Rove mocks Palin: I may be a 'balding fat guy,' but 'I wouldn't leave office midterm'

Conservative strategist Karl Rove on Sunday lashed out at former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) after she used her speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) to blast his super PAC for "vetting our candidates."

Following major losses in the 2012 elections, Rove launched the Conservative Victory Project to pick conservative candidates who could win -- instead of fringe tea party favorites like former Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), who said that women could not get pregnant from "legitimate rape."

On Saturday, Palin took to the podium at CPAC and called Rove's effort the "last thing we need."

"The architects can head on back to the great Lone Star state and put their names on some ballot," she said.

In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, it was clear that Palin had gotten under Rove's skin because he took a shot at her for quitting halfway through her first term as Alaska governor.

"I have to set the record straight," Rove told Fox News host Chris Wallace. "I'm a volunteer. I don't take a dime for my work with [super PAC] American Crossroads. I even pay my own travel expenses out of my own pocket. I thought Sarah Palin was about encouraging grassroots volunteer activity, I'm a volunteer."

"Second of all, look, I appreciate her encouragement that I ought to go home to run for office," he continued. "I would be enthused if I ran for office to have her support."

"I would say this, though. I don't think I'm a particularly good candidate, sort of a balding, fat guy. And second of all, I'd say if I did run for office and win, I'd serve out my term, I wouldn't leave office midterm."

Watch this video from Fox's Fox News Sunday, broadcast March 17, 2013.