Scoop: THIS WEEK on ABC - Today, December 16, 2012

Following Susan Rice's surprise withdrawal from consideration for Secretary of State, George Stephanopoulos speaks exclusively to Rice's top critic, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Plus, two powerhouse roundtables debate the latest on the high-stakes stalemate over the fiscal cliff and mounting challenges overseas.

After a months-long battle over Benghazi, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice drops out of the running to be the nation's top diplomat. What spurred her decision, and what does it mean for President Obama's second term cabinet? And was Republican opposition to her potential nomination justified? Sen. John McCain goes one on one with George Stephanopoulos on the Rice withdrawal and the latest challenges abroad.

Then, the "This Week" powerhouse roundtable debates all the week's politics with Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, ABC News' George Will and Democratic strategist and ABC News contributor Donna Brazile. Following another week of deadlocked talks, how much longer will the fiscal cliff stalemate last? Are chances of a deal before the end of the year growing better or worse, and will the standoff impact the economy as the New Year approaches? And what does the right-to-work battle in Michigan mean for the country and the future of unions?

Plus, an expanded powerhouse roundtable tackles the latest trouble overseas, with ABC News' George Will, ABC News' global affairs anchor, Christiane Amanpour, Ret. General Wesley Clark, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass, author of the upcoming book, Foreign Policy Begins at Home: The Case for America Putting its House in Order. As rebels close in on Damascus, will President Obama's move to officially recognize the rebel opposition in Syria help turn the tide in the war-torn country? Are the U.S. and its allies prepared for what happens next if the Syrian regime collapses? And how should the U.S. respond to the latest military provocation from North Korea?