Axelrod: Romney is only an 'economic heavyweight' in a fun house mirror

David Axelrod, President Barack Obama's top campaign advisor, fired back at Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney Sunday morning for criticizing Obama's cabinet over the rise in gas prices.

Axelrod was asked by Face The Nation host Bob Schieffer about Romney advocating for the firing of Energy Secretary David Chu, Environmental Protection Agency head Lisa Jackson, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

"I think it's about nonsense," he replied. "Mr. Romney will pander, and the poor American consumer will be left in the same position."

Axelrod also addressed Romney calling himself an "economic heavyweight" on the campaign trail in Illinois.

"It's the same pitch he made in 2002 to the people in Massachusetts," he said. "And what happen? Massachusetts went from 10th in the nation in job creation to 47th. Their debt went up 16.5 percent. Government jobs grew six times the rate of private sector jobs. So if he thinks he's an economic heavyweight, then he must be looking at a fun house mirror. Because that is not the record of an economic heavyweight."

WATCH: Video from CBS, which was broadcast on March 18, 2012.