Page 40 - Mark Haleprin News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Iowa. welcome back to "morning joe." we're live at java joes. mark haleprin is still with us. and joining the set, we have national affairs editor for "new york" magazine and jon heilemann. >> there's too much profanity in television, that's the problem. >> the national republican national committee michael steele is with us. michael, let's get your take as a republican. how do you see iowa shaping up right now? after the register poll, which is usually dead on. >> yeah, you still have a significant undecided vote out there. which means tomorrow's going to be anybody's bet who walks through th...

However, do not reflect how quickly momentum is shifting in the gop field. the "des moines register" notes the order reshuffles and santorum beats out ron paul for second place. that reflects a volatile sense on the ground where over 40% of republican caucus goers say they could still be persuaded to change their mind. but when asked which candidate is most electable, romney's lead jumps to an overwhelming 48%. that is interesting. that reflects a little -- >> it does. there are a lot of things to break down right now. but first of all, let's go big picture, mark haleprin. obviously rick santo...

Of people in the media have. that they've looked apart from romney, none of them have looked plausible. you don't want to write that check until you think there's a guy who you think could be the nominee. romney who has looked like the plausible nominee for much of the year, and yet they look at him, he doesn't have that much money. romney's done fine, but not barack obama/hillary clinton level money and they've looked at him and worries he has a glass jaw. you've had a lot of donors saying, you know, i'm going to wait and see until some of these contests happen. let's see how this shakes out ...

Them, fantastic. if santorum slips by them, that's fine. he does not have the resources, organization to go forward. and if ron paul gets past them, it's great. as long as they finish in the top two, feeling good about the road ahead. almost impossible to see how they're not the nominee. and what's interesting, i know you're hearing this too, the other campaigns don't even dispute that. if you push other campaigns on -- if mitt romney's first or second, how is he not the nominee? they're not going to give you a clear answer. >> the e-mail that went into politico, i'll read it for you. from a t...

Where we're below 6%, the agriculture industry is going strong, we still have the same apprehensions that all americans do relative to the debt, relative to a private sector economy. those are the messages resinating with republican voters. >> mark haleprin, 1994, santorum got elected in pennsylvania, and everybody a year later dismissed it because it was 1994, you could elect somebody like me in 1994. i remember being in congress in '99, seeing santorum at an event, and everybody was whispering dead man walking. he was up in 2000, nobody expected santorum to win in pennsylvania in 2000, he di...