(CNN) - Mitt Romney's sons defended their father Tuesday against an earlier charge from rival Newt Gingrich that the former Massachusetts governor lied about his ties to negative campaign ads.
Speaking to CNN Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash, four of Romney's five sons weighed in on the state of the campaign on the day of the critical Iowa caucuses.
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"You get thick skin throughout this whole process, and we know what our dad's all about," Matt Romney said when asked about Gingrich's "lying" comments. "We love him. We know he's a man of integrity. He's a great example as a father for us, so it really doesn't - we don't take it personally."
On Tuesday, Gingrich was asked on CBS if he thought Romney was a "liar" for saying he didn't have anything to do with a super PAC running anti-Gingrich ads in Iowa. Gingrich answered unequivocally "yes."
Josh Romney said each of the 2012 candidates was running in their own particular fashion.
"We're running in to a lot of great candidates running for president in their own way, but we're here to talk about my dad and why we think he's the best candidate for the president of the United States," Josh Romney said.
As for any negative campaigning against their father, Romney's sons were in agreement that the attacks came with the political territory.
"We know there are going to be a lot of tough ads. Anything that we hear said, we know who he is, he's a great man of integrity and great father and leader. We know we have to have thick skin," Matt Romney said.
Tagg Romney said the ads running in Iowa would only be the beginning.
"Politics is a tough sport. You have to be willing to take the heat. We know there's going to be a lot of negative ads coming from the Democrats in the general election and you have to be able to withstand those things," he said.
Asked if there was anything voters might not know about their father, Romney's sons listed off anecdotes from their childhoods, including Mitt Romney's penchant for playing pranks, and his love for spending time with his grandchildren.
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This the man that supported a national mandate for health insurance years before Romney supported a state mandate... and then denied that he supported this national mandate when asked point-blank about it in the debates. This from the man that doubtless lied a great deal to his two former spouses. Hypocrite.
What bothers me is the fact that not ONE of his sons served in the military!!
Come on, who in their right mind takes these fractured GOTeatards as serious contenders for the presidency? Does ANY one of them appear to be driven by a true desire to do something great and positive for the bulk of this country,its' middle class? Do they care about our economy? The answer is NO on both counts.You know it, I know it, heck, Ron Paul knows it. Ron Paul is cool until he atarts backpedaling us to the '50s. But other than cool Ron (during his moments of lucidity), none of these guys can and should be taken seriously. They are just good for goofs, chuckles, derisive laughter, and LYING.So let's laugh at these clowns as often and repeatedly as we can, and then vote for Obama.
All of Romney's kids are George W. Bush type patriots; i.e. Send someone else to do the fighting.
That should've read "starts" not "atarts". Pardon.
five sons raised in the image of their pro-Vietnam war draft-dodging(against my religion)old man. He may not be the biggest liar of the candidates, but he's in the running. They are all in it for themselves. Why doesn't the press give those coward little mitties hell over no service of their on at a time when our country is engaged in two wars. Unworthy preppies like dada.
Yeah Debra from Georgia! they're all liars...every one of em. You know who else are liars, those darn CIA covering up the alien attacks. Yeah...and the moon landing...one big cover up! Believe me...I know what I'm talking about
Burying my brother who was a Viet Nam vet who served 20 years and a disabled veteran husband I'm caring for and love....I couldn't give a "hoot" about what these "poor little rich boys" that were Too privileged to Serve OUR country and NOW they Want our country to SERVE them.
I wonder who would carry the water for our country if everyone went off to Paris to volunteer for their church. Looking at their "pretty" little faces without as much as a "scare" from falling makes me want to PUKE
Sons support their father: is that news?
I think what gets me most out of all these far-right uber-religious Republican candidates is how they swear they're believers in God and then they say and pull the most extraordinary bs out of the air for votes. Pretty basic, but I thought lying was against one of the Ten Commandments.
All I can figure is that they feel justified in their lying. The old 'ends justifies the means' thing that's so popular among Republicans and the religious right
GI Joe...true that, why aren't his sons in the armed forces?! Why aren't we all in the armed forces? We should all...as americans, know how to maintain and shoot at least one gun in our lives, so that we can defend our land from...people. Any and all types of people! Go america
"I won't vote for anyone who hasn't spent time in the US military for President. If you're going to walk the walk, you better be able to demonstrate more than talk ... and that's all Obama's done ... talk."
Really...he talked Osama bin Laden to death from thousands of miles away? Impressive.
Why have none of Romney's sons served this country in time of war? Looks like they've hidden out just like dear ol' dad who was too busy touring France as a M0ron (oops, I mean Mormon).
No amount of spin can coverup Romney's admitted lie in his first ad, Mitt's fuzzy math and absurd flip-flopping.
Not to mention the son's birther nonsense...
Does FLDS stand for Fundamentalist Latter Day Saint or Flip Flopping Latter Day Saint? I guess it depends on whether you are talking to Mitt or his buddy Jepps.....................
This show is the best in town for laughs. What happened to the Republican Leadership and Party? They should be running for president of Bizarro World . . . As I grab another hand full of pop-corn! Teehee!
Romney received a $1 million political campaign contribution from one corporation alone. The corporation was immediately dissolved after the contribution to Romney's campaign. Who do you think will own Romney if he is elected President of the United States? Not the poor. Not the unemployed. Not the elderly. And, not you and me.
I'm not sure why everyone has a beef that Romney's sons didn't serve in the military, as if that has ever exalted anyone. Most of the service members I know are not the cream of the crop. They're enthusiastic and committed and passionate, but not really that great of people.
It is obvious Mitt Romney is a liar!
Not having any link and/or influence on his super PAC? Com'on, we are not that idiots.
"Negative" ads by Romney supporters are nothing buy lies as well, and distortion of truth. Unfortunately, when millions of dollars are spent on lies, even Iowans can fall into this trap.
While Newt Gingrich is far more conservative than Romney, and may be viewed by few as too conservative – one thing for sure, history is teaching us that he is very pragmatic and then what this country needs.
most comments on here are insulting and make me glad i am not a liberal. served in the USMC and i am also a mormon. in 2011 also spent 6 months on unemployment before getting a minimum wage job
Ha, ha, ha. OF COURSE the Romney sons are going to stand up for the dad. What else would they be doing. None of them have a job, ever served in the military, or have done anything to help their fellow man. Without good old dad what else do they have going on in their lives? Please. And don't say they went on a Mormon mission. Those missions are SOLEY to proselytize and convert: its not to do good deeds or to help out the poor overseas, build schools, dig a well, that kind of stuff.
The GOP is imploding! They're rabid dogs foaming at the mouth. President Cool sitting back enjoying the carnage! Obama 2012.
Why does Romneys sons look like their all cloned?
Awe, so sweet. Rich boy defends poppy, so nice and homespun, just what the voters in Iowa care about. What I care about is this pompous man's ability to be president. He wants us all to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. But the way I look at it, the middle class has been pulling itself up by it's own bootstraps for a lot of years only to have it whittled away by greedy institutions and corporations with knockout lobbying and gifts to lawmakers. i can't trust Romney to give a hoot about me once elected
As if Newt Gingrich calling ANYONE a liar holds ANY weight at all. The man is the embodiment of hypocrisy. Maybe the Mitt fans are saying, 'See? Even Romney's kids can handle Newt...' But the reality is that any accusation coming from Newt Gingrich holds zero credibility. A Kindergartner could handle it.