaks with Sen. John McCain. It will be McCain’s first sit down interview since announcing Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

• On CBS, Bob Schieffer sits down with Rudy Giuliani, who is a keynote speaker at the RNC. Also, on Face the Nation, Sen. Joe Lieberman and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, as Gustav and possibly Hanna, head for his state.

• Gov. Tim Pawlenty is Tom Brokaw’s guest on NBC’s Meet the Press. And the roundtable of Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Gregory, Andrea Mitchell and Mike Murphy.

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At 7:10am Fox News reported a plane had left Anchorage overnight en route to Ohio. CNN reported Palin’s name in the mix at 7:37am. MSNBC began discussing her name a couple minutes later. But by 7:57am, on Morning Joe, NBC’s Washington bureau chief Mark Whitaker said, “Our David Gregory is just reporting that his sources within the McCain campaign are telling him ‘no’” about a Palin pick. Still, Palin’s name played prominently for the next hour.

Then at 9:14, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough reported, “Joe Lieberman is in Dayton.”

So, as of 9:30amET, no one has confirmed a pick. The McCain campaign is doing a heck of a job making sure the reporters can’t report, only speculate.

And, is it us, or does Palin look a bit like TV president Mackenzie Allen, played by Gena Davis in the short-lived 2005-06 ABC show “Commander-in-Chief?”

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