Is GOP serious about a makeover?

>>> meantime, republicans are beginning to squabble about the right path to rebranding their party. in california over the weekend, carl rove urged the convention to break out of its core, older white voters and recalibrate to women and minorities. former governor jeb bush plans to lead the way.

>> i have a voice. i want to share my beliefs about how the conservative movement and the republican party can regain its footing because we've lost our way.

>> good morning, gentlemen. crip, we've talked about this division before within the gop. you've got karl rove backing establishment candidates and blaming the tea party . the tea party sees rove as old school, part of the reason that the party failed in the last year's elections. and i mean, just in general, you have all these conflicts. is the gop serious about a makeover? is there something central to their message that's missing?

>> yeah. i think you'd better be serious about a makeover when you get beat in a national election like we did. we still have 30 governors and i've always said when the republican party has its bumps like we did the last time at the national level, we go back to where we're the best and that's in the states with our governors. these governors are getting the job done here in my state in tennessee. the governor has a 70% approval rating. he's done all the things we like to do at the national level and he's done it without a fight and he's been able to do that because he brings both sides to the table. i think the blueprint lie wes our governors around the country.

>> who is going to be the voice going forward here? is it going to be jeb bush ? is it going the be chris christie ? is karl rove still the player he once was?

>> oh, the memories can be short.

>> it can be short depending on how much money he helps raise. i think the problem with the republican party has is, you know, every time you try to take one step forward , they take two steps back. and you see that, for example, playing out in iowa. you see that playing out in virginia. these are races they should be competitive in. but they're now in a position where they're going to nominate far right candidates and probably i would say in virginia i think they're going to lose. in iowa, i think they're going to lose because of choosing tea party candidates and the mainstream of the country, moderate more mainstream, more common sense type of voters, with the tea party activist, the republican party is running away . i think they're scared of it still.

>> and i think quietly, and you can certainly disagree with me, but there were questions about this interview, chip, that mitt romney gave over the weekend and basically saying, look, i wish i was there and i would be more effective at navigating the current impasse in washington. let me play a little clip.

>> does the trades, knocks the heads together, the president leads. and i don't see that kind of leadership happening right now.

>> what is this president doing?

>> well, he's campaigning.

>> does he help as a voice or honestly do a lot of republicans just wish mitt romney would go quietly away?

>> there's nobody unwelcome at a party as the nominee who lost. all the bad things are heaped on romney. which is not good because they're really good people. but when you go on tv and you come on tv in a crisis and go, this is where i would do. who cares. that's a tough position for ann and mitt.

>> and the republicans do seem to put foot in mouth in trying to criticize former todd akin , saying pregnancies resulting from rape are rare and i'm quoting because the body is trauma advertised. i don't even -- i don't even, chris, know what to say about that except that for the many people on both sides of the aisle who have said that this is ridiculous, the republicans can't seem to get away from it.

>> you know, the republican, it's these extreme voices that are becoming seen as the mainstream republican parties . fair or not. and the problem is, the republican party does such a terrible job of disabusing when you hear this kind of crazy talk. this is -- you know, this is certifiable loony talk. when you're looking at elections demographically, how do i win with hispanics, how do you win with enough women in key states nationally? when you hear these type of statements, it doesn't stay isolated like it used to. because of twitter, because of e-mails, the internet, it explodes out and the republican party is becoming branded by this.

>> it's always good to see you. to be continued, gentlemen. thanks, chris.

>> thanks.