(CNN) - A week after declining to appear with Sarah Palin at an event in Boston, Sen. Scott Brown says he'll stick with fellow Massachusetts Republican Mitt Romney over Palin if the two were to face off for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012.
"I am going to support Governor Romney," Brown said in an interview with NBC that aired on Friday, when asked if he'd back Palin. "I am going to see who is out there in the field and then make my decision."
Citing official business in Washington, Brown declined to appear with the former vice presidential nominee at a Tea Party rally in Boston last week, a move that led some Tea Party opponents to question how much sway the grassroots movement actually holds, especially in a Democratic state like Massachusetts.
While Tea Party activists poured money and organizational support into the Massachusetts Senate race earlier this year, Brown has largely kept the movement at arms length.
Brown has also kept his distance from Palin, arguably the most popular figure among Tea Party activists and conservative Republicans. He did not invite her to campaign for him during his Senate bid and, after he won the seat, told reporters he had never spoken with the former Alaska governor.
Palin aides soon revealed that the Alaska Republican in fact spoke with Brown after the election - a phone call Brown has said he "forgot" about.
Asked by NBC if he thinks Palin is qualified to sit in the Oval Office, Brown said, "yeah, I think she's qualified, sure."
But when it comes to his own presidential ambitions, the Massachusetts Republican specifically ruled out running for the White House in 2012.
But what about mounting a presidential campaign down the road? "I am not even going to jump at that. Nice try," Brown said.
From CNN Politics
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Brown knows if he has any chance of re-election he will have to be a centrist. However, I do not see him being re-elected any way. The fact he won is because his opponent thought she deserved the seat and did little to win it.
Nice! Good to see Republicans know better when it comes to Palin
Brown's memory isn't very good. One key reason Romney didn't get the nod is his job slashing businessman past. He was a 'cost cutter' who dumped jobs to increase company profits. It didn't sit well in 2008. It won't help Romney at all 2012. So perhaps, they need to find someone marketable...
Well thats good, but tell the truth niether is going to win anything.
Not supporting Sarah is the second intelligent thing he has done. (allowing jobs bill to go to the floor was the first)
I can hardly wait for Palin to post on her Facebook page how Brown ‘s snub is really an attack on her children. She has not sang that song in a while…
Sorry choice there!
A serious candidate in any election needs to stay as far away from sweet lips as possible. Her brand of politics is poisoness.
Only a moron would back Boob Palin
That's like trying to pick your new house pet between a skunk and a porcupine! Either way...Eeeewww!
Does it really matter WHO Senator Brown supports? Neither Mr. Romney nor Ms. Palin are worthy of ANYONE'S support! Neither have the best interests of the country at heart. They're both pandering egos who will do and say anything to get a vote.
Those who support them are just as shallow...
For not being bright, Brown did do the right thing by rejecting Palin.
Brown is the only smart Republican out there.....he is smart enough not to get himself tied in with Sarah Palin, he can see she is a death sentence to those she supports.......as the days, weeks, and months go by and the closer we get to the elections more will distance themselves from her........
Is Sarah Pailin sick? She's looking like she got ridden hard and put away wet. Good God!
It's only a matter of time b4 those two get together.
Brown is the only smart repbulcian out there, he is to smart to get himself tied in with Sarah Palin......to bad the rest of the GOP isn't that smart because she is the kiss of death for anyone she supports.......
Can you blame him?
Kinda like this guy.
God help us all! These two knuckleheads are dangerous. For the uninformed, Brown voted for many of the same health care provisions in Massachusetts' Romney sponsered health care reform bill, that are in the new Federal legislation. Palin is an advocate of the elimination of social security and medicare. T-baggers and elders, be careful what you wish for, you just may get it!
If he's sticking with Romney, didn't he make his choice?
Or should this read- I like romney but i have to see who the RNC tells me to back.
What has America come to when a presidential candidate is judged by their looks? When will knowledge matter? Romney, Palin, Brown Huckabee, and a host of other republicans are not pragmatic thinkers. There whole objective is to divide the country by using backward ideology. America is going down hill fast thanks to media outlets like CNN and Fox.
You think this man is such an idiot to align himself with a bunch of nasty biggots. you must be mistaking him with that idiot Palin.
He's smart enough to know that Romney has a far greater chance of obtaining national public office than Palin.
Word on the street is that he ( like so many others) was appalled after watching Palins interview with Katie Couric and has told his close staff members that he thinks "she's a good looking airhead"!!!
Perhaps it's true...it would certainly explain his avoiding her.
The media has given star status to Senator Brown. He has been in Washington three months and everybody is falling all over his every word. Let us remember he is only one senator out of 102 senators. He has yet to offer legislation, work with other senators on legislation, really made legislative history!
People just cannot go with the truth that Senator Brown was the better of the two candidates and the people of MA voted accordingly. Although I am sure some supporters were looking to upset the apple cart but most were looking for the best person.
Is the media building him up so when he makes a mistake they can tear him down?
This is not rocket science, although Romney has a chance of getting the nod from GOP, it would be political suicide to team up with Palin who does not stand a chance of getting the nod much less ever getting elected. For Brown to support someone like Palin who has 298 million that can't stand her, and know she absolutley does not have what it takes to be POTUS he is doing the rational thing by supporting his fellow statesman. Brown might be stupid enough to say he thinks she is qualified for President but he is not stupid enough to believe that she really is qualified.