. >> joining me now is brian walsh, former spokesman of the national republican senatorial committee.re you doing? sal, i'll start with you. i think you might contend that my setup there buys into the premise that says the tea party has been a problem for republicans regaining the senate. why is that -- why do you not believe that's the case? >> well, i think you just look at the facts, you know, starting with 2010. people like you and your fellow pundits said democrats will gain seats in the house, and we won 63 -- >> i don't know how many people thought they'd gain seats, but go ahead. >> i mean, i think if you go back to early 2009, most people thought that democrats were going to win seats. and so, that tea party injected so much energy and enthusiasm and excitement in the republican party that it led to that terrific election in 2010. in 2012, the tea party did quite well. we peicked up, 27 house seats, tea party members, won three of the four senate races we were in. it was really the establishment candidates that floundered in 2012. and frankly, you know, even though we had pri

senior editor brian walsh is with us this morning.od morning. >> what is this polar vortex? >> it's kind of like a hurricane that performs over the poles in this case. very fast moving dense cold air. what happens is the winds weaken somewhat and that cold arctic air spills over down into us. >> but is it stronger this year than it has been in the past? >> well, it's definitely -- this is the case where when we have these cold snaps it weakens somewhat. it might be changing the atmosphere of circulation in that part of the world, actually causing those winds to weaken and making the cold spell as little more likely than they would be. >> so there have been increases in the frequency of these powe lore vortices. >> yes. there were a couple of winters ago. we had a few strong cold storms despite the fact that we're seeing warming in the winter in the middle of the year. this change is making it more likely. >> this is the first time i've heard the phrase "powe lore vortex," and i don't think i'm out of it. >> yi've heard of it. >> is it

at the table, brian walsh, a senior writer for "time" magazine who covers energy in the environmentally beast columnist and bill nye the science guy. so nice to have you. >> it's so good to be had. >> indeed, it is. bill, will it me start with you. can you explain in the simplest terms possible how it is possible for cold weather to be the result of global warming? >> well it's a shift in weather patterns, so many of us are familiar with the jet stream. it dipped especially low this time of year. that dice to a change of the whirlpool or circular wind above the north pole. so as the arctic ice melts, as the extent of ice changes, the amount of sunlight that's reflected from the surface around the polls changes and that can change the pattern and cause this circular wind this cyclonic flow of air, to dip a little farther south or in the case of new orleans, quite a bit farther south. now, it's the kind of thing that's so subtle. this is to say this effect lasts just a few days. so tying it directly but with a computer model or with the satellite data tying it directly to a much larger

walsh happened to walk by a few minutes ago. we'll have a complete report on her final sendoff before she heads to rush for the ktvu news at noon. briannel 2 news. >>> well, there's still disappointment, the niners are not playing this sunday. for a lot of people it's what happens between the big plays during the super bowl that makes it worth tuning in. pam cook is in our newsroom with the big bucks and big moments for supercommercials. >> we used to have to wait to see the commercials. the companies take millions to make, millions to air. there's already one ad capturing hearts online and on social media. ♪ >> that little puppy pretty popular. but wiser has the formula -- bud budweiser has it down. wuge market research firm finds only one in five super bowl ads actually motivates consumers to buy something. >> the super bowl is one of the very few television shows where you still get a lot of reach. you get people from all different walks of life with all different presences watching it -- preferences watching it. >> super bowl ads have been sold out for weeks. the price tag, 4 million. chobani ad shows a fierce bear in a grocery st