2012 Presidential Election, Cbs News | featured news

Mitt Romney had a high-profile houseguest while at his New Hampshire vacation home this weekend: Oprah Winfrey. CBS News has confirmed that Winfrey sat down with Romney and his wife, Ann, Friday at his lakefront home in Wolfeboro, N.H. The interview, first reported by the New York Times, will be published in Winfrey's magazine, O, The Oprah Magazine.

Mr. Romney's remarks, made in a hastily arranged interview with CBS News on a national holiday, prompted renewed criticisms that he was willing to adjust his views for political expediency. Two days earlier, his chief spokesman and senior strategist had said that Mr. Romney did not believe the mandate should be called a tax.

Gary Johnson plans to announce in New Mexico next week that he is seeking the Libertarian nomination for president, a source close to Johnson told CBS News. He will announce the decision on December 28 in Santa Fe.

Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are tied at the top of the Republican pack to win their party's presidential nomination, each with 20 percent of GOP primary voters' support, according to the latest CBS News Poll. Ron Paul takes the third spot with 10 percent, while the remaining candidates enter the holiday period languishing in the single digits.