It's been quite the year in politics, with several government shutdown scares, the debt ceiling dilemma and a Congress who can't seem to agree on anything. The country saw Congress clash once again about the payroll tax cut and how to pay for it.

But nothing has shaped 2011 more than the presidential race coming up in 2012. The country has been introduced to the White House contenders and the public has seen each one rise and fall with time. All this even before the pivotal Iowa caucus. Join us in a look back at the most memorable moments from 2011 and see how these stories will transform 2012.