Merrimack, New Hampshire (CNN) - Mitt Romney sidestepped questions Tuesday about his newest opponent, Rick Perry, in a refusal to escalate an intra-party squabble the day after the Texas governor questioned his credentials.
The Massachusetts governor faced repeated questions from the media about Perry, who at an Iowa event Monday told reporters to compare the records of the two governors. Perry frequently touts his record on job creation in Texas.
But Romney, the GOP front-runner in the national polls, stood at the microphone in a warehouse at Stanley Elevator Co. in Merrimack, New Hampshire and repeated his response that Perry was "a fine guy, a fine governor" and said the American people would be able to make their own decisions.
"Governor Perry and I are going to have plenty of opportunities to contrast our experience and our vision for the nation when we have our debates," said Romney, who's making his second bid for the GOP nomination. "At this stage all I've got to say about Governor Perry is he's a fine guy, a fine governor, respect him, look forward to seeing him out on the trail and at the debates."
Instead, Romney focused his criticism on President Obama, who is traveling across the Midwest on a bus tour to discuss the economy with voters at events in three states.
"There's no question in anyone's mind that he would not be doing that bus tour if his first two and a half years had been successful," Romney said. "His record speaks a heck of a lot louder than these bus tires do."
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." –
Benjamin Franklin
Did you notice who Obama threatened when he wasn't getting his way on raising the debt ceiling?
He threatened to not pay: Social Security Retirees, Military Retirees, Social Security disability and Federal Retirees.
He did not threaten to stop payments to illegal aliens
He did not threatened to take frivolous benefits such as Internet access away from violent inmates
He did not offer to fire some of the thousands of unnecessary federal employees that he hired
He did not offer to cut down on his or his wife's frivolous gallivanting around
He did not threaten
not to pay the senators and representatives or any of their staff
He did not threaten to take benefits away from welfare recipients
He did not threaten the food stamp programs
He did not threaten
not to pay foreign aid
He did not threaten to cut back on anything that involves his base voters
The list could go on and on. He is in full political re-election mode! Why are we allowing this person to destroy this wonderful country with his selfishness and his lies? His type of change is killing our country. He needs to be stopped and only our votes can stop him.
Do not forget about his tactics when it's election time. Vote Obama out of the Presidency in 2012.
“2012: THE END OF AN ERROR”
Romney may not engage Perry, but Americans should. While Perry has done a pretty good job as Governor of Texas, Mitt's results were better. Unemployment in Texas is 8.2%, just 1% less than Obama's national average. Unemployment in Mitt's Massachusetts ended up at 4.7%, about 3.5% lower than Perry's state, and Perry has had almost 12 years to get it right!
I am told Perry increased the deficit of Texas by $27 billion, while Mitt eliminated the deficit of Massachusetts and left a $2 billion rainy day fund surplus.
Nice to see Mitt playing nice, and focusing on our country's real problem, anti-business (and therefore jobs) President Obama.
Your own records speak louder than your words, don't they? You really have no ground to stand on when you face the POTUS on debates.
Romney has been running for President for so long, he just wears me out.
Sounds to me like Mitt is running scared.
COWARD!!! YELLA BELLY! CHICKEN! You lack the courage and testicular fortitude needed for the office you seek. YOU ARE DISMISSED.
Meanwhile, in other news, TX's redistricting efforts are being shown, through emails between and amongst its Congressional members and their staffs, to be blatantly racist and an attempt to marginalize the hispanic vote despite (or perhaps more accurately BECAUSE OF) the hispanic population growing by 90% between the 2000 census and the 2010 census. But you go on ahead and keep distracting people from important stories that reveal the GOP's racist undercurrents and their fear of the changing demographic face of America that has been a prime motivator of the 3 year hissy fit they've been throwing. They're going to need all the help they can get...and I'm sure your hig-paid upper echelon executives are trying to give them as much as possible. Federal cases about Congress members trying to get aroudn the Voting Rights Act to secure their own seats and the power of their party are clearly less important than what new and improved extremist talking point the GOP candidates are flinging around at each other and Obama and America's sense of santiy and decency like so much self-serving ideological monkey poop.
The republican party candidates are strong. Each of them has qualities that would serve them will in the White House. Plus, whether you like them or not, they all would do a better job than the current president.
I'm voting for Mitt Romney, but wouldn't be too disappointed if Perry were elected president.
Nice to see that Romney is too smart to play along with media's attempt to create controversy and conflict where there is none. Romney is right. The real goal is to get Obama back to Chicago ASAP so this country can start recovering.
And your exact proposals to save the economy and jobs are????
"There's no question in anyone's mind that he would not be doing that bus tour if his first two and a half years had been successful," Romney said. "His record speaks a heck of a lot louder than these bus tires do."
What more can be said of the poor, old worn out bus that is Mitt Romney which hasn't already been said 100 ways to nowhere? And that is exactly where Mitty is going; nowhere. Romney needs to give it up. Fact is the GOP just doesn't like him (or trust him) enough to vote for him, no matter how often he *attacks* President Obama with his trite filled nonsensical statements. All those years of flip-flopping finally catching up to him, I suspect. I'd give Perry a free pass, too. ESPECIALLY if I were Mitt Romney, next in line for the GOPer Loser-in-Chief clown award. Ain't no way he'll ever win ANY debate against Perry, let alone the man holding the title he so covets: President Obama.
So it seems that the repug nomination is all about who can attack President Obama the best. Or the Most?
What a bunch of LAMOs!!
Especially considering what a great turnaround Oama's first year was, until the repugs began to filibuster him in the Senate.
Wow, I actually with Mitten's tactics here. Perry is the tough talking bully on the playground that likes to try and pick a fight.
very smart dude....it is going to be tough fight......Perry is a totally Fraud...all Minimum wage jobs no health care coverage....o.k, Texas is another Third World Nation....wake up....
And what ideas do Perry and Romney have to contrast? Cut taxes and reduce government oversight of business?? Not much difference in their plan for America 's future.
Oh, yeah. And CUT SPENDING. Like that's gonna grow more jobs and get the economy rolling.
He is afraid of Perry & jealous caus Perry is gonna get all the money from big oil, by weeks end welcome to 2nd place in the polls. You will see the real Mitt, afraid to challenge the Cowboy, Romney is a total Wuss!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey romneycare. Younp first need to fight your own party before you can after a REAL opponent and the secessionist from texas ain"t it!
Uh, Mitt, you need to beat Perry before you get a chance at Obama. Maybe that factoid has escaped your pea brain. Also keep in mind that you are a JOB DESTROYER, not a job creator. Your experience has been all about closing companies and laying people off. You are an unpatriotic idiot.
And that is why Perry will defeat Romney for the nomination. One is a fighter, the other is a wimp.
While he is concentrating on the POTUS, Perry will be chewing away at him. Perry will do or say anything to get to the White House. He has no scruples, dignity or morals – just a goal. Dam the facts – there is an election to be won.
He needs to talk about what he is going to do, if elected.......we haven't heard much about it.
Kick Obama in the balls he kicks Rrpublicans all the time
prove Obama to be the fraud that he is
Romney better start drawing out the differences fast and show whuy he is better than Perry or else Perry is going to box him into a corner that he will not be able to get out. Romney needs to win the primaries first, for which he needs to beat Perry. He made the mistake once and McCain took it from under his nose.
Wow Mitt, you're showing about as much backbone as that Tom Pawlately, wait um, no.......Tim Pawlenty! Yeah that's him. What ever happened to that tough ex-hockey player anyways?
Look out Willard, there's some chamomile and earl grey astroturf coming for you! You're not one of them, you're weird, they don't want you. Better stand strong and gain an identity before you're an oh for two as the perceived front-runner....shades of 2008 Willard