mr. priebus says we just ought to fire the guy. he hasn't done anything? >> well, look, let me answer the questions that chairman priebus didn't want to answer. i think the reason that mitt romney, people don't like him and why he hasn't caught fire is you hear what he says today, it's likely to change tomorrow. i think there's great skepticism. he's a plit calgary gymnast of the highest order. he will say virtually anything to get elected to any office. just last night he was in new york. on a mike huckabee show. disavowing climate change and environmental... and the environmental protection agency despite the fact that just a few years ago he was bragging in massachusetts about all the steps they were taking to combat climate change. the one thing that is certain in this republican primary, if you don't like where mitt romney is today, just wait until tomorrow. it's a little bit like the weather. >> schieffer: let me just ask you this part. the president is often running on campaigning. i think he's had 62 fund-raisers so far. they're talking about somewh

mr. priebus discuss that. i don't pretend to be an expert on republican politics. >> do you think his position in the race has ultimately helped the president's cause? there was a kind of reality television aspect to certainly his speech yesterday. >> i don't -- >> in the aspect of his campaign. >> you know, my general view is, i don't think the republican debates have helped the republican -- the republican cause because it has elevated ideas i don't think the american people embrace. i don't think the american people think that the way forward is to continue to give tax breaks to the people at the very top. , shift the burden to the middle class and people are trying to become middle class, cut regulation on wall street and let them write their own rules as they were doing before the crisis. and that's what we keep hearing from all these candidates. >> there are a number of candidates, it's now down to seven, but the white house seems to only be concerned about mitt romney. and the charge against him has bee

mr. priebus, we heard there the spokespeople for either party, both gearing up the rhetoric, getting stuck into each other. so it's clearly gloves off time. from your perspective, obviously, you have to remain fairly neutral at the moment, but how are you viewing the race as it's progressing? >> well, i don't know if the gloves are off. i mean, i think it's a pretty typical primary battle. i really think primaries are good for our party, piers. if you look at what happened with hillary clinton, barack obama four years ago, they nearly took a fork to each other's eyeballs through the end of june before the national convention. and you know, the president won pretty easily and took a supermajority of congress and 60 votes in the senate with him. so i know people love to talk about this stuff, but i think in primaries you're going to get a few punches in the nose here and there, but in the end i really feel great about our chances which is borne out in all of the polling that you're seeing across america. not one of these polls shows the president not in the toilet. that's where he's at. that

mr. priebus, thanks so much for being here with us this morning. we'll see what happens a week from today in iowa. >> have a great week. >> thanks. you, too. >>> now, it's time to check in with sam champion and the weather this morning. good morning, sam. >> good morning, elizabeth, josh. we all have our eyes on this east coast storm. in the next 24 hours, just about everywhere on the eastern seaboard will be punched with this storm. heavy rain, gusty winds and snow. and even that first snow for some of the people into the northeast. and from virginia, will get the first kick of snow. northwest also gets some powerful weather today. >>> coming up on "gma," the search intensifies for baby ayla in maine. will a reward help? >>> and a $500 million divorce for mel gibson. for mel gibson. ce from mel gibson. thing. just putting jewels in teddy bears. this guy's wearing a wire the whole time. right? look at that! he's wearing a wire! [ laughs ] all right, let's do this. all right? before my wife changes her mind. go. [ male announcer ] your favorite movi

priebus. welcome back. >> happy to be here. >> what do you say to karl rove? >> first of all, candidates can do whatever they want to do. now, i respect newsmax, and i respect mr. trump. we've done events together with mr. trump. so there's no issue there. but i would have a concern, and i do have a concern of a moderator who is talking about running as an independent still being moderator of a debate. >> that bothers you? >> right. i would have an issue with that. and i would understand why candidates would say, hey, look, i don't know if i want to avail myself to a forum where the moderator might be, although albeit very slight -- and again, we appreciate what mr. trump has done. but if you're still talking about potentially running as an independent candidate, then i think that's a problem. i mean, i think that would be malpractice for me as an rnc chairman not to believe that that is an issue. >> all right. let's cut to the chase. republicans know the donald debate is clownsville. they also know the republican front-runner is a dangerous general election candidate. but his momentum is not stalling. in the latest national polls newt gingrich is leading mitt

priebus. what do you say to karl rove? >> first of all, candidates can do whatever they want to do. now, i respect news max and i respect mrher with mr. trump so there's no issue there. >> you support it? >> but i would have a concern and i do have a concern of a moderator who is talking of running as an independent still being a moderator of a debate so i would -- >> yeah, i would have an issue with that and i would understand why candidates would say hey, look, i don't know if i want to avail myself to a forum where the moderator might be although albeit very slight and we appreciate what mr. trump has done. but if you're still talking about potentially running as an independent candidate, i think that's a problem. that would be malpractice for me as an rnc chairman not to believe that is an issue. >> so you're going to do something about it. >> i mean, candidates can do whatever they want, brian. we don't sanction the debates. >> you pull the press conference and i strongly urge. you can do what i want. i strongly urge you newt and rick santorum not to go. i think they would listen. >> i wouldn't recommend it. but i wou