april 2007, where 65% were satisfied with the republican field. we also have an early look at the republican horse race. mitt romney, leading the field. donald trump, coming in second at 8%, ahead of mike huckabee, sarah palin, newt gingrich. a bunch of gop veterans right there. and who would have thought a year ago that donald trump would be doing this well. in other polls, he's actually leading the republican field. i sat down with him yesterday for an extensive conversation. 35-minute conversation. as we said, we talked about every big issue he's going to face. we started with his number one issue, turning the economy around and bringing gas prices down. >> this country is in such trouble. if you look at what china's doing to us. if you -- look at what's going on with the gasoline prices. they're going to go to $5. $6. $7. and we don't have anybody in washington that calls opec and says, fellas, it's time. it's over. you're not going to do it anymore. >> reporter: what would you do to back up that threat? >> it's so easy, george.

it's so easy. it's all about the messenger. they wouldn't even be there if it wasn't for us. these 12 guys sit around the table. and they say, let's screw the united states. and, frankly, the rest of the world. >> reporter: it's not just -- the messenger. it's the message. finish this sentence, if you don't produce more oil -- >> i would look them in the eye and say, the fun is over. >> reporter: how? >> we protect saudi arabia. we have soldiers all over the middle east protecting these countries. >> reporter: you would take away that protection? >> absolutely. do you think they're our friends? they're not our friends. >> reporter: you say it's about the messenger. a lot of republicans think you're a flawed messenger for the party. karl rove, again, saying over the weekend, saying you're a joke candidate if you continue to raise questions about president obama's citizenship. >> there's a real question about the birth certificate. there's a real question about his own citizenship.

>> reporter: there is no question. a live birth, recognized by the state of hawaii. >> i know what you're getting at. >> reporter: the facts. >> no. they're not the facts. he doesn't have a birth certificate, that he has provided. he's given a certificate of live birth. >> reporter: certificate of live birth meets the citizenship. there were reports in hawaii. those are the facts. >> they are -- >> reporter: who is they? >> obama and his minions. they have co-opted you. a certificate of live birth is not the same thing. >> reporter: it's recognized as a standard. >> it's so simple. george, let him show the berth certificate. by the way, this is not -- this is not a big focus of my campaign. >> reporter: you don't believe it's -- >> my big focus is china and opec and all of these countries that are just absolutely destroying the united states. >> reporter: mr. trump, i'm saying it's not a big focus of yours, as long as you raise

questions. >> you make it a big focus. let's see what happens. but a certificate of live birth and a birth certificate are very different. >> reporter: you sent investigators to hawaii. and you said, quote, they cannot believe what they are finding. what have they found? >> let's see what happens. >> reporter: what have they found? >> that's none of your business right now. let's see what happens. >> reporter: have they found anything? >> we're going to see what happens. >> reporter: what have they done? >> we're going to see what happens. >> reporter: when? >> next question, george. >> reporter: you refuse to accept that the president was born in the united states. >> i hope he was. i'm looking -- if i should run and i decide to go and i end up getting the nomination, i don't want to use this as an issue. i hope by that time it's totally solved. >> reporter: today, the head of the club for growth, a major group inside the republican party, has said you're just another liberal. >> liberal? >> reporter: liberal. >> me, a liberal? when somebody calls me a liberal, that's not something i think i've been called.

>> reporter: in your book, you wrote, i'm conservative about most issues. but a liberal on this one. on health care. >> i want people to be taken care of. but not with obama-care. obama care is a disaster. we used to think 12, 14 years ago, we used to think we had a wealthy nation. the fact is, we're in a much different time now. the world has changed a lot. >> reporter: you no longer support universal health care? >> i support health care for people. i want people well taken care of. but i want health care that we can afford as a country. we can't afford things that we could have afforded. >> reporter: in the same book you call for a net worth tax. 14.25% on people worth $10 million and more. are you still for that? >> at that time, it would have paid off the deficit. the world has changed and you can't do it. today, i'm very strongly against tax increases. >> reporter: you're no longer for that tax now? >> i'm no longer for that tax. >> reporter: at that time, you

said you were pro-choice. now, you say you're against abortion. when did you change your mind? >> a while ago. quite a while ago. >> reporter: why? >> because of a number of cases. in one particular case, i had a friend -- and i have a friend. and he did not want a child. and his wife didn't want a child. and they were going to abort. and they didn't do it, for very complicated reasons. and now, they have the child. and he's the apple of his eye. he said thank god. he changed also, by the way. thank god i didn't do it. i've seen that. and i've seen other things. and i am pro-life. >> reporter: tell me how you plan to handle the campaign. i know you said you're going to make an announcement sometime in june. before june. >> i will tell you this, it's very hard. i'm not like a normal guy. i'm going to run for president. i give up a lot if i run. a thing like that, i give up a lot of my free, private life.

i have a great company. i've done a great job. if i run, you'll see what a great job. i'll do a full disclosure of finances. >> reporter: including tax returns? >> we'll look at that. maybe i'll do the tax returns when obama does his birth certificate. >> reporter: ever since michael cohen has done should trump run, hundreds of thousands have gone to the site. what do you think it's about? >> i think people see me as somebody loves the country. but maybe even more importantly, will not let our great country be ripped off by so many others. i think issues that 10 years ago or 15 years ago, would have played a bigger role. oh, gee, i wouldn't vote for donald because he had a divorce. >> reporter: you don't think that matters anymore? >> i had two divorces. they were very good women. and i always say about that, they were excellent women. terrific women. but i work so hard and so long that it's almost unfair to

women. >> reporter: odds you run? >> i don't want to say odds. i don't want to put myself in that position. i don't want to put you in that position. but i tell you, i love this country. i hate what's happening to it. and you may very well be surprised. >> reporter: thanks for your time. >> thank you. >> yeah. i'll say. busy afternoon. >> to say the least. but he seems really serious. >> i have to say, as serious as i've ever seen him. you know, i've been skeptical