Reince Priebus: GOP Primary Election Will Be 'Rigorous' (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON (AP/The Huffington Post) — RNC chairman Reince Priebus said he thinks people are looking for more "authentic" candidates in the 2012 presidential election, adding that voters are "done with the stage speeches, the pageantry and the talking."

"We're going to have a rigorous primary on our side of the aisle, and I think that's what the American people are looking for," Priebus said during an appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America."

Priebus said he's "very satisfied" with the GOP presidential field and that it's not too late for another candidate to join the race. He declined to say whether he thinks Sarah Palin will be a factor.

He told host George Stephanopoulos that it's normal for there to be "a lot of shots" among candidates in the primary season. "Having a primary, having a debate on our side on how to get America back on track and really affect change for the good of this country is something the American people are starving for," Priebus said.

Pressed in the interview to signal who he thinks stands out among the Republican hopefuls, Priebus said, "I can't take sides, but what I can do is make sure we make Barack Obama a one-term president and save our economy."

He argued that "our country is in the ditch and I think our president put us there."