Romney will speak at the RNC Wednesday night.

(CNN) — Former Massachusetts Sen. Mitt Romney appears to take a veiled shot at Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, in prepared remarks released ahead of his address to the Republican National Convention Wednesday night — comments the Obama campaign is calling a "pathetic GOP attack."

"Just like you, there has never been a day when I was not proud to be an American," Romney will tell Republican delegates according to advance excerpts released by the Republican National Committee.

The comments appear to be a not-so-subtle reference to Mrs. Obama's comment in February on the campaign trail when she declared, "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country." Those comments were immediately criticized by Republicans and Michelle Obama later said she misspoke.

Barack Obama's campaign fired back at Romney's expected remarks Wednesday night, calling them, “as pathetic as [Romney's] failed presidential campaign.”

“Barack Obama has said that families are ‘off-limits’, and we thought that John McCain agreed," Obama adviser Anita Dunn said in a statement. "But tonight, John McCain’s handpicked attack dog, Mitt Romney, exposed the fake outrage that the Republicans have been peddling all week as the blatant hypocrisy that it is."

"The McCain team’s disgusting attack on Barack Obama's wife shows they would rather generate false outrage to distract from their own problems than talk about the issues facing the American people," Dunn also said. "Mitt Romney’s attack on a candidate’s wife is as pathetic as his failed presidential campaign."

Romney, believed to have been on McCain's shortlist for vice president, is slated to address the Republican convention Wednesday night.

Giuliani was joined by his wife, Judith, as he surveyed the podium at the Republican convention Tuesday.

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) – Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is expected to come out swinging Wednesday, in a “compelling speech” intended to contrast the stark differences between presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain and his Democratic rival Barack Obama, a McCain campaign official told CNN.

“It’s red meat in the sense that it’s a very strong argument on why McCain is the better choice,” said the official, who previewed Giuliani’s address before the Republican National Convention.

Former governors and GOP presidential rivals Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney are also expected to address how McCain differs from Obama. With a critical look at Democrats, the speeches will address "why Washington’s broken" and how Republicans "must fix it."

“The speeches will be a little edgier tonight,” the official told CNN. Tonight, McCain will officially be nominated for the GOP nomination.

With speeches from Meg Whitman, former president and CEO of eBay, and Carly Fiorina, former chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard, early in Wednesday night’s program, McCain officials say there will be a “big concentration on economic issues.”

While Whitman and Fiorina will not cover any new policy ground, the themes will “echo” McCain’s May speech entitled “2013,” where the Arizona senator maps out his first term achievements by 2013. Among the successes McCain envisions, “several years of robust economic growth” and winning the war in Iraq.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (CNN) – Three top Republicans — including two who reportedly held top spots on John McCain’s V.P. shortlist — expressed confidence Tuesday in the McCain campaign’s vetting of Sarah Palin, and said that her daughter’s pregnancy is a private matter that will have a negligible impact on the presidential race.

Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney each spoke to a handful of reporters in Minneapolis after a pair of convention-related events.

Pawlenty and Romney, both passed over by McCain in favor of Palin, said the matter of Bristol Palin’s pregnancy should be off the table in the campaign.

“The personal life of her juvenile 17-year-old daughter is not fair game, so I’m disappointed that that’s even an issue that would come up,” Pawlenty said after an education forum here, adding that he had read in the papers that she had been vetted “thoroughly.”

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Romney will take McCain’s message to Denver next week during the Democratic convention.

(CNN) – Some Republican politicians are skipping their party’s convention this year — but top McCain surrogate and GOP vice presidential contender Mitt Romney is heading to both.

A Romney representative confirmed Wednesday that he plans to crash the Democrats’ party in Denver next week.

“Governor Romney will speak to the press to set the record straight on John McCain and make the case for his election,” said a spokesman for the former Massachusetts governor.

Details are still being worked out — but contrary to reports, he will not be addressing a Republican “counter-rally.” It is more likely that he will hold a press conference accompanied by several other Republicans.

Romney was McCain’s most critical opponent during the Republican race for the nomination, but has since become a stalwart supporter. He is believed to rank highly on McCain’s vice presidential shortlist.

The Arizona senator is expected to name his choice for VP at an event in Ohio next Friday, the day after the Democratic convention ends.

Huckabee's win in Iowa derailed Romney's presidential hopes.

(CNN) – Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney may be high up on John McCain's shortlist for VP, but Mike Huckabee suggested Thursday the Arizona senator would be wise to pick another candidate.

Huckabee, whose victory in the Iowa caucuses derailed Romney's campaign last January, suggested the former Massachusetts governor is distrusted among many social conservatives.

"I think the issue is that, you know, in many ways, Mitt Romney has had very definite swings of position, not just on one or two things, but on many of the issues," Huckabee said Thursday on Fox News.

Romney ran as a social conservative, though he acknowledged he was effectively pro-choice until 2004 — a fact that spurred charges last year of political posturing from many. Despite outspending Huckabee overwhelmingly in Iowa, social conservatives there resoundingly picked the ordained minister and former Arkansas governor.

Huckabee likely isn't making friends with the McCain campaign of late. In addition to criticizing Romney — now one of its top surrogates — the Arkansas Republican will reportedly attend a rally on the National Mall Saturday to push McCain and Obama to delve further into issues facing evangelical voters.

But Huckabee said he will support the Republican ticket, no matter who the vice presidential candidate is.

"I'm going to support our nominee," he said. "And I'm more interested in who the president is than who the vice president is, anyway."

As for his own chances of being named McCain's running mate, Huckabee said he isn't counting on it.

"I've said, for many, many months, now that I have no expectation that I'm going to get that phone call," he said. "I even have my cell phone turned off, as we speak."

Watch Mitt Romney's interview from American Morning

(CNN)–Mitt Romney, John McCain's former primary season rival, defended the presumptive Republican nominee's controversial Web ad that suggested Barack Obama viewed himself as the Messiah — and said Monday the Illinois senator's new ad was deliberately deceptive.

“Well, that's really sad. I didn't - I didn't know that Barack Obama had stooped to dishonesty,” Romney told CNN American Morning's Kiran Chetry. “John McCain's is humorous and it hits the nail on the head. Barack Obama's like an Internet date….”

Watch to find out what Romney meant, and how he's feeling about his VP chances.

Former Romney donors showed up to help McCain on Friday.

DETROIT, Michigan (CNN) – Several of Mitt Romney's top fundraisers anted up for John McCain on Friday afternoon in Detroit, and McCain returned the favor with some words of praise for his former rival.

"In case you missed it, as short a time ago as this morning, Mitt has been on the shows, not only defending, but standing up for the things that we believe in, are important to the future of the country," McCain told a small group of donors gathered at the Detroit Athletic Club, referring to Romney's efforts as a campaign surrogate.

The event raised over $1 million for his campaign.

McCain dined at a table with at least two of Romney’s top fundraisers — John Rakolta, Jr. and Ed Levy, Jr., both of whom were Bush "Rangers" during the 2004 cycle. They were joined by Romney's brother Scott, a Michigan attorney.

After a brief lunch, McCain spoke glowingly of not just of Romney, but also his wife Ann.

"I knew Mitt, and I knew what an outstanding individual he is and what a wonderful family person," McCain said, "but I hadn’t had the chance to get to know Ann, who we all know is battling a disease and she is a woman of courage and beauty and grace."

In the audience was Michigan GOP chairman Saul Anuzis, who said adding Romney to the Republican ticket would give McCain a major boost in Michigan.

Anuzis argued that Romney would also shore up GOP support in the swing states of Colorado, New Hampshire, Iowa, and Nevada, where Romney enjoyed strong support during the primaries.

Watch part of Romney's interview with Wolf Blitzer.

(CNN)—Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney laughed off questions about his vice presidential potential Wednesday.

“With regards to all the people that think I might be on some kind of shortlist, the only one that really counts in my regard is John McCain,” Romney told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “I don’t think he’s told anybody what his thinking is.”

The former Massachusetts governor continued to downplay his chances of joining the GOP ticket. “I don’t want to engage in any speculation with regards to the VP sweepstakes,” he said. “I expect to support the administration and the McCain team. I don’t expect to be part of it.”

Election Center: Who's on McCain's VP list?

In recent months, Romney has been a constant presence on the airwaves as a surrogate for John McCain’s campaign, often serving as a tough critic of presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

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Do you have a question for Mitt Romney?

(CNN)–Now you can be in "The Situation Room!” Former Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will be our guest Wednesday. He’s now a top supporter of Sen. John McCain and is often mentioned as a vice presidential candidate. What do you think? Submit your video questions to Mitt Romney on the economy and we'll have him answer some.

Click here to send us your questions on video, and be sure to keep them clear and concise. Your videos could be used on air–and your views a part of the best political team on TV.

Romney has said he is interested in being McCain's VP.

(CNN) — Is Mitt Romney's VP stock rising?

John McCain's campaign has remained tight-lipped about its vice presidential vetting process, but the Arizona senator appeared to suggest Monday night his former rival would make a very effective running mate.

iReport.com: Share your picks for VP

"I'm appreciative every time I see Mitt on television on my behalf," McCain said at a fundraising event in New Mexico. "He does a better job for me than he did for himself, as a matter of fact."

Watch: Romney promotes McCain

There's no denying the former Massachusetts governor is angling for the No. 2 position on the Republican presidential ticket. He said back in March he would be "honored" to take the position and has been a constant fixture on cable news shows over the last several months — vigorously promoting the Arizona senator's candidacy while sharply criticizing that of Obama.

Related: Romney leads speculation in CNN's political market

Just last week the onetime Republican presidential hopeful said Obama "looks toward Europe for a lot of his inspiration” after the Illinois senator suggested Americans would benefit from knowing more languages.

“I think John McCain is going to make sure that America stays America,” Romney said in an interview on Fox News.

Romney has long been considered a leading VP contender, despite engaging in a bruising and at times nasty primary fight with McCain. The economy has solidly become the dominant issue this election cycle and Romney, who founded the investment firm Bain Capital, brings a sterling business resume — particularly to a candidate who has admitted he lacks knowledge about economic matters. Romney is also a native of Michigan, and could given McCain the edge in that crucial battleground state that the Democrats won in 2004.

Romney remained tight-lipped on Bush's role at the convention.

(CNN) – It's one of the more tricky political tasks the McCain campaign faces at this summer's Republican convention: how to successfully present an incumbent president whose approval ratings hover at or below 30 percentage points.

Speaking on CNN Tuesday, top John McCain surrogate Mitt Romney remained noticeably tight-lipped about the chances of the party's presumptive nominee appearing with the unpopular president.

"You know I am not much of a choreographer, I have to be honest with you," Romney told CNN Tuesday when asked whether the two men would appear together on stage during the convention. "I don't know how convention choreography is going to work. Of course we want to hear from our president and hear his perspectives.”

Watch: Romney discusses the Republican convention

The White House announced last week Bush would speak on the four-day convention's opening night, presumably long before the Arizona senator touches down in the host citiy of Minneapolis. McCain will accept his party's nomination on the convention's last evening.

Pressed if McCain is willing to be photographed with Bush at some point during that high profile week, Romney said it was a decision for the "political powers-that-be to decide."

"But this is clearly John McCain's convention," the former presidential candidate said. "This is his chance to lay out his vision, for our party and for America, and he is certainly going to be the highlight of this convention and I'm looking forward to it."

McCain has long sought to distance himself from his party's leader, and the two have only appeared publicly together twice since the Arizona senator became his party's presumptive nominee five months ago: once at an official endorsement ceremony at the White House and once before a party fundraiser in Arizona.

Watch: Is McCain like Bush?

Do you have a question for Mitt Romney?

(CNN)–Now you can be in "The Situation Room!” Former Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will be our guest Tuesday. He’s now a top supporter of Sen. John McCain and is often mentioned as a vice presidential candidate. During the campaign, he said he was the best candidate to fix the economy because of his business experience. CNN’s new poll out today says 75% of Americans think we’re in a recession. What do you think? Submit your video questions for Mitt Romney and we’ll have him answer some of them.

Send us your questions on video, and be sure to keep them clear and concise. Your videos could be used on air.

Click here to submit your question

Watch John Roberts interview Mitt Romney.

(CNN) — Just when you think you’ve heard everything in this race for the White House, along comes something truly surprising. Such was the case on Thursday's American Morning. I was speaking with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney about Sen. John McCain's new line of attack against Sen. Barack Obama. McCain hopes to paint Obama as a politician who puts party and self-interest above the needs of the nation, claiming that the Illinois senator has “never been a part of a bipartisan group that came together to solve a controversial issue”.

This morning, Romney faithfully repeated that charge. When I pointed out that Obama reached across party lines to work with Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Indiana, on a non-proliferation measure, and with Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Oregon, on increasing gas mileage requirements, Romney shot back, saying that “Actually, on both cases, you’re talking about two liberal positions, non-proliferation as well as the gasoline mileage."

Watch: Romney attacks Obama

It struck me as rather odd – having covered five years of the Bush administration as a White House correspondent – that the governor would view non-proliferation as a “liberal” issue. I seem to recall a little ditty called the “Proliferation Security Initiative,” launched by President Bush on May 31, 2003. The aim of the initiative is to enlist the nations of the world to “stop trafficking of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems and related materials to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern.” Whether the program is a success is very much in question (though the administration claims it is), but I’ve never heard anyone call it a “liberal” position.

Full story

Watch Mitt Romney's interview with John Roberts

(CNN)— Former presidential contender Mitt Romney increased his criticism of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama Wednesday taking direct aim at Obama’s experience, telling CNN’s John Roberts that “the presidency of the United States is not an internship.”

“He can read a prompter very well and energize a crowd,” said Romney. “But he has not accomplished anything during his life in terms of legislation, or leading an enterprise, or making a business work, or a city work, or a state work. He really has very little experience.”

The former Massachusetts governor, who has been mentioned as a possible running mate for presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, said voters will ultimately choose a candidate who has “been tested and proven” — a central theme of McCain’s primary and general election campaigns.

Rep. Ron Paul addressed the Nevada Republican Party's convention Saturday.

RENO, Nevada (AP) — Outmaneuvered by raucous Ron Paul supporters, Nevada Republican Party leaders abruptly shut down their state convention and now must resume the event to complete a list of 31 delegates to the GOP national convention.

Outnumbered supporters of expected Republican presidential nominee John McCain faced off Saturday against well-organized Paul supporters. A large share of the more than 1,300 state convention delegates enabled Paul supporters to get a rule change positioning them for more national convention delegate slots than expected.

"I've seen factions walk out. I've never seen a party walk out," said Jeff Greenspan, regional coordinator for the Paul campaign.

Delegates cheered earlier in the day as former presidential hopeful Mitt Romney urged support for McCain. Later, though, Paul got even louder applause as he delivered his message of individual freedom and fiscal responsibility.

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Romney had some sharp words for Obama.

(CNN) — In a sign he's comfortable playing the attack dog for John McCain's presidential campaign, Mitt Romney issued stinging criticisms of Barack Obama Friday, calling the Illinois senator a "quintessential politician."

"He, in the debate, made a number of promises that he cannot possibly deliver — populist approaches that sound good to the public but that are counter to the growth and strength of our economy and the well-being of our nation," Romney, who abandoned his own presidential bid in February, told the National Journal.

In an apparent reference to Obama's recent comments calling some small town Americans "bitter," Romney also said the Democratic presidential candidate has "subscribed fully to the kind of elitist view of America that has long characterized those of the most liberal persuasion in our country."

"So I think what's happening is that people are getting a better sense about Barack Obama," Romney continued. "They didn't know who he was… but now we're getting a better view of Barack Obama as the — not just the liberal, but the political liberal that he is."

Romney was a fierce critic of John McCain when the two were primary rivals, though he has since repeatedly praised McCain and indicated his willingness to serve as the Arizona senator's running mate.

Watch Mitt Romney tell the top ten reason’s he dropped out of the race.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — At Wednesday night’s Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C., former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave his “Top 10 Reasons for Dropping Out of the Race":

10. There weren't as many Osmonds as I thought.
9. I got tired of corkscrew landings under sniper fire.
8. As a lifelong hunter, I didn't want to miss the start of the varmint season.
7. There wasn’t room for two Christian leaders.
6. I was upset that no one had bothered to search my passport files.
5. I needed an excuse to get fat, grow a beard and win the Nobel prize.
4. I took a bad fall at a campaign rally and broke my hair.
3. I wanted to finally take off that dark suit and tie, and kick back in a light-colored suit and tie.
2. Once my wife Ann realized I couldn't win, my fundraising dried up.
1. There was a miscalculation in our theory: "As Utah goes, so goes the nation.”

Watch Mitt Romney discuss former rival John McCain.

(CNN) – Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney is downplaying his prospects for the vice presidential spot on the Republican ticket even as he continues to act as an important surrogate for his party’s presumptive nominee on the economy, a key issue in the presidential campaign.

“I think it’s very unlikely that I will be John McCain’s running mate,” the former Massachusetts governor told CNN’s Campbell Brown Tuesday night. “There’s so many good folks that are out there, and the other folks haven’t been rivals in the presidential sweepstakes.”

Romney and McCain had a history of frosty relations before the former governor ended his presidential bid.

Romney weighed in on the controversy over Sen. Barack Obama’s comments about rural Americans. “He showed a disdain for people who have values that are different than his own,” he told CNN, echoing similar comments by McCain Tuesday.

Romney also told Brown that he was “glad” the Democratic nomination race had lasted so long, “so that we get the chance to know Barack Obama better.”

“We’ve known Hillary Clinton for some tim,e but Barack Obama’s been kind of an unknown commodity and now we’re getting a better sense of who the man is,” said Romney.

Watch Mitt Romney on American Morning.

(CNN) – As John McCain shifted focus to his economic policies with a major address Tuesday, former Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney plugged the Arizona senator’s credentials on fiscal issues, telling CNN that “if you take Hillary Clinton’s and Barack Obama’s experience and multiply it by ten, you still haven’t caught up with Sen. McCain when it comes to experience on the economy.”

McCain, who has focused his campaign on his national security and foreign policy credentials, has faced charges that he is relatively inexperienced dealing with economic policy.

Romney defended the presumptive GOP nominee’s record on CNN’s American Morning Tuesday.

“For a person who’s spent over 25 years in Washington, D.C., working on economic policies, from the days of Reagan and throughout the current time, Sen. McCain is very well aware of the spending programs in Washington,” Romney told Kiran Chetry. “Which ones need to be cut back, which ones need to be grown. He understands also how to relieve the pressure on the American taxpayer.”

Romney’s own fiscal expertise was a foundation of his own White House bid. He has been named as a possible running mate for McCain, but has refused to speculate on his vice presidential chances . “I’m working real hard to get Sen. McCain elected. He’s got a number of people that he can choose from,” Romney told Chetry Tuesday.

Howard Dean says John McCain is a 'weak' candidate.

(CNN)— Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said Thursday he feared his party's nominee facing Mitt Romney in the general election more than any other candidate.

“Frankly, Mitt Romney was the candidate I feared the most in the general because he’s got plenty of money, he’s wealthy,” Dean told reporters at a committee briefing. “He’s very articulate and he willing to say practically anything, and Republican voters want discipline.”

When asked if he'd fear a McCain-Romney ticket, Dean said the former Massachussetts governor was the best candidate the Republicans were probably “ever going to get.”

Romney dropped out of the presidential race last February saying that if he continued his campaign it would "forestall the launch of a national campaign…making it easier for Senator Clinton or Obama to win." His departure from the race essentially secured John McCain’s place as the presumptive Republican nominee.

Dean also characterized McCain, as a “weak candidate,” one who is very out of touch with “21st century Americans” on issues like the economy, Iraq War, and health care. He added that McCain has no plans to get out of Iraq or solve the mortgage crisis.

(UPDATED with RNC response after the jump)

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