it's way too early for this. good morning and welcome to a special edition of "way too early" before we're live again this morning at jerry's famous deli at south beach. the voting begins, 90 minutes from now. i'm willie geist and this is primary day in the state of florida. i'll be joined in a moment by mike allen and john heilemann. the headline in this morning's miami "herald" online reads this way, newt looks like a goner in florida. but by how much? the practice times union said it's that's turn to pick a republican. the paper points out that more than 600,000 republicans have already voted through early and absentee voting. a look at five key counties to watch. the sarasota herald tribune declares decision day and can gingrich catch romney? we'll know for sure around 7:00

tonight, but it sure sounds unlikely. just about every poll suggesting a tough climb for the former speaker of the house. mitt roy in that has a 15 point lead over newt gingrich and a new suffolk poll extends romney's lead to 20 points. i went out yesterday to a cuban diner to hear republicans make their cases for romney and gingrich. you'll hear that later. give you an idea of what some people are thinking as they head into thing booth today. but first the pifinal arguments florida. a fight that could determine a republican frontrunner for president or send the race into a month's long battle right up to the convention as newt gingrich would like to have it. speaking at the a florida retirement community last night, mitt romney looked confident focusing his attacks on president obama rather than on newt gingrich. romney tried on appeal to the sunshine state's key senior

voters vowing to defend entitlement programs. >> i understand a few of you here are on medicare. is that true? that being the case, i hope you tell your friends who always fear that republicans somehow might go after medicare, you can tell them a couple of things. one, we will never go after medicare or social security. we will protect those programs. but also, you make sure and tell them this, there's only one president in history that's cut medicare $500 billion and that's barack obama. and guess what he did it for. he did to pay for obama care. so if i'm president, i will protect medicare and social security for those that are currently reired or near retirement and i'll make sure we keep those programs solvent for the next generations coming along. we will protect america's seniors and young people are programs designed to keep them well and safe. >> meanwhile in a nod to the

jewish community, newt hammered romney for vetoing funding for kosher meals. >> governor romney imposed activities on the catholic hospitals depends their opposition and refused to allow them the rift conscious in romney care. just as by the way he eliminated serving kosher food for elderly jewish residents under ped kad. i did not know this, it just came out yesterday. the more we dig in, i understand why george soros said it makes no difference to us whether it's romney or obama. we can live with either one. but now sigingrich, that would a real threat. >> this information has just come to our attention. he vetoed kosher meals. rick santorum spent the day campaigning in the state of missouri after he took the weekend off to care for his 3-year-old daughter, bella, who

was hospitalized with pneumonia. looking to recapture a little of the messaging that helped him win in iowa, he presented himself as the best person to take on president obama while also taking a swipe at his republican rivals. >> we have an opportunity on send a message that we want someone who can create that stark contrast, we want someone who has a record of standing up and fighting for the principles that make that country great. we want someone who will take the high road. i'm sick and tired of candidates who think that you have to do anything that's necessary. anything. to win an election. this is the most important office in our country and the most important election in our country's history. we deserve better than we've been seeing in this race. >> joining us now, the chief white house correspondent for politico and the national affairs editor and co-author of

game change. gentlemen, thanks for waking up early again. mike, that miami "herald" piece said newt gingrich looks like a goner in florida, about but by how much. is that consistent with what you're seeing, that romney wins and it's just a question of the margin? >> the romney campaign is saying in their polls gingrich has collapsed and it's mostly women. there's bear lay woman in these polls voting for newt gingrich. he's come off as erratic and we're seeing now that leaked campaign talk breaks through. used to be all ads. now everybody is seeing these hits on their mobile twices, seeing it in e-mail. and so they're seeing will this all come through. >> ten points seems to be one of the numbers we've seen. the suffolk poll had it at 20 points. what margin should mitt romney expect and is there a chance of a disappoint if he only wins by five or six points? >> you've seen a couple polls yesterday, there's an insider

advantage poll in a had it about five or seven. the expectations game, because of what's happened over the last few days and we've seen so many of these polls in double digits, the romney campaign has talked them up, but i think the media and others started to basically bank on the double digit victory. so if gingrich comes in in single digits margin or for somehow he got it down to around five, it would be a moral victory for gingrich. the media is still going to portray it and rightly as a big victory for mitt romney, but i think there is a question about the psyche of the speaker. and hislies who rallied around him. this question of what happens next. and if the speaker comes out of here feeling right already onk wroily as he somehow managed to close the gap, he feels less than totally crushed, that has simply indications going forward. so the romney campaign wants to keep their boots on his neck and

try to run up the score. they want to leave him feeling devastated and demoralized. >> gingrich has vowed to take it all the way to the convention. would it this be a crushing defeat for him or key actually pick up the pieces and move on and wait for the southern states and get himself to super tuesday? >> his campaign yesterday said it's only starting. showing the frustration there is with romney, the frustration in the country. but they're the not going to have resources. gingrich has raised barely any money of his own. he has the super pac that supposedly he can't coordinate. and the romney campaign will shift to focusing more on obama, they'll do a straddle where they have to watch gingrich, but much more toward obama just assuming that he'll be there to nit-pick at them perhaps on the way to the convention. but not take their eye off the ball which is november and this is a state where people here in

florida tell us that obama would lose florida. >> we talked after south carolina about the reactions from both the establishment and from the conservative element of the republican party about what it meant for conservatives. it meant newt was the guy, let's get behind him. it raised more doubts for the establishment about mitt romney. what happens behind the scenes let's say that mitt romney wins here by double digits, what goes on behind the scenes in washington? >> this will be a great triumph for the establishment. the whole republican establishment that rallied around him after south carolina. from mccain, dole, is this part of the story in which the way the republican establishment rallied to romney and tried to quash the threat. the question going forward, there will be a backlash to that. and gingrich has not done well trying to drive this message, but people like rush limbaugh are out there doing this. there is a part of the base that

not only fears romney, but is angry at the way the establishment has tried to kill gingrich and tried to force romney down their throats. so what the dynamic is over the next month between now and super tuesday is going to be interesting to watch. >> and the republican establishment always wins. the question was when. it just happened faster than people would think especially if you considered momentum gingrich had coming out here those 4,000 people. is this an astonishing turn around. >> and of course it hinges on the veto of kosher meals. john, mike, thanks so much. don't forget, you can shoot the me an e-mail or tweet me, let me know what you're doing up, text the word awake followed by your response to 622639. we'll read some of those a little bit later in the show. still ahead here from south beach, mitt romney sings. ♪ for purple mountains majesty,

above the fruited plain ♪ >> mitt romney breaks in to song at an event here in florida. a full throated rendition of america the beautiful a bit later in the show. plus lebron james had the dunk of the season on sunday here in miami. and then declared last night that blake griffin had done him one better. wait until you see this one. oh, my gosh. in its entirety. sports, a check on weather and much, much more from the campaign trail in florida when "way too early" comes right back. the force of a million tons of tnt is released. [ male announcer ] we know you don't wait

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famous deli here in south beach. want to head up to new york city for a check on the weather. bill, good morning. >> is it possible actually the weather is too nice in florida for people to vote? >> in, it's so nice, we may stay longer. >> unfortunately for you it won't quite hit 80, only 79. poor you. well, good morning, every. the warmth around the entire country has been the big story. in a, you're also above average. temperature mere 80 degrees today from tampa to miami. all the way up through the space coast. a little cooler up around pensacola, tallahassee and jacksonville. temperatures near 70. we have a little bit of though this morning, not much of it, not much of winter. only northern new england adirondacks through vermont, new hampshire, a little bit of light snow, but especially the coast of maine, portland respect those are the only bad areas. i want to show you pictures before i get to the forecast. one spot yesterday called fulton, new york, they got nailed by an incredible mini band of lake-effect snow.

they picked up three feet of snow yesterday. areas to their north picked up nothing, areas to their south picked up pretty much nothing. that's where winter was. let's get back to the forecast. it's looking warm coast to coast. not only warm where you are, they will be in the 60s today in d.c. we're not too jealous of you. just a little bit. >> then why feel quite as bad leaving you up there in the cold. we'll see you back at home soon. or not too soon. turning to sports. two of the best squared off last night as the clippers hosted oklahoma city who has the best record in the nba. the teams combined for 2012 points. we'll just show you two of them. i think you'll agree it's all you need. blake griffin stunned the crowd with this dunk. oh, my goodness. over o over -- his head just about even with the rim.

throws it through. last year's rookie of the year, 22 points. snaps the thunder four game winning streak. even that broken james who some said on sunday had tdunk of the year against the bulls had to give credit to griffin. tweeting dunk of the year at blake griffin. so hard. wow. i guess i'm number two how. you be the judge. here's lebron's baseline jam where he simply leaps over john lucas. i think we got to go to blake griffin. sorry, lebron. coming up at the top of the hour on "morning joe," just 74 minutes from how, polls open as republicans cast their ballots for the next nominee for president. will a romney win here be enough to lock down the nomination? michael steele and john heilemann had been with us. and when we come back here, we'll huddle up around the water cooler where the race does look

like it's romney's to lose, but i asked republican voters if they think that's right. [ female announcer ] if whole grain isn't the first ingredient in your breakfast cereal, what is? now, in every box of general mills big g cereal, there's more whole grain than any other ingredient. that's why it's listed first. get more whole grain than any other ingredient... just look for the white check.

welcome back to jerry's famous deli for our special coverage of today's florida primary. polling places open at 7:00 in the morning to 7:00 at night local time. if you want to sound smart, tell your friends that florida election tonight opened only to voters registered republicans at of january 3rd. south carolina primary you'll remember open to all registered voters while independents could vote in new hampshire's primary. in iowa, voters could shift registration from democrat to republican on caucus night. different story here in the state of florida. well, you have to travel a little ways outside south beach to find a group of republicans in their natural habitat. i took a camera yesterday to little havana about eight miles from here and talked to republicans to see where they're going in tonight's primary. oh, we also kind of went just to either the in kred credible hum sandwich.

♪ what's the one issue most important to you as you think about which candidate to vote for? >> the issue is the country right now. the economic problem has to be number one. >> obviously the economy more than anything else. >> i will tell you what would help this country a lot, it they make sure and they bring the companies back into the united states. >> what do you think the president could be doing differently that he's not doing to help the economy? >> number one, i think improve the employment for the opportunity, create nor jobs. >> so you're a registered purchase. >> yes, i am. i'm never been so confused for a nomination before. >> who do you plan on voting for tomorrow? >> i'm kind of leaning toward mitt romney. >> is there any chance you would

vote for barack obama in the fall? >> absolutely not. >> so what do you think wins tomorrow? >> gingrich. >> do you think newt gink grigr will win tomorrow or mitt romney? >> i say mitt rom any. >> we're a great country as long as we say together, stay behind our president, whatever president that may be. we have to unite as a nation and know that we'll come together and find the solutions. >> the view from little havana. our thanks to the owner there, george, not just for the hospitality, but for that sandwich. that was good. it was just over a week ago that president obama surprised an audience at the apollo theatre in harlem by sinkiging al green let's say together. ♪ i'm so in love with you ♪

>> that's a pretty stuff standard to meet, but mitt romney tried yesterday. the republican frontrunner trying to measure up to the president during a campaign event yesterday. mitt romney broke from his routine of speaking the lyrics to america the beautiful to singing them. >> oh, beautiful it for spacious skies for amber mountains majesty across the fruited plain. can you sing that song? do you know that song? ♪ oh beautiful for spacious skies ♪ ♪ for amber waves of grain ♪ ♪ for purple mountains' majesty above the fruited plain ♪ ♪ america america ♪ ♪ god shed his grace on thee ♪ ♪ and crown thy good with brotherhood ♪ ♪ from sea

to shining sea ♪ >> we talk an awful lot in campaigns about contrast. is there a more stark contrast between president obama and mitt romney than in the singling oig you gist heard there? a for effort, though. stephen colbert continues his quest to reclaim his super pac from the evil jon stewart. the super pac americans for a better tomorrow tomorrow announced at midnight it had raised over a million dollars from supporters and colbert want it is back. >> here it is, your moment. >> jon stewart, you hold it right there. you let my super pac go now. i will not look for you, i will not pursue you. but if you don't, i will look for you and i will find you. >> i didn't know it meant that much to you. here, let me -- you know what, i think i left it at the -- will hold on, i think -- where is the -- [ bleep ].

♪ >> sorry as to-to-interrupt. have you seen jon stewart? >> what does he look like? >> about this tall, salt and pepper, guy aiant head, tiny bo. so sorry. please carry on. >> so anyway --

♪ >> it's over, jon. you don't have to give to me, jon. i'm going to take it from you. super pac! >> wow. it just keeps getting more bizarre. our thank to the daily show oig for pretty much letting us use their entire show in that clip. still ahead, why are and you wake? fro your frantic tweets and texts are next. energy in america.

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